2002 Economic and Social Outlook Conference
Towards Opportunity and Prosperity
The Melbourne Institute and The Australian were pleased to host their first joint Economic and Social Outlook conference on Thursday 4 and Friday 5 April 2002.
| Day One | Thursday 4 April 2002 |
|---|---|
| Official Opening: Governor General | |
Welcome |
His Excellency the Right Reverend Dr Peter Hollingworth AC OBE, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, Government House |
Session 1: Plenary Setting the Scene: Australia's Past, Present and Future |
|
| Prioritising Equity in Australian Development: Lessons From the First Century of Federation [ paper & presentation ] |
Professor Ross Garnaut AO, Professor of Economics, Asia Pacific School for Economics and Management, The Australian National University |
| Measuring Australia’s progress [ presentation ] |
Mr Dennis Trewin, Australian Statistician, Economic Statistics, Australian Bureau of Statistics |
| An Agenda for the Future [ presentation ] |
Dr John Schubert, President, Business Council of Australia |
| The Policy Challenges | Mr Paul Kelly, International Editor, The Australian |
| Session 2: Roundtables | |
| 2A: Productivity and Growth in Australia | |
Productivity Growth in Australia: Are we enjoying a miracle? [paper] [presentation] |
Mr Dean Parham, Assistant Commissioner, General Research, Productivity Commission |
Australia's Growth Prospects: Lessons from the Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Growth Theory |
Professor Steve Dowrick, ARC Senior Research Fellow, Department of Economics, The Australian National University |
| 2B: Inequality in Australia: Trends and Causes | |
| The effects of changes in family composition and worklessness on the distribution of income in Australia [ paper ] [ presentation ] |
Associate Professor David Johnson, Deputy Director, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne and
Dr Roger Wilkins, Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne |
| The Growth of Jobless Households and the Polarisation of Employment in Australia [ paper ] [ presentation ] |
Professor Peter Dawkins, Director and Ronald Henderson Professor, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne and
Ms Rosanna Scutella, Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne |
Trends in Income and Wealth Inequality in Australia [paper] [presentation] |
Professor Ann Harding, Director, NATSEM, University of Canberra |
The Myths of the Welfare State [paper] [presentation] |
Mr Mark Latham, Assistant Shadow Treasurer |
| 2C: Population, Fertility and Immigration |
|
| The Ageing Population in Australia: Demographic Projections and the case for a population policy [ paper ] |
Professor Peter McDonald, Head, Demography Program, RSSS, The Australian National University |
| The case for expanding the population [ no paper provided ] |
Ms Katie Lahey, Executive Director, Business Council of Australia |
| Prospective demographic change and Australia’s policy agenda for the 21st century [ paper ] |
Professor Ian McDonald, National Australia Bank, Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, The University of Melbourne |
Population, Immigrationand the Environment |
Mr Philip Toyne, Director, EcoFutures |
| Lunch: Premier of Victoria | |
The need for a population policy [speech] |
Mr Steve Bracks, Premier of Victoria |
| Session 3: Roundtables | |
| Session 3A: The Trade Practices Act: Are We Becoming a Branch Office Economy? | |
Can our successful multinationals be run from Australia? [paper] |
Mr Stan Wallis, Chairman, Coles Myer |
The Trade Practices Act |
Professor Allen Fels, Chairman, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission |
Offshore Investment by Australian Firms: Suvey Evidence from the Productivity Commission |
Mr Garth Pitkethly, First Assistant Commissioner, Productivity Commission |
Shoudl the four pillars policy in the banking industry be abolished? [paper] [presentation] |
Professor Ian Harper, Professorial Fellow, Economics and Public Policy, Melbourne Business School, The University of Melbourne |
| Session 3B: The New Labour Market | |
