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.