What a Tower in Tasmania Tells Us About the Future of Planet Earth

What a Tower in Tasmania Tells Us About the Future of Planet Earth

On a windswept cliff at the edge of Tasmania, scientists are quietly tracking the future of our planet. This week, host Rebecca Jones speaks with David Stringer, managing editor of climate and ESG news in Asia, about Kennaook/Cape Grim — home to some of the cleanest air on Earth and one of the world’s most important climate monitoring stations. Learn how decades of data are reshaping our understanding of climate change, why the site matters to governments and investors, and what Australia’s role could be in the global climate fight. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

A Remote Mine Predicts Major Wars – And It’s Reopening

Could one remote Australian mine be a warning sign for the world? This week, Bloomberg Opinion columnist David Fickling talks to Chris Bourke about the revival of King Island's century-old tungsten mine, and how it reflects a new era of geopolitical competition as countries race to secure supplies of the little-known metal for weapons and munitions. The conversation explores China's dominance of the tungsten market, Australia's untapped reserves and why decades of globalization left Western economies exposed to critical mineral supply risks. Fickling explains how one obscure mine offers a window into the race for critical minerals, the changing nature of war and the global scramble to secure strategic supply chains. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

What Falling House Prices Mean for Your Mortgage and Your Wealth

Australia's housing downturn is accelerating, with national prices recording their biggest monthly fall since late 2022 as higher interest rates, tighter investor lending rules and geopolitical uncertainty weigh on demand. In this episode, Chris Bourke talks to Bloomberg economist James McIntyre about why the weakness has spread beyond Sydney and Melbourne. The episode also explores what falling house prices mean for the broader economy. McIntyre says the decline is likely to hit consumer spending through the "wealth effect," slow housing construction and eventually shift the Reserve Bank's focus from stubborn inflation toward supporting growth with rate cuts.  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

‘Egregious and Inexplicable’: KPMG’s Day of Reckoning

KPMG Australia is facing its biggest crisis in years after allegations that confidential client information was misused to help win lucrative audit contracts. In this episode, Amy Bainbridge talks to finance reporter Richard Henderson about what emerged from an explosive parliamentary hearing, and why more senior executives are stepping down. We also examine the scandal’s broader implications for the consulting industry, investors and corporate Australia. Why has so little changed since PwC's own confidentiality scandal – and are the industry's rules fit for purpose? See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Why This Giant Investor Thinks the RBA’s Next Move is a Rate Cut

Australian mortgage holders got some relief this week after the Reserve Bank left interest rates unchanged, pausing after three consecutive hikes. But has the central bank finished tightening? And what does the outlook for inflation, growth and global risks mean for investors? On this week's podcast, Chris Bourke speaks with Adam Bowe, Australian head of portfolio management at global investment giant Pimco. Bowe explains why Pimco believes the RBA has likely done enough, why the next move in rates is more likely to be down than up, and why Australian bonds are among the most attractive opportunities in global fixed income markets today. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.