Renegade Economists

Our final radio show on 3CR sees Karl going out on a win, discussing Victoria's Windfall Gains Tax legislation that passed last week. Along the way you'll hear analysis of Australia's record land price inflation, why we need to switch taxes off the productive sector and onto monopoly interests plus a statement from Saul Eslake at the Housing Affordability and Supply Inquiry on how the mechanics of a land tax works. We finish up admiring the founders of 3CR and their establishment of long term community infrastructure and its parallels to Georgist thinking. Long live the beloved airwaves of 3CR. Show notes

Karl celebrates 600 episodes with a walk through economic history over the last 14 years of the show, highlighting some of the key aspects of Georgist economics along the way. How's this: wealth must flow to those who employ and create rather than those who hoard and wait. Show notes

Tyson Yunkaporta, author of Sand Talk discusses his page turner in light of beer pong and nudie runs, complexity theory and strange attractors. We touch on aspects of steady state economics, futurism, the neo-liberal subject and challenging the wellness industry to delve further into structural analysis. Show notes

Dominic Gilligan (Inverloch Sustainable Living) takes us through his social change evolution in light of his responsibility to himself, of ensuring his independence. You will hear of his insights on the 18.6 year business cycle and how anyone on a limited income can use this to benefit themselves and the planet. Show notes. 

Investment banker and reformer James Murray joins to discuss government addiction to Quantitative Easing. Can nation's sustain COVID driven budget deficits, alongside the reliance on money printing to keep pushing the growth machine along? We discuss reforms such as the Tobin Tax, jubilee, MMT and the future of currency. Show notes.  

Karl is joined by his colleagues Emily Sims & Jesse Hogan to pull apart property lobby spin in light of the recent Victorian Budget. We actually had a few wins, with the Rezoning Windfall Gains tax ruffling feathers amongst those who see it as their right to the golden pen tick, of having their land rezoned by the millions. These are the sort of policies needed to quell a global property bubble out of control. Check the show notes to reference the column inches we didn;t have time to mention: https://www.prosper.org.au/2021/05/rights-to-rezoning/

Karl monologues past his doom scroll and onto new evolutions in the treatment of carbon pollution. Is a well-being index the centrepiece of the next economy? How can addressing land speculation assist in the degrowth/ steady state agenda? Standby for another edition of the Renegade Economists – reforming economics from a diversion play for monopolists and into a meaningful interpretation of reality. Show notes.

Prof Michael Hudson (michael-hudson.com) joins to talk about society’s fragility under the weight of land based debt. How have geo-political debates been defined by the contest between the predatory, extractive model and public ownership? Good vs bad money printing, multi generational mortgages and climate pressures are also discussed. Good times. Show notes

REPLAY: As Facebook shuts down Oz media feeds, we revisit pod #383, March 2015 where we discuss the state of Big Tech and the associated emergent factors with Max C, silicon valley entrepreneur. How could we ensure a fairer future exists between our data, their profits? http://www.earthsharing.org.au/2015/03/big-tek-future-reform/

Its an absolute pleasure to have Fred Harrison (Share the Rents) kick the year into gear with an appraisal of his new book series ‘We Are Rent’. Listening to his surgical tact one can’t help but feel these teachings contain deep and meaningful wisdoms addressing the key issues of our times. Just when you think you know it all, Fred unpeels another layer of understanding: “We continue to privatise the essence of our humanity. Those of us who claim to own land and therefore claim the rents that are produced in our societies are actually enacting the role of slavery. We are appropriating other people’s humanity.” Show notes

Karl reviews Australia's recent land valuation bonanza, what it means for social equity and how recent government public policy has dealt with it. As we emerge from the pandemic, how are governments sculpting their policy to suit? Show notes 

Has Big Pharma exposed society to undue risk in the covid era? In our 2nd episode on this issue, Tahir Amin (i-mak.org) takes us through the R & D ecosystem of pharmaceutical development. Is Big Pharma's role to develop life saving products or digest competition? Listeners will understand why this market is in urgent need of a major overhaul. As always, policy pathways are provided as a matter of courtesy. Show notes 

A recording from Prof Nicole Gurran’s 129th Annual Henry George Commemorative Dinner: "So in terms of affordable rental housing, if granny flats are it, we were going great guns." Prof Gurran takes us through the motivations of blaming planning for affordability issues versus how well the sector actually performs. Transcript & Vid.

