The concession with concessions is that not all Australians are getting the same help with the cost of living and age and luck are more of a determinant than need.

This week on Exchanges, we sit down with Nick Tarrant Principal Economist at the Policy Institute Australia for a conversation about the hidden disparities in Australia's state-based concessions and cost of living support. Nick unpacks the design flaws baked into our concession programs, why the current system is failing the people it's supposed to help, and what better targeting and federal coordination could actually look like in practice.

Chapters

02:18 Why do states use existing systems like tolls and public transport for relief?

03:05 Rethinking cost of living relief as part of the social safety net

04:34 Support for seniors and the flaws in means testing

07:26 Asset and income disparities in concession programs

08:54 Fairness issues in concession design and consumption-based discounts

09:13 The effectiveness of lump sum payments versus asset-based support

12:46 Targeting energy rebates more effectively

14:06 The role of government in price stabilization and support

16:09 Targeting support to those most in need and fiscal implications

18:24 State debt levels and their impact on support programs

20:49 Using taxation and debt reduction as tools for support

21:07 Successful examples of targeted support in South Australia

23:01 The importance of federal and state coordination

24:54 Addressing federal and state fiscal disparities

26:45 The potential for reform and better targeting

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