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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Comment
Van Badham

Inflation, unemployment, interest rate hikes: is it any wonder Australia’s misery index is rising?

Woman wearing a cardbox on head with bored smiley sitting on the floor
‘You are responsible for your own misery. But that means you’re responsible for your own happiness, right?’ Photograph: Westend61 GmbH/Alamy

Disturbing news this week that Australia’s “misery index” has experienced significant growth. This was even before the Reserve Bank slugged households with its 12th interest rate rise in 13 months.

Misery indexes were thought up by the 1970s economist Arthur Okun. He had the idea that a combination of rising prices and high unemployment created hardship and drove social unhappiness.

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