Does free trade have a future?

The global trading system that promoted free trade and underpinned global prosperity for 80 years now stands at a crossroads due to the upheaval caused by United States President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff regime.

Economic warfare

A new book envisions the world economy splitting into two blocs, led by the US and China or descending into autarky as business reverts to investing at home in response to Trump’s tariffs.

Australia adrift

If Australia continues to manage our relative decline rather than confront it, we risk drifting into strategic irrelevance – as economically dependent, militarily constrained and diplomatically marginal as Latin American countries like Argentina.

Boosting female productivity

If women’s workforce participation matched men’s, there would be an additional one million workers with post-school qualifications, boosting economic growth by 8.7% or $31 billion by 2050.

The roundtable and after

The Federal Government’s much heralded roundtable on productivity produced a ‘laundry basket’ of ideas, including tax reform, for Labor to pursue in its second term.

Capital gaps and complacency

Capital is not neutral. It shapes what gets built and where. Until it is aligned with the national interest, we will continue to export the value of our ideas and import the technologies on which our sovereignty depends.

Despite it all, China dominates Australian trade – again

China has reasserted its dominance over Australia’s export markets, taking a record of almost 1 billion tonnes of mineral resources and agricultural commodities last year, and displacing the trading partners that helped Australia out during the years it suffered Chinese economic punishment.

Whatever happened to wellness?

The Albanese government devoted time and energy in its first term to developing a wellbeing agenda, but the battle against inflation and the new focus on productivity has pushed wellbeing back down its list of priorities.

Pet shop productivity

Former prime minister Paul Keating used to say the resident galah in any pet shop was talking about micro-economic policy. These days, if you encounter a pet shop with a galah, she’ll be chattering about productivity, but will the Government’s new roundtable allow progress to be made?

The future of USA-Australian trade

Donald Trump’s tariffs have rocked world markets but a more measured assessment of their impact on Australia-US trade relations should be informed by history and morality as well as dollars and cents.

Australian strategy for the Asia Pacific

Australia must realign its economic strategy to handle mounting pressure from US tariffs and global trade volatility by deepening ties with key Asian partners and investing in emerging sectors like space technology to safeguard its national prosperity and regional influence.

Death of taxes

No politician wants to introduce taxes, but Australia may have to as costs increase and revenue declines if Trump’s tariffs plunge the world into recession.