This recession is not like any other in living memory. Phase one involved a massive supply shock, phase two will involve dealing with a collapse in demand.
There is a case to be made for a new Commonwealth agency to lead the recovery effort, built on the model of the Department of Post-War Reconstruction after the second world war.
JW Neville Fellow in Economics Tim Harcourt advises that Australia can use higher education and digital learning to skill up the workforce and build greater capacity in the economy.
The COVID-19 emergency has the potential to trigger the collapse of some airlines in Australia. But with its high ‘public good’ value, a future without Qantas is one we cannot afford, says Tim Harcourt.