In this episode of the Get Rich Slow Club, Tash and Ana welcome political content creator and former teacher Konrad (aka Punter Politics) to the mic.
The conversation ranges from electric bikes to lobbyists, but Konrad's central belief is clear: Australians are being sold short by a political system rigged in favour of powerful interests. For this reason, Konrad encourages listeners to pay attention, and demand a fairer deal. Read our summary below, and as always, you can find the full recording at the end of this article.
Happiness points: a new way to measure money wins
The chat kicks off with the concept of “happiness points" – Konrad’s cheeky but effective metric for evaluating spending.
“I think of a win for money if whatever you spend it on [gives you] happiness points,” he explains. His recent upgrades – an e-bike and a Chinese-manufactured electric vehicle – score big. “My happiness points go through the roof.”
For Konrad, practical spending isn’t about deprivation. It’s about maximising value. He shares how he calculated that maintaining his old Mini Cooper would cost him $40,000 over ten years. Meanwhile, his MG4, costing $35,000 with a 10-year warranty, requires minimal maintenance and virtually no petrol.
A childhood of frugality and practicality
Konrad grew up in a household where money wasn’t tight, but every dollar was considered. “It was never like: ‘Oh no, we’re poor.’ It was like: ‘That’s not worth it,’” he recalls.
His parents, shaped by post-war migration and public housing, taught him to think critically about spending. That mindset carried into adulthood, especially when travelling.
“I could have a hotel room for $150, or I can sleep on the airport floor and travel another week,” he says.
This outlook planted the seeds of his later political awareness. He saw money not just as a tool, but as a symbol of access and equity: who gets what, and why.
F rom economics teacher to political communicator
Before Instagram reels and billboard campaigns, Konrad was in the classroom. Teaching economics, especially abroad in China, opened his eyes to how politics and money intersect.
“Economics, at its best, looks over the fence and goes: ‘Oh, yeah, they tried that. We could also try it here. We know we're not exactly the same as them, but these principles may transfer,'” he explains.
He noticed that politics wasn’t separate from economics – it was built on it. Different parties promote different economic theories: one might favour trickle-down tax cuts, while another believes in government-led investment.
“Once you understand that, you can see the political divide and the economic mythology that we're being fed,” he says.
Although hesitant at first to become a political content creator (“I’m not an expert”), Konrad eventually embraced the role, seeing the lack of accessible political communication and credible resources.
“People want hard and fast, concrete things to hold on to about stuff,” he says. “I’m trying to say: 'Okay, I understand you want me to simplify it'… But I’m also always trying to say: 'Here’s where I’m getting my info from.'”
The political distractions keeping us stuck
Konrad’s biggest critique? That politicians, especially from the two major parties, are distracting Australians with culture wars whilst ignoring urgent, systemic issues.
“Every policy that Albo and Dutton are talking about right now is a waste of time,” he says bluntly.
He points to the housing crisis : friends doing everything “right” are still struggling to buy homes without parental help.
“The system is fundamentally broken,” he argues. “They say things like: 'Oh, we're going to let you access your super'. Has it worked yet? No."
Who really holds the power?
When asked who benefits from maintaining the status quo, Konrad doesn’t hesitate: lobbyists.
“A lobbyist is someone who is paid by an industry and/or their organisation to shill on behalf of them,” he explains.
And unlike average citizens, lobbyists have nearly unfettered access to politicians. Many don’t even have to register publicly, leaving the public in the dark about who’s influencing what.
He shares a startling example: he once paid $4,000 to attend a gas industry dinner, only to be turned away and have the police called on him.
“They knew who I was and said: 'Sorry, mate, you're not coming in,'” he says.
The revolving door problem
Konrad highlights how political influence doesn’t end when a minister leaves office. Instead, many politicians transition straight into corporate roles with companies they once regulated.
“Josh Frydenberg – where did he end up? Goldman Sachs. Mark McGowan – BHP,” he says. “Do you think he got it because he's just so good at his job that he can help these companies? Or because he's from the government and all those companies want all his connections to everyone who's currently in government?”
His proposed solution? A complete ban on the revolving door.
“I would ban any politician working in an industry [where they] made the rules. No politician can ever go into lobbying or can ever go become an executive of something they regulated,” he says.
Australia’s gas export scandal
The conversation then turns to one of Konrad’s main campaigns: gas royalties. Despite being rich in natural gas, Australia earns shockingly little from exporting it.
“We exported more gas than Qatar in one year. They made $76 billion. We made $2 billion,” he explains.
Konrad says this is because more than half of the gas exported from Australia attracts no royalties. He sees it as a core reason Australia earns so little despite exporting more gas than Qatar.
The issue also goes beyond lost revenue; it directly impacts the cost of living as well. Konrad says gas companies are driving up energy prices while profiting off public resources.
What can everyday Aussies do?
The picture Konrad pants may seem grim. However, Konrad insists that change is possible if Australians get informed and vote strategically.
“Pay attention to politics for at least three weeks every three years,” he says. “Put in politicians that are not taking money from these [lobbyists].”
When Ana and Tash ask how to find those candidates, Konrad points to donation records and voting histories.
But most of all, he urges people to look past tribal politics. “First vote for your own best interest, then potentially have a conversation about: 'Well, what about my kids?'”
From awareness to action
Konrad shares how he raised $90,000 for a nationwide billboard campaign highlighting Australia’s gas giveaway. What started as a single billboard quickly became a movement.
“I had 17 billboards across the country in every state, and one near Santos' gas plant in Gladstone,” he says.
His takeaway? People do care about politics – they’re just tired of being distracted.
“We don’t care about what politicians are saying to us in that little dumb press," he says. "You know what we care about? As soon as you start talking about gas royalties, which would make us as rich as Qatar, as citizens, that’s a game changer.”
Why the media isn’t helping
A major barrier to progress, according to Konrad, is Australia’s media landscape. He argues that legacy media controls the narrative and focuses on divisive topics.
“Corporate media… can set the emphasis and control what we talk about," he says.
That’s why he encourages people to follow independent creators, verify sources, and share information. “We’re shifting the narrative that normally Rupert Murdoch controls," he says.
Will Konrad run for politics?
The short answer? No. “I don’t want to be told what to do by anyone,” he says.
More importantly, he believes his talents lie in communication, not bureaucracy. “Politicians work hard – I’ve been to Canberra. But I’m far better suited to getting everyday Aussie punters to pay attention to what’s important.”
He adds: “You don’t have to become a political nerd. I’m just trying to make it easy and accessible so that, once every three years, you vote in a way that would benefit you."
A final call to action
Konrad ends with a dire assessment: “If this housing crisis is solved, you’re screwed regardless. This is my grim take. We’re done. And if it is fixed, we will be the ones holding the bag… it will be for the next generation.”
But that doesn’t mean we should give up. “Show up consistently and do the tiny little bit you can.”
Thanks to platforms like his, a growing number of Australians are demanding better. “If we taxed our gas and oil properly, it would change the Australian way of life forever,” he says.
And maybe, he believes, we’d stop getting scammed.
If this episode sparked something in you, give it a five-star rating, drop a review, or better yet, share it with a friend. And if you're just starting out, the first ten episodes will get the financial gears turning. Follow us at @getrichslowclub and catch our personal updates at @tashinvest or @anakresina.
Happy investing!
