Andrew Leigh MP: Speeches & Conversations: Recent Episodes
Andrew Leigh MP
Andrew is the federal Labor Member for Fenner (ACT) His website is www.andrewleigh.com. Authorised by A Leigh, 8/1 Torrens Street Braddon ACT 2612.
On 12 November 2024, I spoke at an Australian Democracy Network event hosted by the Paul Ramsay Foundation, on the topic “The Power of Charitable Advocacy: Three Stories and a Commitment”.
The text of the speech is available here.
On 11 November 2024, I spoke at the Competition Policy for the Modern Economy Conference in Sydney on the topic “Anti-Monopoly: Competition Policy for a Dynamic Economy”.
The text is available here.
On 23 October 2024, I joined technology entrepreneur and philanthropist Cliff Obrecht for an in-conversation event launching my new book, 'Battlers and Billionaires: The Updated Story of Inequality in Australia'.
Thanks to the University of Sydney and Professor Julie Cairney for hosting the event.
On 29 October 2024, I gave a talk to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences titled ‘Caught in the Middle: How Market Concentration Hurts Farmers’.
The full text is available here: https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/speeches/address-australian-bureau-agricultural-and-resource-economics
On 15 October 2024, I joined Benevolent Society CEO Lin Hatfield-Dodds for an in-conversation event launching my new book, “Battlers and Billionaires: The Updated Story of Inequality in Australia”.
The event was part of the ANU-Canberra Times Meet the Author series.
On 10 October 2024, I joined Richard Glover on ABC Sydney to discuss my new book, "Battlers and Billionaires: The Updated Story of Inequality in Australia".
On 6 August I gave the keynote address at the Philanthropy Australia Conference in Adelaide.
Like great music, philanthropy has the power to uplift and transcend, inspire and delight.
Full text is available here.
On 1 August, I addressed the Committee for Economic Development of Australia on the history of merger reform.
Policy and laws should evolve as the economy evolves. But as history shows, Australia’s ad‑hoc approach to dealing with anti‑competitive mergers hasn’t kept up, lagging best practice in comparable countries.
Full text of the speech can be found here.
On 19 June 2024, I spoke to a symposium organised by the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia Symposium, on the topic ‘The future of Medicare: research-informed policy for better access and health’. The text of the speech is available here: https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/speeches/address-academy-social-sciences-australia-symposium-canberra
On 17 June 2024, I spoke to the Australian Evaluation Showcase on the topic ‘Discovering What Works: Why Rigorous Evaluation Matters’. The text of the speech is available here: https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/speeches/address-australian-evaluation-showcase-canberra
On 30 April 2024, I spoke at the HR Leaders Forum in Sydney about some of the fascinating findings emerging from randomised trials in the workplace. The full text of the speech is available here: https://ministers.dewr.gov.au/leigh/experimenting-excellence-randomised-trials-human-resources
On 9 April 2024, I spoke at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute’s Danks Leaders in Science seminar, on the topic “Healthy Surprises: How Randomised Trials Can Challenge Conventional Wisdom and Debunk Dogma”. The text is available here: https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/speeches/address-danks-leaders-science-seminar-murdoch-childrens
On 4 April 2024, I addressed the McKell Institute in Sydney on the topic ‘Unshackling Innovation: Rethinking Non-Compete Clauses for a Dynamic Economy’. The text of the talk is available at https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/speeches/address-mckell-institute-sydney-0
On 28 March 2024, I spoke to the Australian Government Data Summit on the topic ‘Harnessing the Data Deluge: The Surprising Power of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence’. The speech text is available here: https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/speeches/address-10th-annual-australian-government-data-summit-hotel
On 27 March 2024, I launched the UnitingCare Child Social Exclusion Report. The speech text is available here: https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/speeches/launch-2024-child-social-exclusion-report-parliament-house
On 6 March 2024, my book “The Shortest History of Economics” was launched in Canberra, via a Canberra Times/ANU “Meet the Author” event, in conversation with ANU Vice Chancellor Genevieve Bell. For more about the book, see https://www.blackincbooks.com.au/books/shortest-history-economics
