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James McCay

James is a devoted husband, father, and history buff. He studied Creative and Professional Writing at QUT, and is often buried in a book. He writes on a variety of topics, hoping to make a positive difference for readers through his writing.

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Stories by James McCay

construction site workers carefree with income protection insurance

10 Nov 2026 15:34

How many capital suburbs can common jobs afford?

Written by James McCay, reviewed by Stephen Zeller

Compare the Market reveals how many capital city suburbs are affordable for common occupations in Australia.

9 Nov 2026 15:00

Call of Duty tops list of video games linked to accidental household damage

Written by James McCay

Call of Duty ranked first among games associated with accidental household damage, while gaming-related incidents cost almost $170 on average.

Open cigarette packet with text reading “The cost of Smoking”.

4 Nov 2026 09:06

Cost of Smoking

Written by James McCay

Compare the Market analysed official Australian smoking data and historical cigarette prices to estimate how much someone could spend on cigarettes over their lifetime.

Illustration for Australia’s Surgery Waiting List Report, showing a hospital setting with surgical staff, a patient, and medical equipment.

22 Oct 2026 16:48

Australia’s Surgery Waiting Times Report

Written by James McCay

Discover Australia's surgery waiting times, revealing the number of patients treated on time and how many are waiting over a year for surgery.

a man and woman shaking hands with someone off camera next to a tiny model house, keys, and paperwork, with a title overlay reading "Best common jobs for buying a home

19 Oct 2026 14:16

The jobs that can afford the Australian Dream

Written by James McCay

Compare the Market has crunched the numbers to find which jobs can afford to buy a house in Australia's capital cities, based on average earnings and average prices by suburb.

Corgi dog and puppy beside the headline “Cost of buying or adopting a puppy” on a blue background.

15 Oct 2026 10:39

Cost of buying or adopting a puppy

Written by James McCay

We compared the average advertised puppy prices from registered breeders, private sellers and adoption or rehoming options across Australia to show the price differences between each.

A person smoking an e-cigarette blows smoke out. The words Vaping Reduction Index is present.

11 Sep 2026 07:51

Vaping Reduction Index 2026

Written by James McCay

Which countries are best positioned to reduce vaping? Compare the Market dove into the data to find out.

A cartoon image of a woman reading a long bill at her computer desk inside a blue room, with a title overlay reading "Financially Stressed Countries Index"

10 Sep 2026 12:09

Financially Stressed Countries 2026

Written by James McCay

How financially stressed is Australia, and how does 'the Lucky Country' compare to other nations across the globe? Compare the Market analyses the numbers and ranks 32 countries for financial stress levels.

Abstract speed-motion road background with the text “The Strictest Regions for Driving Fines”

8 Sep 2026 09:17

The Strictest Nations for Driving Fines

Written by James McCay

Using data from around the world, we compare driving fines for offences like speeding and red light running to reveal the strictest countries globally.

a dog staring out at a dry grass field

21 Aug 2026 12:00

Most dog-friendly travel destinations

Written by James McCay

Where in Australia has the most dog-friendly destinations to travel with your pets?

A young man installing security camera to help secure his home against burglary

6 Aug 2026 11:14

The biggest crime hotspots in Australia

Written by James McCay, reviewed by Adrian Taylor

New analysis from Compare the Market finds the biggest crime hotspots in Australia, based on rankings by local residents.

21 Jul 2026 10:00

World’s Most Dangerous Cities 2026

Written by James McCay

Compare the Market has compiled crime index data for 411 cities, exploring the most dangerous and safest, as well as the biggest changes in crime index scores over the past seven years.

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