Global Economy
Scrapping IMF surcharges is key to cutting debt burden on distressed nations
More than 50 countries, composing half of the world’s poorest people, are facing severe debt distress. “Crisis” might be an overused term in global politics, but surely this…
Timor-Leste: Breaking free from temptation of easy money
A successful 21 May election in Timor-Leste saw the smooth and peaceful transition of power to a new government led by Xanana Gusmão – new, in the sense of being newly sworn in,…
Economic diplomacy: Power shifts with Jakarta
Trading places
It’s now half a century since Australia and Indonesia signed a bilateral investment agreement leading to serial government initiatives mostly on the Australian…
Reforming Australia’s trading system – a long hard slog but worth the effort
As Australia seeks to diversify its economy, build more resilience into supply chains, and improve productivity, reducing the transaction costs of both exporting and importing has…
From hydrocarbons to hydrogen? Gulf states seek the good oil in green transition
Hydrogen has been hailed as an energy of the future and the technical fix in the green transition. But as hydrogen’s technological and cost barriers continue to fall, there remain…
Globalisation promised growth. Now emerging economies need a new path
The global economy is now entering a more dangerous phase of “selective” de-globalisation. Escalating geopolitical tensions have spilled over to the once “secular” arena of trade…
Replenishing the Green Climate Fund
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) was established in 2010 as a linchpin for global solidarity between rich and poor countries. Operating under the United Nations Framework Convention…
Finding opportunity in Australia’s liquid fuel security challenge
Australia is overwhelmingly dependent on imports, to the tune of 91%, for its refined fuel needs. That creates national security challenges, a concern clearly identified in the…
Is US industrial policy headed in the wrong direction?
The Biden administration’s “modern American industrial strategy” marks a striking departure from prevailing economic orthodoxy. The United States is now championing muscular…
East Asia’s low welfare spending model fails to tackle inequality
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, debates about East Asian miracle economies were centred on the secrets of their success. Unlike most industrialised nations, they managed to…