Housing affordability, congestion and rising living costs are putting pressure on Australia's major cities. Could stronger regional development provide part of the solution? Gene Tunny shares highlights from a recent discussion with Nationals leader Senator Matt Canavan on his "Hyper Australia" agenda. They explore regional infrastructure, public investment, economic concentration, GST distribution and the case for decentralisation, while asking an important economic question: do regional development projects pass the cost-benefit test?

Gene would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. You can email him via contact@economicsexplored.com.

What You’ll Learn from This Episode

Why Australia's economy is unusually concentrated in a small number of capital cities.
The potential benefits and drawbacks of decentralising population and economic activity.
How infrastructure projects such as irrigation dams are justified by proponents of regional development.
Why regional Australians may face different cost-of-living pressures than residents of major cities.
How reforms to federalism, public service locations and state boundaries could influence economic development.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Hyper Australia
03:00 Why Australia's economy is concentrated in capital cities
07:00 Regional cost-of-living pressures and data gaps
10:15 GST distribution and public transport subsidies
13:15 The economics of dams and regional infrastructure
18:25 Relocating public servants to regional Australia
22:00 New states and competitive federalism
27:50 Gene's assessment of the Hyper Australia proposal

Links relevant to the conversation

Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance livestream, Thursday 18 June, “Future of the Nationals, with Matt Canavan || #46”:

https://www.youtube.com/live/D0Xpho1mxsk?si=1IWFiDOKZpTIdjNy

Senator Canavan’s website:

https://mattcanavan.com.au/

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