December 11, 2023
The Good Fight, the memoirs of Wayne Swan, Treasurer in the Rudd and Gillard governments, has been launched in Canberra.
The ALP’s deputy leader and Gillard supporter, Tanya Plibersek, spoke at the launch.
In his speech, Swan concentrated on the work he undertook during the global financial crisis in 2008-09. He said it was now possible to contemplate the Abbott administration as a one-term government.
Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivers a lesson on how his government tackled the global financial crisis in this video of his appearance at Wellers Hill State School in Brisbane.
The relevant section begins around the two-minute mark.
The Treasurer, Wayne Swan, has outlined Australia’s economic policy, the nation’s role in Asia, and the challenges of the global economy, in a speech to the Harvard Club of New York.
The speech follows Swan’s acceptance of the Finance Minister of the Year award from Euromoney magazine.
This is the transcript of Wayne Swan’s speech to the Harvard Club of New York.
That was a very kind introduction and a very warm welcome, and I want to thank you for having me here.
Harvard has made such an extraordinary contribution to the advancement of economic policy around the world so it’s an honour to be here to address you today.
It’s great to be in New York again, the capital city of the free world.
It’s a tragedy that the remarkable history of this city and the fond memories of it so many people carry are stained of course by two history-altering events, both marked this month.
The first was commemorated 15 days ago, a full decade after the fall of two towers brought death and destruction and beyond that a dramatic escalation of a war our nations still fight together today.
The second was quietly remembered just four days later – three years since Lehman’s collapse pushed the global economy off a cliff, towards the greatest synchronised downturn since the Great Depression.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has delivered an Address to the Nation, following the announcement of the government’s second stimulus package.
Rudd and Treasurer Wayne Swan today announced a $42 million package of measures in response to the global financial crisis. The measures include a one-off $950 cash bonus to individuals. A home insulation program will be introduced, as will a program of new and upgraded buildings in schools, to be called Building the Education Revolution. There will be a black spots, boom gates, regional roads and community infrastructure program.
Transcript of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s Address to the Nation.
Good evening, in the last three months, the global financial crisis has deteriorated dramatically.
We now face a global economic recession – with a massive impact on jobs right across the world.
Inflation has hit a 13-year high of 5.0% with a 1.2% rise in the September quarter Consumer Price Index.