With the corona crash only just beginning economically speaking, we need the best tools available. So we delve back into the archives to this 2012 interview with the late Dr Adrian Wrigley. Dr Wrigley looks at how the link between currency creation and land rents is key to a stable economy where reward is based on effort, not privilege. There are some important learnings here as more jurisdictions look at local currencies as a recovery tool. Transcription & show notes.

Will McMahon (Action on Empty Homes, UK) and Helene Caloir (Local Initiatives Support Corporation, NY) join host Karl Fitzgerald to discuss the global housing crisis in light of one of our regular themes - vacancy. A global issue calls for a global response yes? We discuss pandemic related themes to empty homes, homelessness and the international nature of commodification. Can we work together to move beyond the reform theatre enveloping housing policy?  A big announcement looms. Show notes.

Renowned health economist Stephen Duckett (Grattan Institute) discusses our health system’s ability to address the pandemic. From preventative practices to problems with our private health system, we then delve into issues surrounding medical R&D. Have the oligopolistic practices of Big Pharma exposed society to undue risk in this cover era? Some hard questions need to be asked! Show notes

Based on a recent event we held Airlines, Highways and Airwaves, Policy Director Jesse Hermans joins to discuss the power of monopoly in the pandemic era. We discuss why monopolists should also be sharing in the pain of the pandemic and why governments could be ensuring this occurs before bailouts are requested. Show notes.

Gary Flomenhoft (UQ) joins the show to dissect the evolving cov-19 conundrum. The good, the bad and the ugly of coronavirus policy responses are discussed from our perspective of monopoly power. Topics include degrowth, rental relief, money creation and oil. What can nations do to encourage greater resilience?Show notes

OK its back to the Georgist podcourse, this month looking at Green economics in the context of the green new deal. Along the way we look at the yellow jackets movement, Australia’s carbon tax history, the pros and cons of the various carbon pricing systems and then look at the holistic reform needed to unify carbon taxes with inequality, sprawl and resource plundering. Thanks to AOC for the sound grabs. Show notes

Josh Ryan-Collins is a UK economist pushing the envelope on finance and banking reform, with his clear and cohesive manner. We asked him to present on LIfe After Interest Rates in early December, so here is the recording. Have monetarists snookered themselves? The decline of the home owning democracy requires some urgent policy alternatives. Josh provides his take on the link between land and credit cycles. The powerpoint to this can be found on our youtube channel.Next month, back to the podcourse, sorry I've let the feed drop of recent, I've been flat out. Thanks, Karl

This is the seventh edition of our Georgist podcourse and again we delve into another form of power. Intellectual property has become a huge part of our lives as we tip toe in between patents, copyrights and trademarks. Have these been construed too much in favour of the innovator? Or are there other factors establishing the barriers to competition? Regular themes again pop up as we digest Georgist perspectives on property from another vantage point. Remember 'Everything is a Remix!' Great doco.Show Notes.

This is episode 6 of the Georgist Podcourse. Both natural resource rents and natural monopolies increase in value with little effort from the owner. Despite this our economic policy barely recognises these natural advantages. We delve into the regulatory pressures the government faces as various interest groups are favoured over others. Another reminder to read more Hansard. Show notes - some good ones to jot down here.  

Now we get down to the practicalities in the 5th Georgist podcourse. We discuss the best practices for ensuring the pathway to custodianship over consumerism is possible. Geeky but essential, the local and state government policy levers are presented as counter-manoeuvres to established political and economic thought. Check the show notes for links to important research.

Karl takes us through the 4th episode of the Renegade's Georgist podcourse, with a call out to your inner tax geek. Adam Smith's Canons of Taxation provide a backdrop for analysing the need for beneficiary pays to be more prominent in tax reform analysis. We finish with the Marxist distraction away from the necessary analysis of monopoly power.  Show notes.

The Renegades Podcourse #3: Land is the central tenet of Georgist understanding, but yet our most valuable asset is ignored in economics, ignored in the policy setting - unless it starts to falter. Land represents natural resources above and below us. It also represents land-like assets, that share a similar natural monopoly status. So it is crucial to determining both wealth distribution and societal efficiencies. Let’s dig in deeper. A short clip is included featuring Jacob Schwartz-Lucas on the key ingredient - the law of rent. Show notes.

