Program
Conference Program
The 2017 Economic and Social Outlook Conference was held on Thursday 20 July to Friday 21 July 2017.
Thursday, 20 July 2017
| 8.45–9.15am | Session 1: Opening |
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Aunty Diane Kerr, Wurundjeri Elder Dr Paul Kelly, Editor-at-Large, The Australian Professor Glyn Davis AC, Vice-Chancellor, The University of Melbourne Professor A. Abigail Payne, Director and Ronald Henderson Professor, Melbourne Institute, The University of Melbourne | |
| 9.15–10.40am | Session 2: The challenges of an uncertain world Australia’s prosperity has drawn on its embrace of globalisation over the past 30 years. But there is a voter backlash around the world in the wake of the global financial crisis that is shifting political sentiment. How should government manage the challenges of the post-crisis world that involves weak productivity and social tensions? |
| Chair | Professor A. Abigail Payne, Director and Ronald Henderson Professor, Melbourne Institute, Applied Economic & Social Research, The University of Melbourne |
| Speakers | Dr David Gruen, Deputy Secretary, Economic, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Transcript of the Speech Presentation Slides Mr Peter Harris AO, Chair, Productivity Commission Transcript of the Speech Presentation Slides Professor Bob Gregory AO, Emeritus Professor, Research School of Economics, The Australian National University |
| 10.40–11.00am | Morning Tea |
| 11.00am–12.30pm | Session 3: Fiscal stimulus in an age of debt Massive fiscal stimulus in 2009 left a legacy of debt, but fiscal policy is back in fashion as monetary policy is seen to be exhausted. |
| Chair | Mr Innes Willox, Chief Executive, Australian Industry Group |
| Speakers | The Hon Chris Bowen MP, Shadow Treasurer Professor Guay Lim, Professorial Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute, Applied Economic & Social Research, The University of Melbourne Professor John Daley, Chief Executive Officer, Grattan Institute |
| 12.30–2.00pm | Lunch Session Audio |
| Chair | Dr Paul Kelly, Editor-at-Large, The Australian |
| Speaker | The Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP, Prime Minister of Australia |
| 2.00–3.30pm | Session 4: Concurrent |
| Session 4A: Investment approach towards welfare service provision How are Australia’s policies affecting the delivery of human services socially and fiscally sustainable? NZ implemented a priority investment approach towards service delivery. What lessons can Australia learn from New Zealand? | |
| Chair | Professor David Ribar, Professorial Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute, Applied Economic & Social Research,The University of Melbourne |
| Speakers | The Hon Christian Porter MP, Minister for Social Services Mr Roland Manderson, Deputy Director, Anglicare Australia Transcript of the Speech Presentation Slides Mr Richard Spencer, Commissioner, Productivity Commission |
| Session 4B: Migration meets resistance Migration is delivering half Australia's population growth, with new routes to permanent residency through student and temporary visas. Calls for a smaller intake arguing the labour market is too weak and social cohesion threatened are growing louder, while economists argue the intake boosts growth and eases problem of ageing. | |
| Chair | Associate Professor Jongsay Yong, Principal Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute, Applied Economic & Social Research, The University of Melbourne |
| Speakers | Professor Peter McDonald, Professor of Demography, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne Dr Barbara Broadway, Senior Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute, Applied Economic & Social Research, The University of Melbourne Professor Judith Sloan, Professorial Fellow, Melbourne Institute, Applied Economic & Social Research,The University of Melbourne and Contributing Editor, The Australian |
| Session 4C: Cities and productivity Cities provide clusters of industry and expertise that are ingredients of productivity. How can they be made to work better? | |
| Chair | Professor Allan Fels AO, Professorial Fellow, The University of Melbourne |
| Speakers | The Hon Angus Taylor MP, Assistant Minister for Cities and Digital Transformation Professor John Haisken-DeNew, Professorial Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute, Applied Economic & Social Research, The University of Melbourne Ms Sarah Hill, Chief Executive Officer, Greater Sydney Commission |
| 3.30–4.00pm | Afternoon Tea |
| 4.00‐5.20pm | Session 5: Carbon and energy The switch from coal to renewables no longer seems so relentless, after the election of climate sceptic President Trump and the South Australian blackout. |
| Moderator | Dr David Byrne, Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics, The University of Melbourne |
| Speakers | The Hon Josh Frydenberg MP, Minister for the Environment and Energy The Hon Mark Butler MP, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy |
| 7.00 for 7.30pm | Conference Dinner Zinc @Federation |
| Welcome | Professor Paul Jensen, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Business and Economics, The University of Melbourne |
| Chair | Professor Margaret Sheil AO, Provost, The University of Melbourne |
| Speaker | The Hon Scott Morrison MP, Treasurer |
Friday, 21 July 2017
| 8.30–10.00am | Session 6: President Trump and Asia - What does this mean for Australia? Assumptions long made about Australia’s relations with the region and with the United States have been thrown into question by the rise of President Donald Trump. |
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| Chair | Professor Andrew Walter, Interim Director, Melbourne School of Government, The University of Melbourne |
