Rethinking our food supply

Shocks to our food supply, like COVID-19, provide an opportunity to transform our food systems in a way that is healthier, more sustainable and equitable.

We’re steering in the right direction, but we’ll need a bigger boat

If we continue to think of fiscal responses to this crisis as loans that need to be paid back on a short clock, we will damage the ability of the economy to come out this crisis healthy enough to grow away the debt.

A 22% blow to Australia’s economy?

New Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development estimates paint a grim picture of the direct economic costs of public health measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, and the need for more government support to cushion the blow.

Supply chain shock

While it’s impossible to predict the ultimate cost of the pandemic, business should take COVID-19 as an opportunity to learn the costs of under-preparation in the face of global risk.

Are we too reliant on Chinese trade?

Is Australia trading too much with China and too dependent on the Chinese economy, as a lot of the public commentary would have you believe?

We can’t buy our way out of recession

An Australian recession is likely to be part of a global slump, with some workers especially vulnerable, says a UNSW Economics expert.

How world trade will be affected by COVID-19

COVID-19 will have persistent impacts on nearly all areas of trade, despite the stimulus packages announced by Australia and other governments.

China sneezes, the world catches cold

As well as a human tragedy, the coronavirus pandemic is exposing the faultlines of unfettered globalisation.

Disaster planning for tourism

Australia’s summer of bushfires is hitting our tourism industry to the tune of billions of dollars, making it clear that future planning must integrate tourism and disaster resilience.

3 million Australians live in poverty

More than 3.24 million people in Australia, including 774,000 children, are living below the poverty line, but smart government action on income support, housing and employment could help them lift themselves towards prosperity.

Preparing for the future of work

The nature of work is changing in a world of automation, artificial intelligence, robotics, machine learning and digitalisation, so what sort of jobs should young people prepare for?

Assessing Indonesian-Australian economic ties

Indonesia is widely covered in the Australian press – mainly about the three B’s – boats, beef and Bali, but there is much more to our economic relationship than  illegal immigration, live cattle exports and drug smuggling cases.