Turning crisis into opportunity

Australia has a unique opportunity in the wake of the unprecedented disruption caused by the Black Summer and Covid-19 crises to boost national disaster resilience.

Protected cropping and resilience of the food supply chain

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the vulnerability of our current food chains, and strengthened the argument for “protected cropping” systems in our farms and urban areas to ensure food production and supply.

The invisible enemies

COVID-19 is just one of the invisible enemies which threaten Australia’s safety, security and democracy and require a thoughtful and united approach.

The growing global food crisis

The Commission for the Human Future’s second Round Table Conference on global threats and solutions has called for a worldwide effort to transform global food production to a system that is renewable, healthy and fair to all.

A new agenda for more resilient supply chains

The COVID-19 pandemic, the lockdown ordered by governments to contain its spread and the unexpected oil price drop in March 2020 have crippled the world economy. These multiple shocks were a harsh wake-up call illustrating inadequate levels of national preparedness.

Save the world to save ourselves

When we disrupt the natural environmental systems people depend on, when populations collide with exotic wild animals in a wet market, we find ourselves confronted with a global pandemic.

Manufacturing an opportunity from COVID-19

The post-COVID world could offer a golden moment to revive manufacturing in Australia’s cities, rather than continue to turn every industrial site into yet more apartments.

Rebuilding Australia after COVID-19

There is a case to be made for a new Commonwealth agency to lead the recovery effort, built on the model of the Department of Post-War Reconstruction after the Second World War.

“One health” for the world

A “One Health” approach which combine animal, human, and environmental measures could help prevent another devastating pandemic and support a more holistic definition of security.

Securing supply chains after COVID-19

Supply chains can be made more resilient by making society more resilient. People should be able to shift jobs to respond to crises and external shocks as production priorities change rapidly.

Tough times teach us about resilience

Resilience is an adaptive process usually developed over a lifetime – but we’re taking a crash-course in it now.

“Economic distancing” would repeat historic errors

Instead of accentuating differences and retreating from openness, the lessons of past crises point to a need to realise the common interest in immunising the global economy from prolonged stagnation and depression.