Still think Peter Costello was a great Treasurer?
Advertisement
Political journalist, Mungo MacCallum, has written a harsh critique of former Treasurer, Peter Costello, describing him as a “low-flying individual” that “waltzed through the boom years and achieved little”. From The Monthly:
As treasurer, he waltzed through the boom years, but had no real inclination to husband the profits; whenever Howard wanted a tax cut, a benefit for middle class welfare, a pre-election bonanza, his instinct was not to offer resistance to the profligacy but instead to ask how much. He was accounted a success, but in the circumstances Mickey Mouse would have achieved as much.
The full text of this article is available to MacroBusiness subscribers
Cancel at any time through our billing provider, Stripe
About the author

Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also a co-founder of MacroBusiness.
Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.
Advertisement