Today I held a mobile office with Member for Canberra Gai Brodtmann at the Civic bus interchange to discuss the Gillard Government’s Clean Energy Future Plan.

Tackling climate change is an issue that many local families and businesses in the ACT have been eager to discuss with me, and there is a broad community consensus that the time to act is now.

The Labor Government’s Carbon Price will target the biggest polluters, while driving investment in clean energy technologies and infrastructure. The package is designed to assist those who need it most, with 9 out of 10 households due to receive tax cuts or increased payments.

Details on the Clean Energy Future Plan can be found at  http://www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au/.

I understand that many people will have questions about the Plan and how it will affect them. I am happy to answer these questions, so please feel free to email me or call my office on (02) 6247 3457 if you would like more information.

John Quiggin is a rare beast. He produces 500 academic words a day, plus endless blog posts for his two blogs. He’s written on just about every policy topic imaginable, and always manages to find something fresh to say about them. In fact, I can’t recall a conversation of substance with John in which didn’t learn something new – whether we were talking about water, education, crime or politics.

So I was most chuffed last night when John was awarded the Distinguished Fellow award from the Economic Society of Australia, following in a long line of extraordinary economists, including Trevor Swan, Colin Clark and Bob Gregory (who gave a splendid intro about John’s shift from mathematics into economics).

Incidentally, I was also delighted to receive the Young Economist Award for the best Australian economist under 40, following on from my friends/coauthors Joshua Gans and Paul Frijters. (Thanks to Justin Wolfers and Joshua Gans for very kind words, and Danielle Cronin for writing it up in the local press.)

My AFR op-ed today explains why providing household assistance doesn’t undermine the effect of introducing a carbon price.

The price is right for consumer shift, Australian Financial Review, 12 July 2011

One of the most persistent myths in Australian politics has been that providing household assistance undermines the effect of imposing a carbon price. If the prices of carbon-intensive products rise by $10 and you give me $10 in assistance, aren’t we back where we started?

Continue reading ‘Why household assistance doesn’t undo carbon pricing’ »

I spoke in parliament last week about the Eastern University Games, hosted this year by the University of Canberra and ANU.

Eastern University Games, 7 July 2011

I rise to speak on the 2011 Eastern University Games, hosted this year by the University of Canberra and the Australian National University. The games were launched in style on Sunday night and finish up today. Canberra is playing host to 19 universities from across New South Wales, the ACT and, for the first time, New Zealand. The Eastern University Games complement the Northern, Western and Southern university games being held across Australia.

Continue reading ‘Eastern University Games’ »

I spoke in parliament last Thursday about carbon pricing.

Continue reading ‘Carbon Pricing’ »

I spoke in parliament today about democratisation movements in Malaysia.

Continue reading ‘Democracy in Malaysia’ »

Terrific news today that the Majura Parkway is going to be funded, in a 50/50 split between the federal and ACT governments. This is something I’ve been pushing for since before I entered parliament, and I’m delighted to see it’s now going to become a reality.

Here’s the joint media release from federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese and ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher:

FORTY YEAR MAJURA PARKWAY VISION SET TO BECOME A REALITY

More than 40 years after the first line appeared on a map, construction of the long awaited Majura Parkway will finally start next year and be completed in 2016.

Continue reading ‘Majura Parkway Funded’ »

Congratulations to the 12 ACT students who won Australian Student Prizes today – James Cribb, Thomas Emerson, Swaranjali Vijaya Jain, Harrison Steel, Daniel Steemson, Jessica Carly Thomson, Aisha Marie Woodruff, Luke David Heinrich, Daniela Lisacek, Judy Mengzhou Wang, and Wenray Wang. Here’s a media release.

MEDIA RELEASE - Fraser student wins national education prize

Federal Member for Fraser Andrew Leigh today congratulated a local student whose academic achievement has earned them a 2010 Australian Student Prize.

Continue reading ‘Australian Student Prizes’ »

I was proud tonight to launch Jemma Purdey’s fine biography of the late Herb Feith. We had around 120 people in the Main Committee Room at Parliament House, which was testament to the number of people Herb’s life touched.

Book Launch of Jemma Purdey, From Vienna to Yogyakarta: The Life of Herb Feith
Andrew Leigh MP
Parliament House
6 July 2011

I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the lands on which we meet today, and thanking those who have worked hard to organise today, particularly Louise Crossman and Nik Feith Tan.

Jemmy Purdey, family and friends of Herb, internationalists all – thank you for coming today to celebrate Herb’s life and Jemma’s fine book.

Let me begin with a story.

Continue reading ‘Launching Jemma Purdey’s biography of Herb Feith’ »

I spoke in parliament last night about the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, 5 July 2011

Last week I represented Australia at the 2011 Partnership Forum for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. This is a conference that takes place every two to three years and helps set the strategic direction of the Global Fund. The conference was held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and included a group of around 25 parliamentarians. Established a decade ago, the Global Fund has spent US$22 billion and saved six million lives. In other words, for every $4,000 it spends, the Global Fund saves a life. Internationally, it accounts for two-thirds of spending on tuberculosis and malaria and a fifth of public spending on HIV. The Global Fund also works hard to bring down the price of drugs, with the prices of first-line antiretrovirals and malaria treatments for children falling by at least 50 percent over the past three years.

