25 August 2015
David Hetherington talks to Emma Alberici on Lateline on the eve of the National Reform Summit.
DAVID HETHERINGTON: “We shouldn’t see our economy as a one-trick pony that is entirely dependent on Chinese economics performance for our wellbeing. I think China is in for a bit of a rough trot in the near term.”
JASON OM: Among those attending is David Hetherington from the progressive think tank Per Capita. He says Australia needs to look beyond the mining industry.
DAVID HETHERINGTON: I think we need to be looking at the sectors that will drive the next wave of Australian growth. They probably won’t be mineral exports or residential construction. They’ll be the things that are reliant on education, skills, innovation technology.
If we fall back on the kind of safety net or the kind of warm comfort blanket that China can rescue us by buying our commodity exports, we’re doing ourselves disservice.
