Darren Brady Nelson joins Gene Tunny to discuss the evolution of competition policy in Australia over the past few decades. Darren draws on his experience as an economist in the NSW Treasury and the Queensland Competition Authority. Gene and Darren reflect on the successes of the original National Competition Policy reforms and assess the more limited scope of the subsequent competition policy review. Darren analyzes CPI data to understand rising living costs and argues for reducing government interventions. The conversation also covers unintended policy consequences (e.g. fraud in disability services provision), the US Founding Fathers’ vision for limited government, and debates around the appropriate roles and sizes of government in Australia and the US.
Darren Brady Nelson joins Gene Tunny to discuss the evolution of competition policy in Australia over the past few decades. Darren draws on his experience as an economist in the NSW Treasury and the Queensland Competition Authority. Gene and Darren reflect on the successes of the original National Competition Policy reforms and assess the more limited scope of the subsequent competition policy review. Darren analyzes CPI data to understand rising living costs and argues for reducing government interventions. The conversation also covers unintended policy consequences (e.g. fraud in disability services provision), the US Founding Fathers’ vision for limited government, and debates around the appropriate roles and sizes of government in Australia and the US.
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Where you can find Darren’s submission to the Productivity Commission’s National Competition Policy analysis inquiry:
https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/competition-analysis/submissions
AFR article “PC's Karen Chester's love of economics born of despair” (pay-walled):
https://www.afr.com/politics/pcs-karen-chesters-love-of-economics-born-of-despair-20161206-gt4poh
Whitlam Era book featuring Gene’s article on Whitlam and the Economy:
Productivity Commission’s 2005 NCP review:
https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/national-competition-policy/report/ncp.pdf
Episode featuring John Nantz, Free Markets & Limited Government: Lessons from the Founding Fathers for Today – EP218:
10% of Lumo Coffee’s Seriously Healthy Organic Coffee.
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Thanks to Obsidian Productions for mixing the episode and to the show’s sponsor, Gene’s consultancy business www.adepteconomics.com.au.
Full transcripts are available a few days after the episode is first published at