[Canberra Security Economics Network] Productivity Beyond the Border

About the event

Improving Australia’s productivity performance is widely recognised as an urgent priority. A critical yet sometimes hard-to-pin-down element of that challenge concerns how international and foreign policy decisions shape domestic productivity outcomes. Governments like Australia's are managing global security risks while positioning their economies for a world defined by technological transformation, strategic tension and climate change.

In August, the Economic Reform Roundtable convened to set a course on productivity, resilience and budget sustainability. With the dust having settled, attention turns to what comes next and which policy levers matter most. What role can trade and investment policy play in capital deepening, technology diffusion and competition? And how might regional and multilateral architectures shape the next phase of Australian growth?

On Tuesday 25 November, join speakers Professor Jenny Gordon, Professor Christopher Findlay and the Canberra Security Economics Network for a discussion on the international dimensions of productivity policy.

How to attend

This event will be held online. Microsoft Teams details will be emailed to all registered attendees one day before the event.

Date & time

Tuesday 25 November 2025
2:00-3:30pm Canberra time

About the speakers

Professor Jenny Gordon is a Nonresident Fellow at the Lowy Institute and an Honorary Professor at the Centre for Social Research and Methods at the Australian National University. She previously served as Chief Economist at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, establishing the Office of the Chief Economist and leading work on trade, investment and development economics. She has held senior roles at Nous Group, the Productivity Commission and the Centre for International Economics.

Professor Christopher Findlay was previously Executive Dean of the Faculty of the Professions at the University of Adelaide, Head of Economics at Adelaide, and Professor of Economics at the Australian National University. He was also vice Chair of the Australian Pacific Economic Cooperation Committee. His current work spans services trade and regional integration.

About CSEN

The Canberra Security Economics Network comprises economists and interdisciplinary social scientists from both public policy and academia who share a passion for the application of economics to national security and international challenges, with a view to building strong discourse around these important policy issues. To learn more or to join the mailing list, please contact us at csen@securityeconomics.net.

Photo credit: Ali Mkumbwa (mkumbwajr) on Unsplash.