Jul 30, 2026 – 1.26pmThe Reserve Bank’s chief economist Sarah Hunter has warned the data centre boom may be adding to pressures in the construction industry by drawing workers away from other projects, as she said the Albanese government’s tax changes were adding to the housing market downturn.Speaking a day after inflation undershot forecasts and prompted traders to pare back bets on another interest rate rise, Hunter said the data was broadly in line with the RBA’s expectations, even if it was a “touch softer” than official projections.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles