Andrew Leigh MP: Speeches & Conversations

Speaking with Robyn Williams on the Science Show about ‘What’s the Worst That Could Happen?’

On 9 April 2022, I spoke with Robyn Williams on the Science Show about my recent book, ‘What’s the Worst That Could Happen? Existential Risk and Extreme Politics’.

Engaged Egalitarianism: Why the Australian Recovery Must Prioritise Openness

On 6 April 2022 in Melbourne, I delivered the biennial Stan Kelly Lecture, named by ‘modest member’ Bert Kelly after his father. The talk was hosted by the Economic Society of Australia’s Victorian branch, and was titled ‘Engaged Egalitarianism: Why the Australian Recovery Must Prioritise Openness’. It will be published in the journal Economic Papers.

Doubling Philanthropy by 2030

Speaking in Melbourne on 7 April 2022, I announced Labor’s plan to double philanthropy by 2030, drawing on the stories of Alfred Nobel’s premature obituary and my grandfather Keith Leigh. It’s an ambitious goal, but if we have a government that collaborates with charities and donors, it’s achievable.

Why the nation’s biggest foundation should be Australia’s epicentre for randomised trials

Speech delivered at the Paul Ramsay Foundation in Sydney on 23 March 2022. If you’re interested in this topic, you may wish to check out my book Randomistas: How Radical Researchers Changed Our World”.

Discussing ‘What’s the Worst That Could Happen?’ at Cambridge University

On 17 January 2022, I discussed my new book, ‘What's the Worst That Could Happen? Existential Risk and Extreme Politics’ with Julian Huppert at a Cambridge University event, jointly hosted by Jesus College and the Cambridge Centre for the Study of Existential Risk.

Discussing ‘What’s the Worst That Could Happen?’ with Steve Austin on ABC Brisbane

On 21 December 2021, Andrew chatted with ABC Brisbane’s Steve Austin about ‘What’s the Worst That Could Happen? Existential Risk and Extreme Politics’.

What‘s the Worst That Could Happen - A Conversation with Brain Schmidt

What's the Worst That Could Happen - A Conversation with Brain Schmidt.

Talking with Chris Bowen about his book ‘Labor People‘

Talking with Chris Bowen about his book 'Labor People'.

Global Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Challenges

On 10 November 2021, the Global Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Challenges (for which I’m a commissioner) held a panel discussion to preview the report’s findings. The speakers Julian Elliott, Davina Ghersi, Jenn Thornhill Verma and Andrew Leigh. For more details, see https://www.mcmasterforum.org/networks/evidence-commission/stay-connected/events/event-item/global-commission-on-evidence-to-address-societal-challenges-systematizing-best-evidence-use-in-routine-times-and-to-address-future-global-crises.

Understanding Immigration - a conversation with Abul Rizvi

Abul Rizvi is one of Australia’s foremost experts on immigration, having served at senior levels in the immigration department. We talked about his new Monash University Publishing book “Population Shock”, which dives deeply into the economics and politics of migration. You can buy a copy here: https://publishing.monash.edu/product/population-shock/

Andrew Wear in conversation about his new book ‘Recovery‘

Andrew Wear in conversation about his new book 'Recovery'.

You can check out Andrew's book here.

Talking with Richard Marles about his new book on the Pacific, ‘Tides That Bind‘

Talking with Richard Marles about his new book on the Pacific, 'Tides That Bind'. You can check out the book here.

Kate Thwaites discussing her new book 'Enough is Enough'

Kate Thwaites discussing her new book 'Enough is Enough', co-authored with Jenny Macklin.

The Luck of Politics – a conversation with James Glenday

Why is politics more like poker than chess? I spoke with James Glenday about my book ‘The Luck of Politics’, and ran through some of the ways that fortune and misfortune have shaped political careers, from Whitlam to Morrison.

The Dignity of Labour - In Conversation with Jon Cruddas

Does work give our lives purpose, meaning and status? Or is it a tedious necessity soon to be abolished by automation, leaving humans free to enjoy a life of leisure and basic income?

 

Jon Cruddas' essential book tackles these fundamental questions for our economy and society.

 

Join me as I discuss with Jon his theory about the role of work in social democratic parties such as the British Labour Party and the Australian Labor Party.

 

You can find out more about The Dignity of Labour here.

Budget 2021: Big Dollars, Small Ambitions

Budget 2021: Big Dollars, Small Ambitions, speech to Institute of Public Accountants Budget Breakfast.

