Pearlcast: a year that overturned the old certainties
Catriona Jackson

Pearlcast: a year that overturned the old certainties

As 2025 draws to a close, the temptation is to look for neat summaries and settled conclusions. But in the latest episode of our podcast Pearlcast, that impulse is firmly resisted.

Recent articles in Pearlcast

Loot boxes are still rife in kids’ mobile games, despite ban on ‘gambling-like’ features
Taylor Hardwick,  Ben Egliston,  Leon Xiao,  Marcus Carter,  Tianyi Zhangshao

Loot boxes are still rife in kids’ mobile games, despite ban on ‘gambling-like’ features

In September 2024, Australia introduced a new classification approach for games with gambling-like content.

The outlook for house insurance is much worse than we’re being told
Ross Gittins

The outlook for house insurance is much worse than we’re being told

The big news on house insurance this week was the response of the insurance industry’s peak body to a parliamentary committee’s extensive criticisms of its treatment of people claiming on their policies after the massive floods of 2022.

For-profit health insurance not adding up
Michael Pascoe

For-profit health insurance not adding up

An unprecedented standoff between health insurer NIB and the St Vincent’s Health Australia has captured headlines for the potential high out-of-pocket costs for thousands of hospital patients.