Part 2 of Karl’s Georgist course - the key essentials to understanding behind this timeless philosophy. We discuss first principles including birth rights, primary factors of production, justice, liberty and the importance of effective redistribution policy. Why is the most essential aspect to life on earth ignored by economics? Show notes.

Karl returns for the 1st monthly show, with a focus on Property Rights. Just how much of an advantage are they and how can we re-balance these opportunities? Along the way we visit a London catwalk and hear from Fred Harrison alongside host of worldly problems. To a one world rent!Show notes will now be stored on the prosper site.

Hi all,I thought I'd keep this feed alive with a show encompassing the logical nature of Georgism. How can such a simple change affect so many of the world's big problems? Thanks for those who have reached out over the break. Karl

A collage to see us out in show 573. My first introduction to 3CR was via a late Sunday night show in 1990 called Itch to Scratch. They mixed politics over music to mix learning with fun. Hopefully this collage helps summarise some of the core themes of the show over the last 11 years. Snippets from Teckla Negga Melchoir, Laurie Macfarlane, Yannis Tziligakis, Gary Flomenhoft, Ricardo Haussmann, Guy Standing and John Freebairn.Music - see the Show notes.Enjoy your thinking time.

Frank de Jong (co-founder Canadian Green Party) talks about the fading political currency of policy makers and their inability to meet the demands of inequality alongside rampant right-wing influence. How can a pre-emptive economic system be enabled to deal with issues at source? Taxation is not just to raise revenue, but to improve economic outcomes. Check Frank's work.Show notes

Dave Giesen (Henry George School of Social Sciences, San Fran) discusses the latest round of efforts to help the homeless. Will a tax on Silicon Valley unicorns make a lasting difference? So many people are feeling the precarity but so few grasp the Georgist story. Earth Rights are Birth Rights. Instead the cry of humanity continues to slip back towards sharecropping. Cheery as always, we hope this helps you read between the lines. Show notes 

Independent economist Philip Soos (https://twitter.com/PhilipSoos) is one of Australia’s leading young heterodox economists. We welcome him back onto the show to discuss the state of the Australian economy in light of the Royal Commission into banking. An onslaught of data points ensues, with Philip giving a detailed insight into the role of banking fraud, speculative real estate investment and the required reforms. Show notes. 

John Emmeus Davis is the world’s leading Community Land Trust scholar with over 30 years hands-on experience as a co-founder of Burlington Associates (http://www.burlingtonassociates.com). We discuss the key learnings behind the establishment of a CLT and the new opportunities opening up in this space. Plenty of wisdom in this one - focusing on the core CLT outcomes of Ownership - Empowerment and Stewardship. Show notes. 

Nilmini de Silva and Steve Liaros (Polis Plan) are living the life as e-workers. Imagine a flood risk expert and a planner going undercover as professional nomads, trying to awaken councils and communities to the need for more sensible developments. They focus on energy, food and water sustainability and have a penchant for CLTs. Naturally they are interesting people. Enjoy. Show notes

An entertaining workshop at the NENA conference sees Karl & Rayna give their first public presentation of the proposed community land trust. A solid primer for anyone wanting to get their heads around CLTs. Come on let’s get this going! Show notes.

Denise Brailey (Banking and Finance Consumer Support Association) discusses the Royal Commission into Banking and what we have learnt, what should be investigated. With it established that banks act as a cartel, Denise elaborates on the missing pages that could really pressure better behaviour. Show notes.

Geoff Davies (The Little Green Economics Book) discusses the nine things he would change for a new economics system. From regrowth to free markets, MMT to full employment, a lot is covered in a rather mild manner. 8 shows left? Show notes.