In conversation with Tanya Plibersek about 'Upturn: A better normal after COVID-19'

As part of Muse restaurant's literary events, I was in conversation with Tanya Plibersek about her first foray as a book editor - Upturn: A better normal after COVID-19. 

About the book:

COVID-19 has resulted in changes none of us could have imagined, but what happens next? In Upturn Tanya Plibersek brings together some of the country's most interesting thinkers who are ready to imagine a better Australia, and to fight for it. It is a compelling vision for a stronger economy, a fairer society and a more environmentally sustainable future. More info here.

How are Australia's communities changing and connecting? - Late Night Live with Phillip Adams and Andrew Leigh, 20 October 2020

How are Australia's communities changing and connecting? - discussing 'Reconnected' on Late Night Live with Phillip Adams, 20 October 2020

Launching 'Reconnected: A Community Builder's Handbook' - ANU Meet the Author, 28 September 2020

Andrew Leigh and Nick Terrell in conversation about Reconnected: A Community Builder's Handbook.

For more information about Reconnected, click here.

Reconnecting Communities - This Mortal Coil, ABC Radio, 27 September 2020

Are you one of those people who worries about the fabric of society falling apart? Do you suspect our sense of community is disappearing? Has economic growth established a more cohesive neighbourhood around you, or has individualism taken over?   

In This Mortal Coil, Indira Naidoo spoke with Andrew Leigh. He authored 'Disconnected', a book exploring the ways that Australian civic society seemed to be losing some of the glue that kept it together. The MP has also just released 'Reconnected' which offers itself up as a society builder's handbook and aims to offer a pathway for rebuilding community.

In Conversation with Rebecca Huntley about her climate change book

In Conversation with Rebecca Huntley about her climate change book.

The Second Convict Age: Explaining the Return of Mass Imprisonment in Australia - ACEMS Virtual Public Lecture

ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical & Statistical Frontiers Virtual Public Lecture

Constructing a new series of incarceration rates from 1860 to 2018, Australia now incarcerates a greater share of the adult population than at any point since the late nineteenth century. Much of this increase has occurred since the mid-1980s. Since 1985, the Australian incarceration rate has risen by 130 percent, and now stands at 0.22 percent of adults (221 prisoners per 100,000 adults). Recalculating Indigenous incarceration rates so that they are comparable over a long time span, Dr Andrew Leigh finds that incarceration rates for Indigenous Australians have risen dramatically. Fully 2.5 percent of Indigenous adults are incarcerated (2481 prisoners per 100,000 adults), a higher share than among African-Americans. The recent increase in the Australian prison population does not seem to be due to crime rates, which have mostly declined over the past generation. Instead, higher reporting rates, stricter policing practices, tougher sentencing laws, and more stringent bail laws appear to be the main drivers of Australia’s growing prison population.

Healthy Medicine for a Sick Economy -- Australia At Home, 25 June 2020

With Danielle Wood of the Grattan Institute and Peter Lewis of Essential Media

 

 

Randomistas: How Radical Researchers Changed Our World - George Institute Conversation

The George Institute for Global Health hosted me for a virtual #GeorgeTalks.

I was joined in conversation by Professor Anthony Rodgers, Head of the Cardiovascular Program at The George Institute.

We discussed my book, Randomistas: How Radical Researchers Changed Our World.

Will young people bear the economic cost of coronavirus?

Per Capita Australia CEO Emma Dawson and Andrew Leigh chat in a Facebook Live event on 8 May 2020.

How will COVID-19 Shape the Progressive Agenda for Australia's Future? -- Conversation with the Australian Fabians

How will COVID-19 Shape the Progressive Agenda for Australia's Future? -- Conversation with the Australian Fabians

Opened by Victoria Fielding, Deputy Chair of the Australian Fabians.

Moderated by Leon Cermak, SA Chair of the Australian Fabians.

Conversation recorded via Zoom, broadcast live on Facebook.

Andrew Wear on How Other Countries Solved the Big Problems - ANU Meet the Author Series (Podcast)

ANU/CANBERRA TIMES MEET THE AUTHOR

Andrew Wear will be in conversation with Andrew Leigh MP on Andrew Wear's new book Solved!: How Other Countries Have Cracked the World's Biggest Problems and We Can Too.

Sometimes the solutions are closer than we think. Denmark will reach 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2030. Iceland has topped gender equality rankings for a decade and counting. Singaporean students beat almost all others in maths and reading. South Koreans will soon live longer than anyone else on Earth. The US city of Boston, global epicentre of biotech, has the most innovative square mile on the planet.

