The Wellbeing Economy podcast series

The Wellbeing Economy podcast series is a mini-series presented by Policy Forum. It features experts from diverse fields coming together to discuss opportunities for reimagining the future and enhancing the wellbeing of Australians. Each episode delves into a specific aspect of the wellbeing economy to explore how the concept might work in practice. Listen through the embedded links below, or wherever you get your podcasts: just search "Policy Forum Pod"!

Episode 1: Wellbeing and reimagining the Australian economy

What is a wellbeing economy?
On this Policy Forum Pod, Sharon Bessell and Arnagretta Hunter kick off our mini-series on the wellbeing economy by getting back to first principles with economist John Quiggin. The concept of a ‘wellbeing economy’ has gained momentum in recent years, but how might this work in practice? In the first episode in our mini-series on the wellbeing economy, Professor Sharon Bessell and Dr Arnagretta Hunter speak to leading Australian economist, Professor John Quiggin. They discuss whether the neoliberal paradigm is still the dominant force, the feasibility of a Universal Basic Income, and the economics of health and wellbeing.

Episode 2: A post-carbon world

Can we use economics to solve climate change?
Climate change has been front-and-centre of public debate following the presidential election in the United States. President-elect Biden has committed to rejoining the Paris Agreement and, closer to home, an ex-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull made headlines for criticising News Corp’s “shocking legacy” on climate change. So is the world now moving closer to more meaningful action on climate change? What broader societal and cultural changes are needed to move to a genuinely post-carbon economy? And how can policymakers ensure such a transition is equitable and just for women and other marginalised groups in society? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, Professor Sharon Bessell and Dr Arnagretta Hunter continue our mini-series on the wellbeing economy with this excellent discussion on climate change, featuring ANU Climate Change Institute Director Professor Mark Howden and highly-respected environmentalist Tim Hollo.

Episode 3: The wellbeing economy – universal basic income with Guy Standing

The precariat at work
With more and more people being forced into insecure work, many are calling for a more lasting solution for precariousness. One often-suggested solution is a ‘universal basic income’, so what might be the benefits of this concept? What policy settings might be needed to make such a scheme successful? And how do political systems that are so focused on jobs and economic growth create space for change? On this episode – the third in our special mini-series on the wellbeing economy – renowned economist Dr Guy Standing joins Professor Sharon Bessell and Dr Arnagretta Hunter to discuss work, basic income, and how some of the economic structures developed in the last century may no longer be in our best interests.

Episode 4: The wellbeing economy – a glimpse of the good life

Development in the wake of COVID-19
Why doesn’t economic growth necessarily lead to increased development? What impact is the COVID-19 crisis having on the world’s most vulnerable communities? And how can societies in developed and developing nations recover from COVID-19 and build a more equitable future with wellbeing at the core of policy decisions? On the fourth episode of our special Policy Forum Pod mini-series on the wellbeing economy, Professor Sharon Bessell and Dr Arnagretta Hunter discuss development in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis with Professor David Hulme, Executive Director of the Global Development Institute.

Episode 5: The wellbeing economy – a healthier human future

Health, equity, and the wellbeing economy
How does Australia’s economic system affect our health? And in the wake of the devastating coronavirus pandemic, what practical steps can policymakers take to ensure health and wellbeing are central to the country’s economic decision-making in the long term? On this episode in our special Policy Forum Pod mini-series on the wellbeing economy, Professor Sharon Friel joins Professor Sharon Bessell and Dr Arnagretta Hunter to discuss health, equity, and the wellbeing economy.

Episode 6: The wellbeing economy – democratic repair in disconnected times

A positive vision for Australia's future
Throughout 2020, with all its trials and tribulations, many people have felt a strong sense of disconnection. But amidst this isolation, some community groups are banding together to try and tackle some of the major issues of our time. So can the broader Australian community find a path to genuine democratic repair within these examples? On the penultimate episode in our special Policy Forum Pod mini-series on the wellbeing economy, social scientist Associate Professor Carolyn Hendriks and Dr Millie Rooney from Australia reMADE join us to take a look at the future of Australian democracy.

Episode 7: The wellbeing economy – lessons for the future

What have we learnt from 2020?
It’ll go down as the year everybody is very happy to see the back of. But what have we learnt from 2020? And what can policymakers do to ensure 2021 is a whole lot better? On our last episode of Policy Forum Pod for the year, Martyn Pearce hosts his final podcast for Policy Forum and is joined by Professor Sharon Bessell, Dr Arnagretta Hunter, and Dr John Falzon to reflect on the conversations we’ve had in our special mini-series on the wellbeing economy. They discuss the importance of an ethic of care, the end of the neoliberal model, the crisis of precariousness, and much more.