Following episode 553 (Another strange sojourn in Australia’s resource and energy policy) we delve deeper into the economic issues behind the gas price gouge with Bruce Robertson (IEEFA). We discuss policies to reduce gas prices as per international best practice. In light of further consolidation in the industry, we discuss how gas sets the baseline price for energy production in the nation. How much could energy prices fall if we got the gas price back to its’ long term price range?Show notes

“If you are a couple and one of you has to dedicate your entire wage for the next 25 years on the mortgage, what difference is that to slavery?” Mark Hassed takes us through his core Georgist understandings. Along the way we discuss subtle slavery, the School of Philosophy, Crown Casino, resource ripoffs and tax avoidance. Charming but essential understandings as always.  Show notes

Karl rides the gauntlet analysing the state of the Australian housing market with some of our key indicators on show. Hopefully they reflect on the building momentum and provide a perspective on the state of the economy. As always, we like to think they reflect the reality of the situation. How have we been conned into believing yet again another form of trickle down economics? Surprising we haven't put that together previously eh re housing! Karl also delivers some news regarding the future of the show.Show notes

Prof Michael Hudson discusses the globalisation fallout as new trading blocs distance themselves from US dollar denominated trade. Will the US be able to maintain its imperialist tendencies in light of these trends? How much further can the rentiers push their free-for-all? We finish with an overview of Michael’s new book ‘And forgive them our debts’. To seeing through the disinformation. Show notes

Author Fred Harrison discusses the 10 year anniversary of the GFC as the only person to have predicted it from as far back as 1987. He warns we must prepare for the next big one in 2026.  The misallocation of resources leads to debts, excessive taxes and the theft of our time. The five remedies are discussed in this extended podcast. Show notes.

Alanna Hartzok (Earth Rights International) joins to discuss the reform agenda in the poverty stricken Baltimore. Our typical freewheeling discussion passes by the GFC, 9/11, the UN, early Christian teachings and the need for an earth rights democracy. Show notes

A super-sized edition of the show - celebrating 11 years on air - with a review-like interview of the 127th dinner speech with the Unspoken Alternatives to Expensive Housing report author Dr Cameron Murray. Then you get to hear the full speech with the Q&A to follow. Some controversy with the best demolition of the housing supply diversion plan ever, some BIG, big numbers that are already making waves internationally and then Cam’s out of the box plan for dirt cheap land. He pushes our thinking, but why? Show notes

Mason Gaffney delivers the detail on Corporate Power and US Imperialism. Hear about an article originally written in the 60’s that got him sacked, had CIA agents swirling around him but still he kept his resolve to maintain that military endeavours should not support corporate interests. If only the general public understood this story! Please read the article in full, via the show notes.

It’s time to look at Hong Kong, a nation often touted as the most economically liberated, but yet people live in caged housing. You may have seen the Vox video on this topic? Well here we discuss from our unique perspective the pathways forward, trying to stay on the middle road. More commentary in the Show notes.

Karl wades into recent state politics before 3rd year Bachelor of Business student Jack Cameron discusses his perspective on economic modelling, life with a HECS debt and the new economics movement. Following some extraordinary new evidence, Karl finishes on the further pressures young people face with buying a house during an era of policy fraud. Our 127th annual dinner is coming up with Cameron Murray on Housing Policy Fraud: An Australian story. Show notes

Louise Page (Save Westernport) discusses the rush job behind the AGL gas import terminal at Cribb Point. Why does the world’s largest gas exporter need to import ….gas? We run through the economic, environmental and social issues in play during this election year.To solid citizens calling politicians to account! Show notes. 

This week Emily interviews Ben Keck and Abbie Freestone from Assemble about their latest project in Kensington. We discuss Assemble’s deliberative development model: a boutique take on build-to-rent. For locked-outs struggling to save a deposit, the Assemble Model may offer ‘a patient pathway.’ Strong environmental credentials and a codesign ethos make this build-to-rent-to-buy model a welcome alternative to Melbourne’s off-the-plan apartment offerings. But is it economically sustainable? Show notes

Greek academic Yannis Tziligakis joins us to discuss the Right to the City movement. If we are to have rights, who should be included? Yannis has a way of words, dropping one-liners such as the trinity of inequality, the spiral of enslavement and puppeteers against our very own interests. This is an extended podcast as we delve into the details of life on a monopolists earth.Show notes

Karl reports in on his time in the witness box at the inquiry into the privatisation of the Land Titles Registry. What will the property data gold rush be worth in years to come? The missing pieces designed to throw the masses off the source of so much disparity are revealed throughout the show with help from Dave Giesen and Prof John Freebairn. Show notes