How have these places and more achieved such remarkable success? Policy adviser Andrew Wear examines what has worked around the world and how we can apply the lessons at home, introducing us to inspiring community leaders, renowned authorities and visionary policymakers transforming the globe.           

'A terrific idea, brilliantly executed. This book deserves to spark a national conversation.' - George Megalogenis

'In a time of chaos, there are answers all around us if we take the time to look. Which is exactly what Wear does in this invaluable book.' - Annabel Crabb

Andrew Wear is a senior Australian public servant. He has degrees in politics, law, economics and public policy, and is a graduate of the Senior Executive Program at Harvard Kennedy School.

Dr Andrew Leigh MP is the Shadow Assistant Minister for Treasury, Shadow Assistant Minister for Charities and Federal Member for Fenner in the ACT. He holds a PhD in public policy from Harvard. His latest book with Joshua Gans is Innovation + Equality: How to Create a Future That Is More Star Trek Than Terminator.

Debating RCTs -- Australasian AID Conference, ANU, February 18

A Keynote panel at the Australasian AID Conference 2020.

Debating RCTs, and other topics in impact evaluation Barton Theatre

This year the Nobel prize for economics went to three economists who have promoted the use and importance of Randomised Control Trials (RCTs) in development economics and interventions. But how useful are RCTs in the real world of development assistance? And what more generally needs to be done to improve the quality and impact of impact evaluations, and to promote learning in aid?

Chair:

Professor Stephen Howes, Director, Development Policy Centre, ANU

Panellists:
Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Member for Fenner, ACT
Dr Lant Pritchett, Research Director, RISE Programme; Fellow, Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University
Dr Jyotsna Puri, Head, Independent Evaluation Unit, Green Climate Fund

The Second Convict Age -- Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, 19 February 2020

Australia now incarcerates a greater share of the adult population than at any point since 1899. Much of this increase has occurred since the mid-1980s. Since 1985, the Australian incarceration rate has risen by 130 percent, and now stands at 0.22 percent of adults (221 prisoners per 100,000 adults). Recalculating Indigenous incarceration rates so that they are comparable over a long time span, I find that incarceration rates for Indigenous Australians have risen dramatically. Fully 2.5 percent of Indigenous adults are incarcerated (2481 prisoners per 100,000 adults), a higher share than among African-Americans. The recent increase in the Australian prison population does not seem to be due to crime rates, which have mostly declined over the past generation. Instead, higher reporting rates, stricter policing practices, tougher sentencing laws, and more stringent bail laws appear to be the main drivers of Australia’s growing prison population.

‘Guns Don’t Kill People’ and Other Fantasies in the Firearms Debate -- Balmoral Lecture, Sydney, 17 February 2020

Australia's Stagnant Economy - John Cain Foundation, Melbourne, 19 February 2020

For all the talk about ‘uninterrupted economic growth’, Australia’s economy has underperformed in recent years. Economic growth has slowed, wages growth has declined, and productivity is in reverse. For the median household, living standards have fallen since 2013. At the heart of the malaise is a complacent federal government, which has done little to encourage dynamism in the economy. Too many sectors are dominated by cosy monopolists, too few start-up firms are challenging the incumbents, and there is too little genuine innovation. Over the past generation, the Australian economy has been lucky. But without more diversity and dynamism, our economy risks failing to deliver the outcomes that are essential to long-term wellbeing.

In Conversation with Brian Schmidt about my new book 'Innovation + Equality: How to Create a Future That Is More Star Trek Than Terminator'

Andrew Leigh is in conversation with ANU Vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt on Andrew's new book with Joshua Gans, Innovation + Equality: How to Create a Future That Is More Star Trek Than Terminator.

Launching 'Innovation + Equality: How to create a future that is more Star Trek than Terminator' - Melbourne,19 November 2019

In Melbourne, on 19 November, I launched Innovation + Equality:How to create a future that is more Star Trek than Terminator, which I co-authored with Joshua Gans. 

Interview about 'Innovation + Equality' with Michael Lester on Innovation Talk

Michael Lester hosts the Innovation Talk program on Radio Northern Beaches. We chatted about my book with Joshua Gans, 'Innovation + Equality: How To Create a Future That is More Star Trek Than Terminator.'

Replication, Randomisation and Rigour: AIMOS 2019 - Melbourne, 7 November 2019

Replication, Randomisation and Rigour: AIMOS 2019.

