This episode is the third of my live policy salons. It was recorded in Sydney on February 5, 2025.

We explore the concept of state capacity—the ability of governments to achieve their policy goals—and ask why Australia outperforms almost every other country in the world in this domain.

For the conversation, I'm joined by two of Australia's great public policy economists.

Richard Holden is professor of economics at UNSW Business School and president of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia.

Steven Hamilton is assistant professor of economics at The George Washington University in Washington DC, and a former Australian Treasury official.

If you’d like to attend an upcoming salon, you can get tickets here.