On 4 March 2024, my book “The Shortest History of Economics” was launched in Sydney. University of New South Wales Professor Richard Holden opened the event, and Associate Professor Rachael Meager hosted the in-conversation event. For more about the book, see https://www.blackincbooks.com.au/books/shortest-history-economics
In February 2024, I sat down with Richard Fidler on the ABC Conversations program to discuss my new book “The Shortest History of Economics”. The ABC Conversations homepage is https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations
On 21 February 2024, I spoke at the Australian Peacebuilding Network Roundtable in Parliament House on the topic “Peace at the Policy Table: Australia’s Path Forward”. The text is available at https://www.andrewleigh.com/peace_at_the_policy_table_australia_s_path_forward
On 1 February 2024, I delivered a keynote address to the Human Technology Institute Shaping Our Future Symposium at the University of Technology, Sydney. The text is available here: https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/speeches/address-human-technology-institute-shaping-our-future
Sparking off my book “Fair Game”, the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia organised a debate with David Rowe on the topic “Does sport unite or divide us?”. You can also listen to it on ABC Big Ideas https://abc.net.au/listen/programs/bigideas/does-sport-unite-or-divide-us-/102960996
On 20 October 2023, I chaired a panel on artificial intelligence at the SXSW Sydney conference. The panel was titled ‘Terminator or Star Trek? Shaping the Future of AI’, and featured Tracey Spicer, Rodolfo Ocampo and Theresa Anderson.
On 11 October 2023, I spoke to the Evidence and Implementation Summit in Melbourne on the topic “Changing the World, One Coin Toss at a Time”. The full text is available here: https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/speeches/address-evidence-and-implementation-summit-melbourne
On 29 September 2023, I spoke at the Australian Evaluation Society’s annual conference on what policymakers can learn from health. The speech began with the example of the radical mastectomy, a procedure that was needlessly performed on half a million women before a randomised trial revealed the truth. The text is available at https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/speeches/address-australian-evaluation-society-2023-international
On 20 September 2023, I spoke to the McKell Institute in Sydney on the topic “Competition and Artificial Intelligence”. The full text is available here: https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/speeches/address-mckell-institute-sydney
As part of his run around Australia to raise support for a Voice to Parliament, former Liberal MP Pat Farmer visited Canberra, and held an event at the Australian National University in conversation with Wulgurukaba woman and Indigenous Marathon Foundation graduate Joyrah Newman. The discussion covered ultrarunning, grit, reconciliation and more.
On 15 August 2023, I spoke at the Data for Policy Summit in Canberra. The text of the speech is available here: https://www.andrewleigh.com/data_and_evaluation_a_match_made_in_policy_heaven_speech
On 16 August 2023, I spoke at the 15th anniversary celebration for the Centre for Social Impact in Sydney. The text of the speech is available here: https://www.andrewleigh.com/building_community_and_building_evidence_15_years_of_the_centre_for_social_impact_speech
On 19 July 2023, I spoke to a Per Capita John Cain lunch on the topic of factionalism in the Labor Party. I argued that factional power is at an all-time high, and that it is important for the health of the party to maintain space for people who are not in a faction. The text of the speech is available here: https://www.andrewleigh.com/a_more_competitive_labor_party_speech
On 7 June 2023, Sydney University marine ecologist Professor Emma Johnston delivered the Fenner Lecture, on the topic of “The Future of Our Oceans”
On 7 June 2023, I spoke to Roland Wilson Scholars at the Australian National University about randomised trials, and the new Australian Centre for Evaluation. The text of the speech is available here: https://www.andrewleigh.com/sir_roland_wilson_foundation_scholar_symposium_speech
On 5 June 2023, I spoke with Kilfinan leaders and mentors, a group comprising people from the charity and business sectors, about the potential for technological distraction to reduce productivity and erode community. Drawing on lessons from agile programming and other high-productivity workplaces, I suggested ways that we might help people engage in deep work and build meaningful connections in an era of smartphones and social media.