This talk was delivered at the launch of the Association for Inter-disciplinary Meta-research and Open Science on 7 November 2019 at the University of Melbourne.

In conversation with Allan Fels about his new book Tough Customer - chasing a better deal for battlers

In conversation with Allan Fels about his new book Tough Customer - chasing a better deal for battlers.

You can learn more about Allan's book here.

"Australia Disconnected - and Reconnected": Address to the Power to the People Conference, Canberra 16 August 2019

"Australia Disconnected - and Reconnected" - Address to the Power to the People Conference, Canberra 16 August 2019.

In Conversation with Adele Ferguson on Banking Bad

As part of ANU's Authors In Conversation series, I spoke with Adele Ferguson about Banking Bad, her account of corporate cover-ups, whistleblowers and how she broke the stories that led to the Banking Royal Commission.

Ten Ideas for Reducing Inequality

Ten Ideas for Reducing Inequality - inequality won't fix itself. If we want a fair society with equal opportunity for everyone, we need to make public policy choices accordingly. Here are ten places we could start. 

In conversation with Peter Lewis about his new book Webtopia: The Worldwide Wreck of Tech and How to Make the Net Work

In conversation with Peter Lewis about his new book Webtopia: The Worldwide Wreck of Tech and How to Make the Net Work.

You can learn more about Peter's book here.

 

Small-L Liberalism and the Labor Tradition - Melbourne, 13 June 2019

Small-L Liberalism and the Labor Tradition

Keynote Address - Second Annual History and the Hill Conference - Australian Policy and History

 

Launching John Quiggin's 'Economics in Two Lessons' - Canberra

Launching John Quiggin's 'Economics in Two Lessons'. 

Because one-lesson economics only tells half the story.

For more information on John's book - Economics in Two Lessons - Why Markets Work So Well, and Why They Can Fail So Badly - click here.

Tax Pirates and Tax Fairness - Devpolicy Centre, Canberra, 12 April 2019

Announcing Labor's Tax Inspectors without Borders policy, I spoke at the ANU Devpolicy Centre about how tax havens hurt other developing countries, and what we can do about it.

Labor's Centrist Economic Agenda - Per Capita Reform Series, Melbourne, 11 April 2019

As a part of Per Capita's reform series, and on the first day of the federal Election campaign, I set out Labor's centrist economic agenda for fairness and opportunity.

Australia Fair - Rebecca Huntley in conversation with Andrew Leigh, 9 April 2019

As a part of the ANU 'Meet the Author' series, i was In Conversation with Rebecca Huntley about polling, focus groups and the character of Australian democracy.

Rebecca's Quarterly Essay, Australia Fair, is out now.

Judith Brett on Compulsory Voting and Other Australian Electoral Innovations - Canberra, 13 March

I spoke with award winning author Judith Brett as a part of ANU's In Conversation program. Judith's new book From Secret Ballot to Democracy Sausage, gives a landmark account of the character of Australian democracy. We spoke about the peculiarly Australian aspects of our democratic system and the effects our innovations have had on elections here and on voting practices around the world.

The heat is on: The Urgent Case For Action On Climate Change - ANU Climate Update, 8 February 2019, Canberra

Reflecting on heat waves and high stakes, I set out the urgent climate challenge we all need to face up to. 

The full text of the speech is also available here.  

Building a better feedback loop: Labor to establish an Evaluator General - 13 November, Canberra

Building a better feedback loop: Labor to establish an Evaluator General

Increasingly, policymakers in other nations are testing programs through randomised trials, with the same kind of control group used to evaluate new pharmaceuticals in clinical drug trials.

When Australian policymakers develop programs in early childhood, health, crime and employment, we often look to those overseas randomised trials.

Keynote address to the Australia Indonesia Business Council Conference 2018 – 12 November 2018

Presenting one of the keynote address to 2018 Conference of the Australia Indonesia Business Council, I recalled my childhood in Aceh and celebrated the connections Labor has been forging with this major trading partner and our region more broadly.

Competition policy and inequality: Building on Lionel Murphy’s legacy - Canberra, 31 October 2018

On 31 October, i presented the Lionel Murphy Lecture at the ANU, reflecting on Lionel Murphy's legacy and the challenge of framing competition laws that could help reduce inequality.

Australia has a competition problem: there is not enough of it. Our industries are concentrated. Our markets show signs of weak competition. 

There is a strong progressive case for repositioning how we think about competition. Focusing more on the competitive process, the structure of markets and the incentives those structures create for firms will play an important role in reducing inequality.