Industrial Relations Reforms and the Consequences for Working Time, Job Security, Productivity and Jobs [paper] [presentation] [handout HILDA] |
Professor Mark Wooden, Professorial Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute, The University of Melbourne |
Job Stability, Job Security and Job Satisfaction [paper] |
Professor Jeff Borland, Department of Economics, The University of Melbourne |
Workplace Reform: The Government’s agenda [no paper provided] |
Mr Tony Abbott MP, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations |
Has enterprise bargaining been a success and comments on the workplace reform agenda |
Ms Sharan Burrow, President, Australian Council of Trade Unions |
How is Industrial Relations Reform Progressing in Australia? |
Mr Lyndon Rowe, Acting Chief Executive, Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry |
| 3C: The Environment: Should we Sign the Kyoto Protocol? | |
Why we should sign the Kyoto Protocol [paper] |
Professor Ian Lowe, School of Science, Griffith University |
Why we shouldn’t sign the Kyoto Protocol [paper] [presentation] |
Professor Warwick McKibbin, Division Head, Asia Pacific School for Economics and Management, The Australian National University |
The need for major change in environment policy |
Mr Don Henry, Executive Director, Australian Conservation Foundation |
| Towards a sustainable energy policy for Australia [ presentation ] |
Mr Greg Bourne, Regional President, BP Australasia |
Session 4: Plenary Globalisation: World Trade, Living Standards and Inequality |
|
Prospects for Further Trade Liberalisation |
Mr Mike Moore, Director-General, World Trade Organisation, Geneva |
| Questions to Mike Moore | Mr Alan Wood, Economics Editor, The Australian |
Australia’s Interests in the WTO |
Dr Gary Burtless, Senior Fellow, Economic Studies, The Brookings Institution, Washington DC |
| The Impact of Globalisation on Poverty in Australia [ paper ] [ presentation ] |
Mr Peter Davidson, Senior Policy Officer, Australian Council of Social Services |
7.15 for 7.45pm Gala Dinner |
|
The Australian Economy – Past, Present and Future |
Keynote Speaker Mr Ian Macfarlane, Governor, Reserve Bank of Australia |
| Day Two | Friday 5 April 2002 |
Session 5: Roundtables |
|
| The role of innovation and education in economic growth [ paper ] [ presentation ] |
Professor Steve Dowrick, ARC Senior Research Fellow, Department of Economics, The Australian National University |
| Towards a Science and Technology Policy for Australia [ presentation ] |
Dr Robin Batterham, Chief Scientist, Department of Industry Science and Resources |
Policy Issues for Australia's Education System: Evidence from International and Australian survey research [ paper ] [ presentation ] |
Dr John Ainley, Deputy Director and Head of Policy Research Division, Australian Council for Educational Research and Dr Gary Marks, Principal Research Fellow, Australian Council for Educational Research |
5B: Unemployment |
|
Working out solutions: Labor's review of employment policy |
Ms Jenny Macklin MP, Deputy Leader of the Opposition |
| Full Employment: The Five Economists’ Plan Revisited [ paper ] |
Professor Peter Dawkins, Director and Ronald Henderson Professor, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research and Dr Michael Keating AC, Visiting Fellow, Economics Program, RSSS, The Australian National University |
| Labour market deregulation and unemployment [ presentation ] |
Professor Judith Sloan, Commissioner, Productivity Commission |
| 5C: Issues in Health Policy | |
| Private Health Insurance and the PBS: How effective has recent government policy been? [ paper ] [ presentation ] |
Professor Jeff Richardson, Director, Health Economics Unit, Centre for Health Evaluation Program, Monash University |
| The Role of the Private Sector In the Health System [ presentation ] |
Ms Mary Ann O'Loughlin, Director, Allen Consulting Group |
| Reforming the Incentive Structure in the Australian Health System [ paper ] [ presentation ] |
Dr Richard Scotton, Health Economist |
Session 6: Roundtables |
|
| 6A: The Business Cycle and the Economic Outlook | |
The Australian Business Cycle [ paper ] [ presentation ] |
