07/05/2026
Between Inflation and Illusion
Written by Ahsan Waqar
Australia is entering an era where economies no longer feel like numbers alone. Inflation is no longer driven purely by local spending. Wars, oil prices, supply chains, and global instability now quietly shape everyday life through groceries, fuel, rent, and mortgages.
The Reserve Bank presses the brake through interest rates while governments continue supporting spending. One fears inflation. The other fears public anger. Somewhere in between stands the middle class, working harder yet feeling financially weaker.
What we are witnessing is not just economic pressure, but transition.
Cheap debt created artificial confidence for years. Property prices rose, consumption expanded, and many confused rising asset values with genuine prosperity. Now the system is attempting to correct itself without breaking completely.
The housing market reflects this shift clearly. Higher-end markets are slowing as borrowing power declines, while affordable housing remains resilient due to strong demand and limited supply.
One reality remains consistent:
cash weakens during inflation,
while assets adjust with time.
In my view, true wealth has never been purely about income. It has always been about positioning, discipline, and ownership during uncertain times.
History shows that difficult economic periods rarely reward panic. They reward people who remain adaptive, observant, and emotionally composed while others become reactive.
The colour of such times is neither black nor white.
It is Surmai.
It is Grey.
Sources:
Reserve Bank of Australia, PropTrack, CoreLogic Australia