| Speakers | The Hon Julie Bishop MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs Professor Ross Garnaut AC, Professorial Research Fellow in Economics, The University of Melbourne Professor Michael Wesley, Professor of International Affairs and Dean, College of Asia and the Pacific, The Australian National University |
| 10.00–10.20am | Morning Tea |
| 10.20am–12.00pm | Session 7: Concurrent |
| Session 7A: School funding and returns from schooling and pre-schooling programs What is the intersection between the financing of schools and child development? How can good practices from early on in life result in positive outcomes for children when they reach adulthood? | |
| Chair | Professor Lisa Paul AO PSM, Independent Non-Executive Director and Melbourne Enterprise Professor - Public Policy, Faculty of Arts, The University of Melbourne |
| Speakers | Ms Gill Callister, Secretary, Department of Education and Training Professor Chris Ryan, Associate Professor, Melbourne Institute, Applied Economic & Social Research, The University of Melbourne Professor Jeff Borland, Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, The University of Melbourne |
| Session 7B: Equity and the people’s revolt Around the world we're observing an alienation from the political system and part of this stems from concerns around economic prosperity and getting beyond basic income needs. Some argue for measures to guarantee basic income. Do we need to go beyond what was established over 50 years ago through the Henderson Poverty Line. What are the income issues facing Australia? | |
| Chair | Professor Lisa Cameron, Professorial Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute, Applied Economic & Social Research, The University of Melbourne |
| Speakers | Professor Roger Wilkins, Professorial Research Fellow and Deputy Director, Melbourne Institute, Applied Economic & Social Research, The University of Melbourne Mr Sean Innis, Special Adviser, Productivity Commission Ms Ruth Weston PSM, Assistant Director (Research), Australian Institute of Family Studies |
| Session 7C: New directions in public policy There are a range of tools and methods used for data collection to permit evidence based decision making on public policy issues. Why should we use these tools and are they helping us to understand issues before developing policy? | |
| Moderator | Professor A. Abigail Payne, Director and Ronald Henderson Professor, Melbourne Institute, Applied Economic & Social Research, The University of Melbourne |
| Speakers | Professor Mark Wooden, Professorial Research Fellow and Director, HILDA Survey, Melbourne Institute, Applied Economic & Social Research,The University Dr Alex King, Director, Behavioural Insights, NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet Dr Yi-Ping Tseng, Senior Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute, Applied Economic & Social Research,The University of Melbourne |
| 12.00–1.30pm | Lunch, Mayfair Ballroom |
| Chair | Professor Margaret Sheil AO, Provost, The University of Melbourne |
| Speaker | The Hon Bill Shorten MP, Leader of the Opposition |
| 1.30–3.00pm | Session 8: Concurrent |
| Session 8A: Future of Medicare Labor put Medicare at the heart of its election campaign in 2016, but more than 30 years after its introduction, is it time for reform? Is its fee-for-service model contributing to escalating costs? What are reforms that can assist in keeping costs under control whilst improving population health? | |
| Chair | Professor Anthony Scott, Professorial Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute, Applied Economic & Social Research, The University of Melbourne |
| Speakers | The Hon Catherine King MP, Shadow Minister for Health Dr Jeremy Sammut, Senior Research Fellow and Director, CIS Health Innovations Project, The Centre for Independent Studies Dr Michael Gannon, President, Australian Medical Association |
| Session 8B: Are the banks too big? Four big banks each pursuing similar strategies looks like a concentration of risk. Is the four pillars policy obsolete? Does Labor have a case for a Royal Commission? | |
| Chair | Professor Bruce Preston, Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, The University of Melbourne |
| Speakers | Senator Katy Gallagher MLA, Shadow Minister for Financial Services Ms Michele Bullock, Assistant Governor (Financial System), Reserve Bank of Australia Professor Kevin Davis, Professor of Finance, Department of Finance, The University of Melbourne |
| Session 8C: Innovation and the workplace Much of the debate about innovation centres on support for entrepreneurs, researchers and the CSIRO. Is this too narrow? Is the key to innovation raising the productivity of the workforce? What progress are we making? | |
| Chair | Ms Dee McGrath, Managing Partner, IBM Global Business Service, Australia and New Zealand |
| Speakers | Mr Mark Cully, Chief Economist, Economic and Analytical Service Division, Department of Industry, Innovation and Science Professor Paul Jensen, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Business and Economics, The University of Melbourne Ms Lisa Gropp, Chief Economist, Business Council of Australia |
| 3.00–3.10pm | Short Break |
| 3.10–4.00pm | Session 9: Policy in a post-globalisation world Voters and political parties are rejecting the economic propositions that supported globalisation since the 1980s. Should policy-makers retreat? How should they respond? |
| Moderator | Mr David Uren, Economics Editor, The Australian |
| Speakers | Dr Paul Kelly, Editor-at-Large, The Australian Professor Gary Banks AO, Professorial Fellow, Melbourne Institute, The University of Melbourne Mrs Jennifer Westacott, Chief Executive, Business Council of Australia Professor A. Abigail Payne, Director and Ronald Henderson Professor, Melbourne Institute, Applied Economic & Social Research, The University of Melbourne Professor Glyn Davis AC, Vice-Chancellor, The University of Melbourne |
| 4.00–6.00pm | Women in Economic Network and Melbourne Institute Cocktail Event |
| The Courtyard, The Residence, Grand Hyatt Melbourne |