The Stan Kelly Lecture

Free trade agreements: why are they happening and what are they worth? Since 2000, free trade agreements (FTAs) have gained popularity in Australia, and have become the main vehicle for trade liberalisation in Australia as well as overseas. What explains the rise of FTAs, and why are they so politically divisive? Professor Dixon will reflect on these questions, and ask the hard questions about the recently signed China–Australia Free Trade Agreement. What are the benefits for Australia, and how big are they? Where will they come from? How will they be distributed across the economy?  Are our politicians being honest with us?

About the speaker

Peter Dixon is currently Professor at the Centre of Policy Studies at Victoria University, and has previously held positions at the International Monetary Fund and the Reserve Bank of Australia. In 1982, he was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. He was also awarded the Distinguished Fellowship of the Economics Society of Australia in 2003, and appointed Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor at Monash University in 2006. His work has included the creation of several computable general equilibrium models, including the ORANI model (as part of the Australian Government’s IMPACT project in 1975), the MONASH model (the dynamic successor to ORANI), and the USAGE model (used by the U.S. International Trade Commission and the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, Transportation and Homeland Security). He has also published numerous books and articles.

About the Stan Kelly Lecture

The Stan Kelly Memorial Lecture was established by the 'modest member' Bert Kelly, in honour of Bert's father Stan. William Stanley Kelly was a member of the Commonwealth Tariff Board from 1929 to 1939, an advisor to the Commonwealth Prices Commissioner from 1942 to 1948, chaired the Joint Industry Advisory Authority from 1951 to 1953 and was a member of the Consultative Committee on Import Policy from 1952 to 1960. Because of his rural interests, he was long interested in reducing tariffs which he saw as an indirect tax on rural producers. He was a lifelong champion of free trade. The Lecture is held every two years, and is one of the Economic Society of Australia’s most prestigious events. Professor Peter Dixon will be presenting the 20th Stan Kelly Memorial Lecture. Register on Eventbrite here: https://esavicskl2015.eventbrite.com.au Download Peter Dixon's paper here: http://esacentral.org.au/vic/files/2015/09/StanKelly_lect_300915.pdf