The new normal should be better than before

Talk about returning the economy to normal after the crisis is misguided. Before the crisis, normal was nowhere near good enough and we can do better now.

We’re on the way back but it’s a risky road ahead

Australia’s continued recovery from the economic effects of measures to limit COVID-19 depend on how much we spend and how quickly we get the vaccine.

Less is more

Climate change is quickly spiralling out of control, and there is limited time left to dispel the threat. Jason Hickel’s new book offers a new solution which over turns decades of economic thought.

Hitting the sweet spot

The post-COVID recovery provides a rare opportunity to rebuild a better economy that can support living standards without irretrievably damaging the environment.

5 summer reads on economics

Economics may be the ‘dismal science’ and not everyone’s idea of fun holiday reading, but understanding new thinking on the economy in the wake of recent health and environmental crises may be a good investment of your time.

Timtams, wine, and whisky

Trade deals have become the single most important issue for a post-Brexit UK. As Australia is experiencing its own trade tensions, the time is ripe for an Australia-UK trade deal to become a reality.

The billion-dollar backpack

Backpackers are worth a billion dollars to the Australian economy as both tourists and temporary workers and their return to these shores will be an important part of the post-COVID economic recovery.

Waste not, want not

The COVID-19 slowdown gives us a golden opportunity to “reset our materials economy along more sustainable lines”, says human geographer Ruth Lane.

The boom is bust

Whether it’s the gold rush of the 1850s, the mining booms of the early 2000s, or the China market boom of the past six years, Australians never like to admit the good times are over, but we’ve got a pretty good record of finding new sources of prosperity.

Tackling the scourge of unemployment

A high unemployment rate isn’t just bad for individuals without a job, and the costs aren’t just financial.

Do the tax cuts make sense?

The government has brought forward its planned tax cuts, and while some say we shouldn’t be cutting taxes during a recession, the plan has its merits if the economy is to recover from the COVID lockdowns.

Generation debt

Coronavirus measures have plunged Australia into recession after 20 years of growth. How will the Budget help Australia recover from the greatest economic shock in living memory?