Australia’s mining giants are entering a new phase. After years chasing mega deals that never quite landed, the focus is shifting to discipline – cutting costs, reviewing assets and doubling down on metals like copper that are critical to the energy transition. But that shift comes as operating pressures build, from rising input costs to weather disruptions and tighter supply.

On this episode, mining reporter Paul-Alain Hunt breaks down what’s driving the reset – and what comes next. We look at how the war in the Middle East is adding to cost pressures, why mega mergers are struggling to get over the line, and what leadership changes at BHP and Rio Tinto mean for the industry’s future.

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A blowout in spending on the National Disability Insurance Scheme has forced the Australian government to make tough cuts to rein the program in ahead of its May budget.

On this week’s episode, economy reporter Swati Pandey discusses how NDIS spending rose so rapidly, concerns about misuse of the program, and how the government plans to fix it with greater oversight, curbs on fraud and tighter eligibility rules.

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The war in the Middle East is sending shockwaves through global fuel and fertilizer markets, and that’s flowing through to what farmers are planting in Australian paddocks this season.

On this week’s episode, agriculture reporter Ben Westcott breaks down what this means for Australia’s grain production, food security, grocery prices and exports.

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Global markets have been rocked by the escalating conflict between the US, Israel and Iran — and Australians are starting to feel it in their super balances. After one of the worst months since 2022, many investors are nervously checking their accounts and wondering how much damage has been done.

On this week’s episode, pensions reporter Amy Bainbridge breaks down what the volatility means for your retirement savings, why funds are urging members not to panic, and what history tells us about riding out market shocks.

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Australia’s world-first ban on social media for under-16s was designed to protect kids — but just months in, cracks are already showing. Regulators say major platforms may be falling short, while parents and teens report the rules are easy to get around, with workarounds ranging from shared accounts to AI-generated age checks.

So is the policy actually changing behavior, or just reshuffling it? Bloomberg’s Ros Mathieson joins the podcast to unpack what’s working, what isn’t, and whether this bold experiment could become a global model — or a cautionary tale.

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Is Australia at risk of running out of fuel? Panic buying has surged, prices are spiking and some regional stations are already running dry as tensions in the Middle East rattle global supply chains.

This week on the podcast, Ben Westcott joins Rebecca Jones to unpack the data behind the headlines — how much fuel Australia actually has, where the system is under strain and why the ripple effects could hit everything from supermarket shelves to farm output.

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For a second straight meeting, the RBA has lifted interest rates, signaling the fight to curb price pressures isn’t over. But what’s actually driving those decisions behind closed doors?

Bloomberg Economics’ James McIntyre joins the podcast to decode the RBA’s thinking: from the data that matters most to how global shocks, like rising energy prices, are shaping the outlook — and what it all means for where rates go next.

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Australia consumes more cocaine per capita than any other country in the world — nearly double the rate of the US. In this episode, Bloomberg’s Angus Whitley joins host Chris Bourke to unpack the data behind the surge, why a wealthy, remote nation has become such a lucrative market for global cartels, and how cocaine use has spread across professions and age groups.

They examine the A$82 billion economic toll of illicit drugs, the role of organized crime, and how shipments — from commercial flights to offshore drops — are slipping into the country. Plus, are authorities making any headway, or is demand simply too strong to curb Australia’s growing appetite?

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