Industrial Policy

Economic reality trumps climate dreams in a world where money is no longer free.

This update has become something of a weekly policy analysis wrap, given the flurry of announcements we’re getting ahead of a federal election that now looks like it’ll be held on or before 12 April (today is the deadline for a 29 March election to be called).

An Australia-wide long weekend kicks off tomorrow, and between the Perth Rugby Sevens tournament and Australia Day festivities I’m not going to have all that much time for the usual reading and writing. So the next time you’ll hear from me will probably be in the form of a Hot Take on the all-important December quarter inflation figures (Wednesday).

Transforming Australia into a green manufacturing "superpower" won't automatically generate widespread prosperity, and is more likely to enrich only a select few while imposing broader economic costs on the majority.

Albo would fail Econ 101; are we in another iron ore winter; what does Raygun have in common with the RBA; Australia's employment recession; could you be an Olympian; China's economic crisis; and how you're able to drink milk.

One subsidy at a time.

Xi Jinping's state-led economic vision is crippling China's growth potential, fuelling overcapacity and wasting trillions of dollars, with far-reaching consequences for China, Australia and the world.

A Future Made in Australia is a lobbyist's wet dream; social media age limits are based on junk science; we're not as wealthy as we think; inefficiency in Japan; zoning reform isn't enough to fix the housing crisis; and why the UK's most distorted election in history is a win for democracy.

Whether it's being sold under the banner of a "New Paradigm", "new centrism", "neopopulism", or a "Future Made in Australia", industrial policy will lead to less growth, insipid labour productivity, and a much poorer and more vulnerable Australia.

A Future Made in Australia picked its latest winner (or loser?); how tipping became the scourge of democracy; should we get rid of non-compete clauses; Steven Miles attempts to buy votes; and the China globalisation paradox.