# The Federal Budget Reality Check with Economist Leith van Onselen

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/straight-talk-with-mark-bouris-4048066/the-federal-budget-reality-check-with-economist-leith-van-onselen
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/straight-talk-with-mark-bouris-4048066/the-federal-budget-reality-check-with-economist-leith-van-onselen.md
Podcast: [Straight Talk with Mark Bouris](https://stenobird.com/podcast/straight-talk-with-mark-bouris-4048066)
Published: 2026-05-20T19:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://omny.fm/shows/straight-talk-with-mark-bouris-1/the-federal-budget-reality-check-with-economist-leith-van-onselen
Audio file: https://p.podderapp.com/2544644999/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/1c4759f0-81fc-4f35-85d1-b305004fc1e8/0f2baaef-0323-4714-9072-b4500079b0cc/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=573776d2-4dbd-4f2f-a825-b305004fc1ef
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/straight-talk-with-mark-bouris-4048066/episodes/the-federal-budget-reality-check-with-economist-leith-van-onselen
Duration seconds: 3347

## Resource

Leith van Onselen is one of Australia's most credible economists and a straight-talking critic of government policy.  In this episode, we dissect the Albanese government's latest budget and its real impact on inflation, housing affordability, and living standards. Leith explains why this isn't tax reform but simply a tax grab, how immigration policy is driving the housing crisis, and why Australia's productivity growth ranks among the worst in the OECD. We explore the disconnect between headline GDP figures and per capita reality, the expansion of the government-funded sector, and what this means for future generations. We get into: • Why the budget won't help with inflation or interest rates • How immigration policy is crush-loading housing and infrastructure • The productivity crisis dragging down living standards • Government sector expansion crowding out private enterprise • Capital gains tax changes that could kill startup innovation • Bracket creep silently increasing everyone's tax burden • The 30% minimum CGT targeting self-funded retirees Join my exclusive Mentored+ community:  https://mentored.com.au/become-a-member/ Subscribe to the Mentored newsletter here:  https://mentored.com.au/newsletter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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## Transcript

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