Justin Pyvis
Justin holds a PhD in economics and has 20+ years of policy and investment experience across Australia, NZ, and Hong Kong. These days he’s often found walking cities (jwalk.ing, trying to understand how they work.
Why Australia should stop digging into industrial policy
The Albanese government’s “new approach” to industrial policy is simply mid-20th century interventionism with a lick of green paint. It is wasting money on uncompetitive industries and creating a reliance on subsidies that are politically difficult to remove, burdening consumers and taxpayers.
Friday Fodder (13/24)
Inflation should be the highest policy priority; Bayesian reasoning and the Wuhan lab leak; the urgent need for economic reform; how to reduce debt, Jamaica style; and even when wrong, models can be useful.
A sticky, stagflationary mess
Australia risks “sticky” inflation if real wages start to outpace productivity, requiring higher rates longer and job losses as businesses start to adjust on the employment rather than not wage margin. Continued fiscal deficits also fan future inflation risks.
Brisbane should sprint from the Olympics
Brisbane should withdraw from hosting the 2032 Olympics. The cancellation costs will pale into comparison to the billions that will be wasted in cost overruns and the creation of underutilised facilities, funds which would be much better spent on other priorities.