What HSC economics students ask Ross Gittins the most

At the end of every year, like clockwork, Ross Gittins’ inbox fills with the same request, sent by a year 12 economics student: Could he please post them a signed photo of himself? Their teacher is a big fan.

“I am the rock star of high school economics. It is absurd,” Gittins laughs.

For five decades, economics students have turned to The Sydney Morning Herald economics editor’s columns to prepare for their exams and assignments.

Now, they have had the chance to ask Gittins, and his protégée, economics writer Millie Muroi, their economics questions as they prepare for their trials and final exams.

The questions were varied and broad. Riley Hughes from Cranbrook School asked how the government should balance taxes on cigarettes given the illicit tobacco black market, while Layne Phillips from Pymble Ladies’ College asked Gittins and Muroi how young people should deal with exorbitant house prices.

“Is it important that we stay optimistic and continue working within the system, or is the level of housing affordability and inaccessibility a reason for us to be more critical and push for change?” Layne asked.

In response, Gittins said young people should “stay within the system” but fight for change.

“The system has been allowed to run in a way that gives a lot of benefit to people who already own a home. It’s wonderful for me, but it’s not wonderful for some young person who might want to buy my house,” said Gittins.

“The risk we have with this is we have a generation of young people who say the system is biased against us, we are going to put up a fight against the system. It’s your system as much as it is all the oldies’. What we need to do is change that system so that it gives everybody, particularly young people, a better deal.”

Emily Wu from Hornsby Girls High asked whether we should change the way we measure the health of Australia’s labour market.

“As AI and automation begin to replace labour, do you believe we should put more emphasis on labour under-utilisation data to better understand the true capacity of the Australian workforce?” Wu asked.

Amid declining enrolments in HSC economics, Gittins praised the subject.

“The great strength of high school economics is that it’s so closely based on current events,” he said.