Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland gives shares her views on why she believes businesses shouldn’t go back to normal after the Coronavirus pandemic. Today there is an eerie silence across the globe. Bustling cities have gone quiet and highways that were once jammed with bumper to bumper traffic, are empty. In homes, thousands of families are anxiously awaiting a phone call …

Alexander Saeri, Monash University; Emily Grundy, Deakin University; Liam Smith, Monash University; Michael Noetel, Australian Catholic University, and Peter Slattery, Monash University More Australians are worried about the longer-lasting, societal effects of the COVID-19 pandemic – specifically that the health system could be overburdened and the country could enter a recession – than they are about the more immediate changes …

Scott Morrison indicates ‘eliminating’ COVID-19 would come at too high a cost Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra Scott Morrison has made clear his view that any attempt to eliminate COVID-19 entirely in Australia would carry too high an economic cost, while Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy says such an aim would require “very aggressive” long-term border control. The national cabinet …

Ilan Noy, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Governments across the world have rolled out extensive financial packages to support individuals, businesses and large corporations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Equally, central banks have decreased their lending rates to almost zero, and have announced extensive and previously untested direct lending to private corporations and financial companies. In many …

Tony Walker, Adjunct Professor, School of Communications, La Trobe University looks at the political strain Coronavirus is putting on leaders across the globe. Leaders of the world’s largest economies came together at a virtual G20  this week to “do whatever it takes to overcome the coronavirus pandemic”. But the reality is that global capacity to deal with the greatest challenge to …

Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra Scott Morrison will urge big businesses to display “patriotism” as Australia grapples with the coronavirus crisis, which he warns could hit the economy harder than the global financial crisis. Addressing a business audience in the run up to this week’s stimulus package, Morrison will say large companies have “a huge role to play”, telling them …

The Global Young Leaders Forum and the annual Caixin Summit in Beijng left PocketSmith CEO Jason Leong pondering how China and New Zealand could change in the next decade, as technology advances and new perspectives change the way we work locally and globally.  The historic district of Houhai in Beijing is sleepy by day. Its lake is a meeting point …

Bates Gill, Macquarie University Chinese leader Xi Jinping took power as head of the Chinese Communist Party – the most important position in China – in late 2012. Today, nearly seven years on, he is one of the most recognisable figures on the world stage. Yet, while he already commands the destiny of some 1.4 billion Chinese people, and seeks …

Brett O’Riley is adamant that innovation will be a key element of Auckland ‘s new global brand narrative. The chief executive of Auckland’s economic development agency Ateed has set a goal for Auckland to be  world-leading advanced industries city by 2020 as measured by the Brookings Institution. A key element in that strategy is the agreement Ateed’s O’Riley forged with …

By Fran O’Sullivan New Zealand is on a winning streak with China despite the perception of setbacks, says China investment strategist David Mahon. But cautions Mahon, who is chief executive of Beijing-based investment advisory firm Mahon China, NZ has to box clever to retain its pole position. Mahon who is a keynote speaker at the forthcoming China Business Summit forecasts …