Chief Economist Jarrod Ball explores what are the different types of digital assets, why digital platforms are increasingly embedding financial services and how the sector needs greater regulation. He speaks to Citi’s Tony McLaughlin and Senator Andrew Bragg to make sense of this trend.

CEDA Events

Cryptocurrency Explained

On Thursday, the ABS released its labour force statistics for August 2021. They show that while unemployment decreased by 0.1 per cent, the participation rate also decreased significantly. To help make sense of these figures, CEDA Chief Economist Jarrod Ball spoke with University of Melbourne Truby Williams Professor of Economics Jeff Borland.

Labour markets in lockdown w/ Professor Jeff Borland

Yesterday WA released its 2021-22 State budget, unveiling a massive $5.6 billion surplus. Some of the big-ticket items in the budget include an $875 million social housing package and $1.9 billion in extra healthcare funding. But will the measures announced set Western Australia up for long-term success?  CEDA Chief Economist Jarrod Ball is joined by our Perth-based Senior Economist Cassandra Winzar to find out more.

Did the WA Budget Deliver?

The June quarter GDP figures are out, and Australia looks likely to avoid a second recession in two years.  GDP grew by 0.7%, which ended as the Delta variant took hold in NSW and sparked a wave of lockdowns across the east coast. So what does this tell us about how the economy entered the extended state lockdown, just how bad is the news for the September quarter, and are we still at risk of a so-called technical recession? To discuss this, CEDA Chief Economist Jarrod Ball is joined by ANZ Senior Economist, Felicity Emmett.

Is Australia headed for another recession?

Rapid antigen tests have become a crucial tool around the world in managing COVID-19, but Australia is only using them in some industries and workplaces. That’s despite the fact an Australian company created the first rapid COVID test to receive approval for home use in the United States last year. The Brisbane-based digital diagnostics firm Ellume has a deal with the Biden administration to provide 8.5 million home COVID tests, and its new US manufacturing facility is set to begin production later this year. CEDA CEO Melinda Cilento spoke with its founder and chief executive, Dr Sean Parsons, about the potential of rapid testing in Australia and his experience developing and manufacturing this technology. But first Melinda is joined by CEDA Chief Economist Jarrod Ball to talk about some of the other issues we are thinking about at CEDA this week.

Will rapid COVID-19 testing take off in Australia?

This week, it’s the first episode in a new mini-series where we dive into the dynamism of Australian businesses big and small. Business dynamism is one of our key research areas here at CEDA. We’re keen to understand Australian companies’ risk appetite, the quality of our managers and what drives their decision-making. Someone who’s long taken an interest in business dynamism is the head of structural policy analysis at the OECD’s Economics Department, Dan Andrews. He’s just released some insightful research showing high-productivity firms were more likely to grow and low-productivity firms more likely to contract during the first year of the pandemic, using small-business accounting and payslip data from Xero. It’s particularly relevant now amid growing concerns our economic recovery is under threat, with much of the nation stuck in lockdown amid spiralling COVID-19 outbreaks. But first, CEDA Chief Economist Jarrod Ball is joined by CEDA Chief Executive Melinda Cilento to discuss some of the issues we’re thinking about at CEDA this week.

Business dynamism 1: What did COVID-19 tell us about small business productivity?

The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report out this week has some very stark warnings about “unprecedented” levels of climate change that it says are “unequivocally” the result of human actions. The IPCC says we’ll exceed global warming of 1.5 and 2 degrees Celsius this century unless we make deep emissions cuts in the coming decades. The Federal Government says Australia can get to net-zero emissions “preferably” by 2050 using technology, not taxes, through its technology roadmap. One body the Government is relying on to get us there is the Clean Energy Finance Corporation or C-E-F-C. I spoke earlier with its chief executive Ian Learmonth. But first, CEDA CEO Melinda Cilento is joined by our Chief Economist Jarrod Ball to discuss some of the issues we’re thinking about at CEDA this week.

What do the IPCC’s warnings mean for Australia’s path to net-zero?

Australia is facing a shortage of at least 110,000 direct aged-care workers within the next decade, unless urgent action is taken to boost the workforce. That’s one of the findings of our latest report, which also found the shortage will balloon to more than 400,000 workers by 2050 unless we take dramatic action now. Australia has failed to prepare for this challenge, but there ARE steps we can take to improve the system. To discuss CEDA’s findings and potential solutions, CEDA Chief Economist Jarrod Ball is joined by Aged & Community Services Australia CEO Patricia Sparrow; Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Federal Assistant Secretary Lori-Anne Sharp; and the author of our report, CEDA Senior Economist Cassandra Winzar. But first, Jarrod is joined by CEDA's Chief Executive Melinda Cilento to discuss some of the issues we’re thinking about at CEDA this week.