Continue reading ‘Global Fund’ »

I spoke in parliament yesterday about one of the pieces of legislation that will enable the building of the National Broadband Network.

Continue reading ‘Broadband’ »

I spoke in Parliament yesterday on education funding, opposing a motion put by the Coalition’s education spokesperson, Christopher Pyne (the member for Sturt).

Continue reading ‘Education Funding’ »

I spoke in parliament yesterday about Indigenous education.

Continue reading ‘Indigenous Education’ »

It’s been over a month since I last posted about the things I’ve been reading. But while I can’t promise that these articles appeared yesterday, I can attest to the freshness of their ideas:

• From the Journal of Politics: ‘the political similarity of spouses derives in part from initial mate choice rather than persuasion and accommodation over the life of the relationship’
• A new World Bank study shows the impact of educational attainment on growth and inequality in developing countries
• A cost-benefit analysis of US homeland security (HT: Saul Eslake)
• Economists analyse the 2010 World Series of Poker, and find that poker is a game of skill, not just luck
• Jeff Borland suggests four ways to boost workforce participation rates
• Ralph Johnstone looks at discrimination against professional African jobseekers
• The impact of America’s 21 year-old drinking age on nonfatal injury and crime
• John List offers an overview of the economics of charitable giving
• When do negative campaign ads reduce turnout? (answer: if they attack a candidate that people have already decided to support)
• The job market for African-Australian professionals
• The evolution of cooperation
• Getting academics more engaged in the policy process
• The OECD’s Better Life Index (aka pick your social welfare function). (HT: Dan Andrews)
• Matt Morris on PNG and the ‘resource curse’
• Election betting in interwar Britain
• Washington DC’s IMPACT teacher evaluation metric
• Maternity leave and children’s cognitive development – evidence from Canada
• PISA and the uber-impressive Andreas Schleicher
• Optimal randomised policy trials
• The Grattan Institute looks at Australians’ housing preferences
• Understanding the financial crisis through daily happiness surveys (and some evidence that asking people about politics makes them sad)

On the topic of academia, I’ve been amused to discover how long the tail of academic publishing is. Although I resigned as an ANU economics professor a year ago, I’ve still got forthcoming papers in Economics Letters, Economic Papers and the Oxford Bulletin of Economics & Statistics, as well as revise-and-resubmits being considered by the Economic Record, The BE Journal of Macro, Review of Income and Wealth and the Economics of Education Review.

Due to recent events, I’ve now found myself looking for another staff member. The job ad is below. Please note that it’s only a 6 month stint. Applications close 15 July.

Continue reading ‘I’m Hiring’ »

On 22 June, the Joint Parliamentary National Capital & External Territories Committee heard evidence from the National Capital Authority’s Don Aitken and Gary Rake recently. I asked them about some concerns that have been raised with me about development in the suburb of Campbell and some proposed memorials for World Wars I and II. Here are some snippets from the transcript.

Continue reading ‘National Capital Authority on Campbell & Memorials’ »

So it seems that while some on the far right are opposed to foreigners bringing their bodies here, some on the far left are opposed to foreigners bringing their chequebooks here.

To make the case for greater investment (including foreign investment), here’s an AFR article I wrote a few months ago. Remember, authors don’t choose their headlines.

For young US lawyers, the sought-after job of clerking for a US Supreme Court judge typically only goes to those who’ve first clerked for a judge in a lower court. Those lower-court judges are known as ‘feeder judges’.

In the same spirit, I’m proud to say that two of my staff – Alex Cubis and Shobaz Kandola – have been seconded to work for six months with Greg Combet’s team. Like Rick Youssef, who moved on to Peter Garrett’s office last year, I’ll miss them – but am also proud of my Leigh alumni.

And to the rest of my staff, have I told you lately how much I appreciate you?

I’m in Sao Paulo this week, attending the Partnership Forum for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which is a strategy conference held every 2-3 years.

The conference is mostly implementers and NGOs, with a smattering of politicians (I’ve enjoyed chatting with Mark Lancaster, a moderate Tory who is the principal private secretary on international development to the Secretary of State).

Six things I’ve learned since I arrived:

1. There are forms of malaria that can kill you within 24 hours of the first symptoms.
2. After mosquitoes bite an infected person, they need to sit in a dark corner. So spraying insecticide in dark corners is surprisingly effective.
3. There’s been a lot of emphasis on preventing mother-child transmission of HIV by ensuring all HIV+ mothers are on antiretrovirals during pregnancy. But after the birth, there often isn’t the money to keep up treatment. The result is that we prevent the child being born with HIV (which is terrific), but pretty much guarantee that s/he will be an orphan within a few years. Hard ethical issues.
4. Treating regular TB costs a few dollars. Treating multi-drug resistant TB costs around $10,000.
5. The tendency for mission creep is strong – not surprisingly, given the Global Fund has mobilised nearly $22 billion in the past decade. But it’s important to keep remembering that the reason donors have been so generous is that they think they know pretty precisely what their cash is going towards. Broaden the remit, and the dollars may disappear.
6. There’s a lot of talk about reactionary government attitudes hampering the outreach efforts of HIV programs to marginalised groups such as sexworkers, men who have sex with men, and injecting drug users. But the policymakers who hold those views either aren’t attending, or are staying very quiet. Instead, the atmosphere is very inclusive. My favourite moment came during a Q&A session today, when the MC said ‘Everyone who has asked a question so far has been male – can I hear from a woman now?’. A voice piped up at the back of the room ‘I’m transgender – does that count?’.

