On Tuesday 29 July, 2025, the Academy partnered with The Melbourne Institute of Applied Social and Economic Research and CEDA to convene 10 leading experts for a rapid-fire forum focused on immediate priorities for boosting Australia’s productivity.
The discussion was moderated by ABC finance presenter Alan Kohler AM, and featured 5-minute presentations from experts in areas from energy policy to housing, higher education, workplace relations, gender equality and innovation.
The list of eminent speakers included:
- former Chair of the ACCC Professor Allan Fels AO FASSA
- CEDA’s head of research Andrew Barker
- former Productivity Commissioner Chair and current CEO of the e61 institute Michael Brennan
- Grattan Institute CEO Dr Aruna Sathanapally
- Emeritus Professor Bruce Chapman AO FASSA, architect of Australia’s Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS)
- Former Vice-Chancellor of Victoria University and current director of its Mitchell Institute Emeritus Professor Peter Dawkins AO FASSA
- CEO of the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute Dr Michael Fotheringham
- Director of the University of the Australian Centre for Gender Equality and Inclusion at Work Professor Rae Cooper AO FASSA
- ACTU Assistant Secretary Joseph Mitchell, and
- Melbourne Institute Director and Roland Henderson Chair in Economics Professor Beth Webster FASSA
A summary of the discussion was prepared for release and submission to the Australian Government ahead of its Economic Reform Roundtable to be held from 19-21 August.
More information
- A summary of the discussion submitted to the Economic Reform Roundtable for consideration is available here.
- A copy of speaker slides is available here.
- A paper Reforming tertiary education to achieve a ‘twofold boost’ to productivity by Peter Dawkins with Megan Lilly and Barney Glover formed the basis of his presentation.
Media coverage
- Labour must lift care economy productivity, says ex-PC boss (Australian Financial Review)
- Unions to demand employers be forbidden from using AI for ‘mass redundancies’ (The Sydney Morning Herald)
- Money Cafe podcast with Allan Kohler discussing the Forum.