Solving Australia’s aged-care workforce challenge

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has rejected repeated requests from New South Wales to reintroduce a wage subsidy like JobKeeper, as businesses face tough times due to the latest round of COVID-19 lockdowns across NSW, Victoria and South Australia. The restrictions come just months after the Federal Government handed down a big-spending budget, with more than 30 billion dollars in tax and investment incentives for business. To discuss how business and the economy are tracking, CEDA Chief Economist Jarrod Ball is joined by Patrick Coghlan, the chief executive of business credit research firm CreditorWatch, which tracks a range of data that takes the pulse of Australian companies both big and small. But first, Jarrod is joined by CEDA Chief Executive Melinda Cilento to discuss some of the issues we’re thinking about at CEDA this week.

How is business and the economy tracking?

The past 18 months have required unprecedented levels of public trust in government. During COVID, we’ve relied on clear and consistent guidance to protect our health and livelihoods. Yet a survey out today by public relations firm SenateSHJ has found trust in government communication has dropped significantly over the past year. So, what’s gone wrong? And how can government regain this trust? I spoke with Managing Partner of SenateSHJ Darren Behar for his insights on these questions and more. But as always, first I’m joined by our Chief Economist Jarrod Ball to discuss some of the issues we’re thinking about at CEDA this week.

Why don’t we trust government?

As the Federal Government ramps up its digital economy strategy, the safety of our cyber assets is back in the spotlight. We know cybercrime is rising in scale and prevalence, and recent attacks on major infrastructure across the world show how high the stakes can be. At the same time, experts are warning of the rising cyber-espionage threat posed by state actors; the latest warning came just this week from the head of the UK spy agency MI5. So, how serious are these threats? And are Australian business and governments doing enough to protect our digital assets? For some answers to these questions, CEDA CEO Melinda Cilento spoke with CyberCX Chief Strategy Officer Alastair MacGibbon. He’s a former National Cyber Security Advisor and was hand-picked as special adviser on cyber security to Malcolm Turnbull when he was Prime Minister.

Cybersecurity: Risks and Opportunities

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has just released the five-yearly Intergenerational Report. The report was delayed by a year due to COVID-19, and it finds it’s the pandemic population freeze that’s set to have the biggest economic impact over the next 40 years. That means productivity is going to have to do all the heavy lifting to drive our future growth and prosperity, and fund the essential services we value so much. But does the report get it right on the key issues shaping our future? To get a view on this, CEDA CEO Melinda Cilento is joined by ANU demographer Dr Liz Allen, public sector governance and finance expert Stephen Bartos, and Social Outcomes Economics Consultant Nicki Hutley; she’s also on the Climate Council.

Does the 2021 Federal Intergenerational Report do the job?

CEDA's 42nd State of the Nation has come to an end, and with three days of insightful conversations under our belt, we look back on the interviews our CEO Melinda Cilento and Chief Economist Jarrod Ball led with some of this year's speakers. Speakers: The Hon. Josh Frydenberg, Federal Treasurer The Hon. Anthony Albanese, Federal Leader of the Opposition Sam Mostyn AO, President, Chief Executive Women, Chairman, Citibank; and Chair, The Foundation for Young Australians Su McCluskey, Commissioner, National COVID-19 Commission Advisory Board (concluded May 2021) His Excellency Y Kristiarto S Legowo, Ambassador for Indonesia His Excellency Vohra, High Commissioner of India to Australia Romilly Madew AO FTSE, Chief Executive Officer, Infrastructure Australia

State of the Nation 2021 | All interviews

After the sustainable infrastructure session at CEDA's 2021 State of the Nation conference, CEDA Chief Economist Jarrod Ball spoke with Romilly Madew of Infrastructure Australia to gain insights on trends in infrastructure since COVID-19 has hit Australia.

Romilly Madew AO FTSE | State of the Nation 2021

Tax reform and the Intergeneration Report are the hot topics in this conversation between Su McCluskey (Commissioner, National COVID-19 Commission Advisory Board) and CEDA CEO Melinda Cilento at CEDA's 2021 State of the Nation conference.

Su McCluskey | State of the Nation 2021

From the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader, State Premiers, CEOs of the ASX Top 200 to leading academics, CEDA events deliver top speakers looking at the critical issues for business through more than 300 events annually.

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