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Judith SloanContributing Economics Editor

Judith Sloan is an economist and company director. She holds degrees from the University of Melbourne and the London School of Economics. She has held a number of government appointments, including Commissioner of the Productivity Commission; Commissioner of the Australian Fair Pay Commission; and Deputy Chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

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While it’s common these days to parody Paul Keating’s comment about the early 1990s – “it’s the recession we had to have” – the real intent of his statement is generally overlooked.

In election year, it’s the productivity, stupid

We’re not the only country facing low or negative productivity, but we need to work out why.

Judith Sloan

commentaryCommentary

(FILES) In this file photo taken on August 15, 2019, US President Donald Trump speaks during a

Trump tariffs are more about the ‘art of the deal’ than economics

Donald Trump appears to regard tariffs as a political and geo-strategic weapon as much as an instrument of economic protection of local industries. For him, it’s really all about negotiation.

Judith Sloan

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Cashed-up Labor refuses to stand up to CFMEU and Cbus

Why cashed-up Labor refuses to stand up to the CFMEU and Cbus

Following the money is a useful guide to understanding what is going on in the public square. The revelations about the CFMEU and Cbus are really the tip of the iceberg.

Judith Sloan

COMMENTARYCommentary

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos - December 18, 2024: Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Finance Katy Gallagher release the mid-year Budget update during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Real big spender from minute he walked in the joint

MYEFO shows spend and tax is in Labor’s DNA. But there are no Peter Walshes or Paul Keatings to take an axe to excessive spending.

Judith Sloan

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA. NewsWire Photos.December 13, 2024.Australian Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen holds a press conference in Sydney. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Anti-nuclear Bowen stuck in a fantasy world of his own

Chris Bowen refuses to acknowledge what’s going on in virtually every developed economy around the world and some developing ones too.

Judith Sloan

COMMENTARYPolitics

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos NOVEMBER 12, 2021: Market street near the Pitt Street Mall is buzzing with shoppers this Friday afternoon. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Buckley’s chance of hitting migration target

The only conclusion to draw is from Thursday’s overshoot on net overseas migration figures is that the Canberra bureaucrats don’t really know what they are doing.

Judith Sloan

COMMENTARYPolitics

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos - DECEMBER 11, 2024:The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese holds baby Maise 3 months after delivering a speech at the Morningside Panthers AFL club in Brisbane.Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

The easy option: blatant vote-buying, ignoring evidence

The bigger ticket item the PM is contemplating is a flat-fee model for all users. It would be crazy, but that probably won’t stop him.

Judith Sloan

COMMENTARYNation

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA. NewsWire Photos.December 10, 2024.RBA Governor, Michele Bullock holds a media conference discussing the Reserve Bank of AustraliaÃs monetary policy decision.Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Beginning of the end of an independent central bank

If Labor ‘friends’ dominate the new board, there will be real questions over the objectivity of the decision-making. This is particularly important because the non-bank appointees will make up most of the board.

Judith Sloan

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BANGKOK, THAILAND - DECEMBER 01: An EV charging station at a PTT service station in central Bangkok on December 01, 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers are rapidly expanding their presence in Asia, particularly in Southeast Asia, where demand for EVs surged by 894% in 2023, a report by Counterpoint Research showed. This growth is driven by significant investments from companies like BYD and Geely, who are establishing production facilities in countries such as Thailand and Indonesia to capitalize on the region's burgeoning market for sustainable vehicles, as their products quickly eclipse the popularity of European and U.S.-made EVs. (Photo by Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images)

Why consumers aren’t taking the EV bait any more

What is becoming clear is that there are many unintended consequences when governments seek to diminish consumer sovereignty by attempting to direct consumer purchases in ways that don’t reflect their preferences.

Judith Sloan

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Empty slogans can’t hide the reality of renewable fairytale

The idea that Australia can become a renewable energy superpower is fanciful. As for things being made in Australia, we are making fewer things, not more.

Judith Sloan

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/judith-sloan/page/4