The Lost Decade

A sweeping, scathing look at the last ten years of squandered opportunity in Australia, as politicians with vision and ideas for reform gave way to personality clashes, compromise and sloganeering - and what reforms are needed for a prosperous future, by two of Australia's eminent political and economic journalists in the vein of Paul Kelly's End of Certainty.

The Lost Decade traces the lost decade back to 2016, with the election of Turnbull, and show how, against many of the forces that operated negatively after 2016, Rudd, Gillard and Abbott and Bill Shorten (from opposition) tried to institute policies and reforms they thought would move the country forward. Yet the signs of the ensuing malaise were there, and once lesser political operatives in Turnbull, Morrison and, the authors argue, Albanese came to power, Australia has struggled. Cost of living, especially housing prices, energy policy, taxation reform, red tape, global trade and posturing have all contributed to a drift backwards. Throw in the wild card of Covid and the future of the country - economically and politically - looks grim, unless serious reform occurs.

The authors put forward reforms they think should be tackled but what politician will be brave enough to make change?