Hon John Howard OM AC, former Prime Minister of Australia, will deliver the 2015 Keith Joseph Memorial Lecture to the Centre for Policy Studies on Tuesday 14 July.
John Howard will emphasise just how much politics is a battle of ideas and not a public relations contest.
Mr. Howard will say:
“When in office I frequently compared the task of economic reform to a never ending foot race. The finishing line kept receding but one had to remain in the race otherwise other participants in the form of competitor nations would surge past.
The task of economic reform is never completed, although the challenges and the context will alter.
For example, prior to 2008, most people would have assumed that the amount of liquidity in the system following the quantitative easing of recent years would have produced high inflation. That economies have remained relatively subdued suggests that monetary easing alone no longer has quite the impact it once did. Perhaps there is a need for a greater emphasis on the supply side of the economy? Does this mean a new paradigm has been entered?
The focus on the public sector should not be limited purely to its size but should also embrace the quality of and the efficiency with which services are delivered.”
There will be a reference to the welfare and education reforms of the Cameron Government as well as the experience of the National Government in New Zealand.
Mr. Howard will answer questions after the lecture.
The lecture is now full, although a limited number of press places are available. Please email [email protected] with your organisation details to enquire.
The lecture will be livestreamed using the Periscope app (@CPSThinkTank) and the video will be available on YouTube on Wednesday.
Date Added: Tuesday 14th July 2015