My AFR column this week was on sovereign wealth funds.

Second Thoughts on Sovereign Funds, Australian Financial Review, 28 June 2011

Opened in 1880, the Melbourne Royal Exhibition Building is widely considered a national treasure. The first building in Australia to achieve World Heritage listing, it was made possible by the discovery of gold in the mid-nineteenth century. To see the legacy of the gold rush, just look at central Melbourne.

But would we have been better off if the Victorian government had saved the money rather than building infrastructure? This is effectively the argument made by those who argue that the right policy response to today’s mining boom is a sovereign wealth fund.

Continue reading ‘The Case Against a Sovereign Wealth Fund (for now)’ »

Last week in Parliament House Tara Ward, Jess Ferry, Karen Vincent and her son Noah presented me with a petition signed by many Canberrans on live exports.

I spoke in parliament last week about the benefits of free trade to Australian consumers and businesses, and the legacy of the great Labor Senator Peter Cook.

Free Trade
23 June 2011

I rise to discuss the benefits of free trade to the Australian economy and the Australian consumer. Estimates from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade show that households have benefited by $3,900 per annum as a result of the reductions in tariffs and the elimination of export quotas over recent decades. A large part of that boost has been in the form of prices being lower for consumers than they would otherwise have been in the presence of tariffs. The real prices of heavily protected products have fallen sharply. Boys’ footwear has fallen by 50 per cent, prices of major household appliances have fallen by 47 per cent and prices of automobiles have fallen by 37 per cent. One in five Australians is now employed as a result of exports and imports. Australians working in export industries are paid 60 per cent more than other working Australians.

Continue reading ‘Free Trade’ »

I spoke in parliament last week about a piece of financial framework legislation, and the broader issue of government borrowing. The speech followed on from a diatribe against the government from Andrew Robb (the member for Goldstein), so I couldn’t resist responding.

Continue reading ‘Financial Frameworks and Government Borrowing’ »

A Gang Show? No, not that kind of gang, it’s the annual production held by the ACT Scouts and Guides. More information below including dates of the performances:

What is Canberra Gang Show?

Canberra Gang Show is a theatre production performed annually by ACT Scouts and Guides from a script written by a youth creative team. Continue reading ‘Canberra Gang Show’ »

When I was 16, I did two weeks’ work experience for John Langmore, who was then the member for Fraser. It was the first year that the new Parliament House had been opened, and I remember getting hopelessly lost as I went on errands around the building. I’m not sure how much of an impression I made on John (he didn’t remember me when we met again a decade on), but the experience had a profound impact on me – as I learned a ton about the issues and personalities that drove politics in that era.

Over the past year, I’ve been fortunate to have several people help out as volunteers in my office, assisting me with speeches and submissions, helping solve constituent problems, answering the phone, and assisting with campaigning activities.

So I thought it might be useful to put out a formal call for interns and fellows.

Keen to apply? See the FAQs below.

Continue reading ‘Internships and Fellowships’ »

On a day when Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey is posting photos of a Kevin Rudd cutout, it’s ironic that I’ve acquired my own Twitter impersonator, who is tweeting rather odd things under my name and photograph. We’ve had Twitter shut one of his accounts down this week, but he’s started up a new one today (and presumably will do the same thing when we shut down his next account).

So for anyone who has any doubts – I’m not on Twitter (but I do offer a wide suite of e-products, including an e-report, a blog and regular replies to emails…).

Nine young people and one local team have received grants as Local Sporting Champions.

Federal Member for Fraser Andrew Leigh today announced that the ACT Under 17 Girl’s State Softball team had received a $3,000 grant along with nine sportspeople who each received a $500 grant to assist them with their sporting endeavours as part of the Federal Governments Local Sporting Champions program. Continue reading ‘Local Sporting Champions’ »

Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Senator David Feeney  welcomed today’s opening of the Royal Australian Navy’s new $18 million training facility at HMAS Creswell, Jervis Bay.

The new damage-control training facility will enable Navy personnel to build their skills in responding to toxic hazards, fire fighting and conducting emergency repairs afloat.

  Continue reading ‘Navy opens $18 million training facility at HMAS Creswell’ »

I spoke in parliament yesterday about the shift to a demand-driven university system.

Higher Education Support Amendment (Demand Driven Funding System and Other Measures) Bill 2011
21 June 2011

Productivity lies at the heart of raising Australian living standards. As US economist Paul Krugman once said, ‘productivity isn’t everything, but in the long run it is almost everything.’ So the challenge in raising Australian living standards in the future is to crack the nut of higher productivity.

Continue reading ‘Demand-Driven Universities’ »