‘Economic damage’ of border closures real: Qantas chairman Richard Goyder

The former Wesfarmers boss also expressed doubt about the resurgence of manufacturing in Australia but said we need to look at where we have competitive advantage.

Richard Goyder issued a plea on borders. Picture: AAP

Qantas chairman Richard Goyder has urged Premiers to lay down the conditions of entry into their relative states to create more certainty for the economy.

While speaking at an Australia/Israel webinar with ANU Chancellor Julie Bishop, Mr Goyder said “the economic damage is real — we have 20 per cent youth unemployment, personal and corporate debt that will never be forgiven and we have to take a lot more notice of what is happening to the economy”.

He backed comments made on the borders by Qantas chief Alan Joyce and also noted the work done by columnist Paul Kelly in The Australian warning of the dangers of state populism.

“I’m worried about the process and how it happens from here,” he said.

Asked about the future post-COVID, Goyder expressed doubt about the resurgence of manufacturing in Australia but said we need to look at where we have competitive advantage and “invest in our creativity”.

He cited education as being very important, agriculture, health sciences and technology.

Former foreign minister Ms Bishop said “if an election were held today Joe Biden would win but there was a long time to go”.

She said under President Trump there was a vacuum in international leadership and backing rules-based systems.

She said that with “US leadership missing it was important for countries like Australia to work with others to support both the US and China”.

On the US-China split she noted “there is bipartisan support for a hard line against Chinese policies in place like Hong Kong”.

Ms Bishop said Australia was right to speak out against China but there needed to be plenty of diplomatic activity in the background to support the relationship.

She added that the pandemic had hit universities like ANU “and this will continue into next year because when foreign students start online courses will they choose ours or go places like Yale or Harvard”.

“We are a top 20 country and we should have a top 20 university,” she said.

On work issues, Mr Goyder said he was “enjoying being back in the boardroom again, being with people”.