@db_econ

economist, enjoyer of nice buildings

 Sydney
Joined January 2013
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  • Followers1.2K
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Dom@db_econJul 23
Replying to @db_econ
In 2014, a council in Adelaide, South Australia cut its minimum lot sizes to as low as 150sqm, down from 350-500sqm. In 2019, it was partially reversed. Exploiting this on-then-off setting, we find the reform caused large increases in supply (approvals up 67%, stock up 6%)
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I showed @db_econ & @geothibbons around Campbelltown, the rezone area in their paper, over the weekend. We witnessed first hand the parking pressures which have resulted from overdevelopment in the area. Economists should remember data is no substitute for real world experience
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Senior planning academics appear to think that people spend a million dollars on an off-the-plan apartment without being able to find the north arrow on the floorplan??? And that these rules a) increase amenity, b) don't increase costs but c) wouldn't be built anyway???
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Went to a conference last week where ~half the presentations were obvious, unrepentant claudeslop. Instantly makes me not take someone seriously. Do people pumping this shit out not realise that it's so obvious? Do they think it's good? Do they just not care?
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It's gotta be that they don't care. Most of the content was slop too so if you've got nothing of value to say may as well half ass the preso too
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Byron bay is cool dam is it good to be back in Sydney. Not only is it the only city loved by god as my great friend baba says, but it is the centre of all things beautiful about western democracies and life itself. Nothing compares.
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I'm starting a nonfiction book club in Sydney! For round 1 we'll be discussing Waves of Plenty by Mark Cully, a fascinating history of Aus immigration. November 10th in Chippendale, details below- should be fun! Hoping to turn this into a ~monthly thing if we get traction!
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partiful.com/e/MTdbpk5DPaUE0…

RSVP to Sydney Nonfiction Book Club First Edition: Waves of Plenty | Partiful

There's been a few times recently that I'd read a book and really wanted to discuss it but none of my friends had read it. There's also so, so many interesting books out there that I have been...

partiful.com
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And you're going to meet them this Friday at Coopers Alehouse, 6pm, where I'll be discussing parking regulations, RSVP here: yimbyadelaide.com/events/
Ash@ashlikuwuOct 13
your soulmate DOES live in adelaide australia
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Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend Mark Cully's Waves of Plenty. Like all the best works of history, I learnt a huge amount, almost all of which I felt embarrassed that I didn't know before.
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God willing, this surcharges brouhaha will kill the scourge on our beautiful country known as 'credit card points' Should be treated with the same contempt as short form video and online gambling imo
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What else could you possibly have better to do on a Friday night
Jimby@james_brksOct 13
X people who are Adelaide based, YIMBY Adelaide will be hosting @db_econ this Friday to discuss car parking at the Coopers Ale House. RSVP here if you want to come along! actionnetwork.org/events/was…
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Correct!
Allegra Spender@spenderallegraOct 12
The sharp drop in stamp duty shows the folly of relying on a highly cyclical tax to pay for state-delivered essential services. States should now set out a transition to a more stable, less distortive land tax and the feds should back them.
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thinking about Nathan Bracken again
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I've been on the fence over the town hall square project but there's some really odd features The design appears to have the mother of all dead corners??? The surrounding buildings are mostly heritage listed so seems unlikely you'll be able to add shopfronts or anything here
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What clever boys, imagine how lucky you'd feel if you got to write a paper with them
Matthew Maltman@1finaleffortOct 9
Replying to @geothibbons
@geothibbons and I’s submission to the Productivity Commission’s interim report has been published. Unlike our first submission, which largely outlined a framework for zoning reform, this gets into the weeds of measuring where and how regulations bind. assets.pc.gov.au/2026-10/sub…
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The NSW government's plan for 10,000 new homes at Woollahra is one of the most promising reforms for housing in a generation. Predictably, it's getting hysterical pushback from some of the most privileged people in the country. I went in two-footed on these NIMBYs in the SMH
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Read the piece smh.com.au/national/nsw/for-…

For 50 years we’ve let Woollahra off the hook. It’s time the suburb learnt to share

Because it is such a great place to live, those who enjoy it already are desperately trying to find ways for others not to.

smh.com.au
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Just bought laneway tickets
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This report from the Green Institute is full of basic maths errors. - Construction/acquisition costs don't line up with their stated assumptions - Says each store uses 5,687m2 of land, but costs buying 4,550m2 - Mis-identifies an accounting definition change as real and more!
Ben Pennings@BenPenningsOct 5
“Fair Go Grocers would save consumers as much as 22% on the average shop, or $60 a week for a four-person household. Heavy discounts would be put in place for essentials.” theguardian.com/australia-ne…
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more replies
Stores have a similar error. They say they'll buy 200 stores (at $17.8m each) and build 424 (at $21.09m each). They claim this will cost $12.9b. But their numbers only make sense if they buy 310 and build 324. Again, correcting this adds substantial amounts to the total costs.
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Ugh typo. *Buy 310 and build 314, not 324.
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These are basic maths errors, not conceptual or methodological debates. We really need to have higher standards for our public debate than this. Your numbers should add up. In the age of AI there's zero excuse to be puting this stuff out.
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Public supermarkets might be a good idea! I'm skeptical, but I can see plausible arguments in favour. But if we're going to argue about it, we need to actually have our facts (and our maths) right. Publicly-funded research institutions should be better than this.
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