Podcast
Expelling mistake: the costs of hardline immigration policy
- Callum Williams estimates 15 million people migrated to rich countries over the last three years, describing this as the largest surge in history, while noting Canada plans to reduce study permits by one-third within the next year and the US has barred asylum for those crossing the southern border illegally.
- Potential future US policies include drastic measures if Republicans win the upcoming election, with Donald Trump's deportation plan potentially removing 7.5 to 8 million individuals, a scenario predicted to cause immediate economic chaos, fiscal costs, and industry-wide staffing disruptions.
- Moderate anti-immigration policies are projected to cause some economic damage but may offer marginal short-term benefits, such as reduced housing inflation and a reversal of rapid rent and price increases, evidenced by Goldman Sachs research indicating a 100,000-person drop in net migration in Australia could lower rents by 1%.
- Over a slightly longer period, declining migration is expected to increase inflation through labor supply shortages and faster wage growth, while long-term crackdowns risk reducing innovation and failing to address the aging and sickening demographics of rich countries that require new workers for healthcare.
- Williams argues that while recent migration levels were unsustainable, a lack of political will for necessary fiscal reforms means the wealthy world still requires migration, creating a risk where short-term gains from tighter controls incur serious long-term costs.
- The program team aims to determine over the next few weeks how online dating habits have shifted, with a three-part series investigating why users are leaving apps, the cultural drivers of innovation, and the implications for singles globally.
- Market data shows Match Group and Bumble reported quarterly growth of 4% and 3% respectively, a significant slowdown compared to the 24% and 25% growth seen in 2021, despite over 381 million global users in the last year, which is double the 2017 figure.
- Future industry developments may include the absorption of small date-planning companies by larger entities or Tinder rebranding to emphasize love over casual sex, with an upcoming episode exploring alternatives chosen by singles disenchanted with current apps.
- Breaking is expected to be the sole new sport at the current Olympic Games, introduced to attract younger viewers, though concerns exist regarding the neglect of the dance's rich cultural origins during the Olympic process.
- The event is projected to expose a new generation to breaking and boost its public profile and corporate sponsorship potential, though the sport's inclusion is anticipated to be a one-off event that will not return for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.