On 2 May 2023, I spoke at Yonsei University in Seoul on the topic ‘Choosing openness: How regional partnerships boost economic dynamism’. The full text of the speech is available at https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/speeches/address-yonsei-university-seoul
On 5 April 2023, I delivered a short speech at the National Small Business Summit on the role of fairness in competition laws. The full transcript is here: https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/speeches/address-cosboa-national-small-business-summit-melbourne
On 17 March 2023, I addressed a conference at Monash University Business School on the theme of ‘Opportunities and challenges of the digital revolution’. The full speech text is available here: https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/speeches/address-monash-university-business-school-melbourne
On 2 March 2023, I delivered a speech at a Per Capita event (hosted by Maurice Blackburn), titled “How Uncompetitive Markets Hurt Workers”. The full text of the speech can be found here: https://www.andrewleigh.com/how_uncompetitive_markets_hurt_workers_speech_melbourne
On 16 February 2023, I spoke with Rebecca Giblin and Cory Doctorow about their new book, “Choke Point Capitalism”. The event was held at the Australian National University, as part of the ANU / Canberra Times ‘Meet the Author’ series. Thanks to the ANU for permission to post this podcast recording.
On 7 December 2022, I gave the fourth of my competition reform talks. This one focused on markups, and was delivered at the Sydney Institute. The full text is available here: https://www.andrewleigh.com/address_to_the_sydney_institute_speech_sydney
On 2 December 2022, at the National Press Club, I launched Scott Prasser and David Clune’s edited book ‘The Whitlam Era’. The speech text is available at https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/speeches/book-launch-whitlam-era-national-press-club-canberra
On 23 November 2022, I delivered the WD Borrie Lecture at the Australian Population Association Conference, held at the Australian National University, on the topic “Health Inequalities in the COVID Pandemic: Evidence from Australia”. The text of the speech may be found here: https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/speeches/wd-borrie-lecture-australian-population-association-conference
On 14 November 2022, I delivered the Warren Hogan Lecture at the University of Sydney, on the topic of ‘Economic Dynamism: A Global Perspective’.
On 2 November 2022, Frank Bongiorno joined me on stage in Canberra to discuss his new book, ‘Dreamers and Schemers: A Political History of Australia’. The event was held as part of the ANU / Canberra Times Meet the Author series.
On 17 October 2022, Andrew Leigh delivered a talk in the Sydney Ideas series – Sydney University’s flagship speech series. Here is a summary: “In October 1992, Prime Minister Paul Keating announced the establishment of a major independent inquiry into competition policy in Australia. Fred Hilmer’s review sparked the National Competition Policy reforms, which was followed by a surge in productivity. Thirty years on, Andrew Leigh will look at what lessons the Hilmer Review and National Competition Policy can teach us. After the worst decade of income growth in the post-war era, Leigh argues that it is vital to prioritise competition. Globally, regulators are actively looking at what Louis Brandeis famously called ‘the curse of bigness’, and considering how excessive market concentration might harm consumers, hurt workers, and reduce economic activity. A zippier economy requires more startups, more mobility, and more innovation.”
I joined Waleed Aly and Scott Stephens on The Minefield to discuss my new book Fair Game, and to answer the question: What can sport teach us about justice and virtue?
Learn more: Fair Game – Monash University Publishing
On 25 August 2022, I delivered the Fred Gruen Lecture at the Australian National University on ‘A More Dynamic Economy’. The text of the talk is available at https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/speeches/fh-gruen-lecture-australian-national-university-canberra.
On 10 May 2022, Toby Walsh was in conversation with Andrew Leigh, discussing Toby’s new book ‘Machines Behaving Badly: The Morality of AI’. Toby, a world-leading researcher in the field of artificial intelligence, examines the ethical issues we face in a future dominated by artificial intelligence. Is Alexa racist? Can robots have rights? What happens if a self-driving car kills someone? What limitations should we put on the use of facial recognition? Can we build moral machines? The conversation took place as part of the ANU/Canberra Times Meet the Author Series, in association with Harry Hartog Bookshop.
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’.
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.
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.
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”.
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.
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’.
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.
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'.
You can check out Andrew's book here.
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', co-authored with Jenny Macklin.
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.
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, speech to Institute of Public Accountants Budget Breakfast.
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? - discussing 'Reconnected' on Late Night Live with Phillip Adams, 20 October 2020
Andrew Leigh and Nick Terrell in conversation about Reconnected: A Community Builder's Handbook.
For more information about Reconnected, click here.
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.
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.
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.