Mr Don Harding, Assistant Director, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne |
| Discussant of Don Harding’s paper [ paper ] |
Dr David Gruen, Head of Economic Research Department, Reserve Bank of Australia |
| The near-term economic outlook [ paper ] [ presentation ] |
Dr Peter Summers, Senior Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne |
| Commentator:The economic outlook [ presentation ] |
Mr Chris Richardson, Director, Access Economics |
| 6B: Welfare Reform: The Case of Lone Parents | |
| The Welfare Reform Agenda as it affects lone parents | Senator Amanda Vanstone MP, Minister for Family and Community Services |
| Lessons from the US experience [ presentation ] |
Dr Gary Burtless, Senior Fellow, Economic Studies, The Brookings Institution |
| Work incentives and labour supply of lone parents [ paper ] |
Professor Alan Duncan, Professor of Microeconomics, School of Economics, University of Nottingham |
How much reform do we need? |
Dr Elspeth McInnes, President, National Council for Single Mothers and Their Children |
| 6C: Reforming the Higher Education System | |
| Challenges in Higher Education Policy [ presentation ] |
Dr Brendan Nelson MP, Minister for Education, Science and Training |
| The case for deregulating higher education [ paper ] [ presentation ] |
Professor Alan Gilbert, Vice-Chancellor, The University of Melbourne |
| Positive and Negative Aspects of University Funding Arrangements [ paper ] |
Professor Bruce Chapman, Director, Centre for Economic Policy Research, The Australian National University |
| Priorities in Higher Education Reform [ paper ] |
Emeritus Professor Peter Karmel AC CBE, Chair of the Board, Institute of the Arts, The Australian National University |
12.30 – 2.15pm |
Lunch: The Leader of the Opposition |
| Opposition's view of the important policy issues confronting Australia [ presentation ] |
Mr Simon Crean MP, Leader of the Opposition |
| 7A: The Economics and Politics of Economic Reform | |
| Competition Policy and Economic Reform: The Way Forward [ paper ] |
Mr Graeme Samuel, President, National Competition Council |
| Telstra: Should it be privatised? [ paper ] [ presentation ] |
Dr Rod Maddock, Head of Equities Research, Premium Financial Services, Commonwealth Bank of Australia |
| Tax Reform: An unfinished agenda? [ paper ] [ presentation ] |
Professor John Freebairn, Head Department of Economics, The University of Melbourne |
| The politics of economic reform [ paper ] |
Mr Ian Henderson, Political Correspondent, The Australian |
| 7B: Work and Family Conflicts and Fertility: Implications for Public Policy | |
Fertility and Work/Family Policies, Australia and the U.S. [ paper ] [ presentation ] |
Professor Robert Drago, Department of Labor Studies and Industrial Relations, College of Liberal Arts, Pennsylvania State University |
Comments and Round-table discussion Putting family values before market values |
Professor Peter McDonald, Head, Demography Program, RSSS, The Australian National University Mr Tony Abbott MP, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Mr Wayne Swan MP, Shadow Minister for Family and Community Services Senator Natasha Stott Despoja MP, Leader of the Australian Democrats |
| 7C: Ageing and Retirement | |
| The Economic Impact of an Ageing Population: An International Perspective [ presentation ] |
Dr Gary Burtless, Senior Fellow, Economic Studies, The Brookings Institution |
| The Ageing Population in Australia: Policy Implications [ presentation ] |
Kevin Andrews MP, Minister for Ageing |
| Retirement and Superannuation Policy in Australia [ paper ] [ presentation ] |
Dr Vince FitzGerald, Executive Director, Allen Consulting Group |
| Session 8: Plenary Towards Opportunity and Prosperity: The Way Ahead |
|
| Towards Opportunity and Prosperity [ no paper provided ] |
Mr Tony Abbott MP, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations |
| Towards Opportunity and Prosperity [ presentation ] |
Ms Jenny Macklin MP, Deputy Leader of the Opposition |
| Are the Government and/or the Opposition on the right track | Mr Paul Kelly, International Editor, The Australian |