ASIA PACIFIC TODAY. Robert Carling & Australia’s post-pandemic debt risk.

While politicians, public servants and many in big business have done well during the Pandemic, the livelihoods of many in small business have been decimated.

Aside from the incalculable human cost of the lockdowns, losses have been large in trade exposed sectors such as Tourism and Hospitality, Higher Education and Agriculture. We have also seen a large rise in Federal and State Government debt to meet the costs of the Pandemic and to support employment.

No great reforms are likely with yet another State election due and a looming Federal election. Inspite of some good economic news, Australia has much to be concerned about. It seems the vaccine will not avert future lockdowns and external border restrictions continue to constrain growth.

Is bad policy, growing debt and big Government here to stay? We catch up with Robert Carling, a Senior Fellow in the Economics Program at The Centre For Independent Studies. Robert has recently published an article "The Looming Iceberg: Australia’s post-pandemic debt risk"

Prior to joining the CIS, Robert was Executive Director, Economic and Fiscal at the New South Wales Treasury from 1998 to 2006. Previous positions have been with Commonwealth Treasury, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. He holds academic qualifications in economics and finance from the London School of Economics and Political Science, Georgetown University and the University of Queensland.