Labor’s inequality play a political masterstroke

Monday 24 July 2017

Labor’s new found focus on tackling inequality has been a masterstroke, with the issue seemingly taking centre stage across the mainstream media.

This issue arose when Labor last week claimed in speeches that Australian inequality had deteriorated to the worst in 75 years, which was based on research presented in a book published in 2013 by the shadow Assistant Treasurer, Andrew Leigh. This claim provoked strong denial from the Turnbull Government as well as some academics, but support among others. And now, everybody seems to be talking about it.

Today’s AFR captures the debate well, with several notable academics giving their two cents on the issue:

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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.