Crossroads: Australia’s Economic Future After the Oil Shock - ONLINE ONLY

Crossroads: Australia’s Economic Future After the Oil Shock

Short‑Term Pressures, Long‑Term Pathways, and the Policy Choices That Matter

Australia stands at a critical juncture as the current oil shock reshapes expectations for growth, inflation, and labour market performance. This webinar explores how energy‑driven cost pressures are affecting households and businesses, and how these forces interact with monetary and fiscal policy settings. The discussion will highlight the competing objectives facing policymakers—supporting living standards, maintaining price stability, and safeguarding long‑term economic capacity. We then turn to the future: what are plausible short‑term scenarios and what structural reforms could strengthen Australia’s resilience to future global shocks? Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the risks, opportunities, and strategic decisions that will define Australia’s economic trajectory.

Registration and Joining this Webinar

To register please book online below. The zoom link to join this event will be automatically generated and sent within your confirmation invoice. 

The timing of this event is 2:00pm - 3:00pm AEST (SYD/CBR/MEL).

About the Speakers

Paul Bloxham is HSBC’s Chief Economist for Australia, New Zealand and Global Commodities and is a Managing Director. He is chief spokesperson for HSBC on forecasts and trends for the Australian and New Zealand economies and their interaction with global financial markets and international economies and a key spokesperson on HSBC’s unique view on global commodity markets.

Paul is a regular commentator on local and international business television and a frequent contributor of opinion editorials to the Australian newspapers. In 2024, Paul’s team won the Australian Financial Review award for best forecaster of the Australian economy and the RBA and the Focus Economics award for best forecaster for Australia. Other recent awards have included the Focus Economics award for best forecaster for New Zealand in 2023 and the Consensus Economics award for best forecaster for the Australian economy in 2021.

Paul is also an Adjunct Professor at Curtin University. Prior to joining HSBC in 2010, he spent 12 years as an economist with the Reserve Bank of Australia. Paul holds a Master's degree in public financial policy from the London School of Economics.

David Rumbens is a partner in Deloitte Access Economics’ macroeconomics practice.

David has expertise in macroeconomic analysis and forecasting, labour market analysis, and public policy. He is a regular presenter on the economic outlook to government and business leaders for strategic planning activities.

David leads the Employment Forecasts and Retail Forecasts publications, and also prepares a weekly economic briefing newsletter on key topical issues.

About the Moderator

Leslie Martin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Melbourne. Her research lies at the intersection of environmental, energy, international development, and industrial organisation. She is the lead investigator of MEDAL, the Melbourne Environmental Data Analytics Lab, that uses frontier data analytics and a network of industry and government partnerships to design effective economic policy for the decarbonization of energy, transportation, and manufacturing and protection of forest and water systems.

She has published in top journals in economics, including the Quarterly Journal of Economics, the American Economic Review, and the Review of Economics and Statistics.

Webinar Details

If you are not yet an ESA VIC member, this event is an opportunity for you to become a member to enjoy discounted rates on this and  other events and access to other free events throughout the year. You can become a member here.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event, 

ESA VIC Branch

ESA Victoria Branch adheres to the Chatham House Rule. Attendees who come to a meeting are free to use information from the discussion, but are not allowed to attribute comments made.