This paper argues that the biggest risk to Australia's public health and economic outlook is not the failure to reach thresholds for full vaccination, but that governments will be excessively cautious in easing restrictions once the thresholds are reached.

One of the major economic policy issues of the times is the growth of public debt in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and what this growth means for the future. Some economists believe the burden will be manageable. Others express varying degrees of concern. In this report, Robert Carling examines the issues at play.

This report argues that Australia’s rapid successful suppression of the COVID-19 pandemic has come at huge cost. The benefits have been won, and now must be defended at a sustainable cost. It is impossible to envisage new infections being driven to zero at any supportable cost.

This paper argues that attempting to eradicate the COVID-19 virus would impose unbearable economic and social costs and Australia must find low-cost ways to live with the virus, rather than remaining constrained while waiting for a vaccine that may take years to arrive, if ever.

This report surveys the likely effects of the pandemic crisis on state budgets and then looks at the outlook for state fiscal aggregates as they were before the pandemic hit. It also traces the pre-crisis trends and trends and possible impacts of the crisis in the states individually, and concludes by discussing the policy options...