2026 Freebairn Public Lecture: Turning luck into pluck: Positioning Australia for an uncertain future

Presented by Ms Allegra Spender MP

After more than 20 years of relative economic stability, Australia faces an uncertain future. Global disruption, a challenging energy transition, a widening intergenerational inequity, shifting demographics, flatlining productivity and slowing living standards threaten our prosperity and resilience.

When one of Australia's foremost academics, historians, and philosophers, Professor Donald Horne, first coined the term “The Lucky Country” in 1964, it was meant as a warning. Australia’s future economic prosperity is no longer assured purely by chance, but rather by deliberate choices. Allegra will explore the smart decisions she believes will be essential to shaping Australia's economic future.

About the Presenter:

Ms Allegra Spender MP is the independent Federal Member for Wentworth, elected in 2022. She is recognised for her focus on economic reform, climate action, and strengthening integrity in public institutions.

Minister Spender brings a diverse professional background spanning business, consulting, and the not-for-profit sector. She began her career at McKinsey & Company, advising organisations on strategy and performance. She later worked in the UK Treasury as a policy analyst and more recently, was the Managing Director at Carla Zampatti, her family’s fashion label.

Prior to entering Parliament, she was CEO of the Australian Business and Community Network, working with corporate and education partners to expand opportunities for disadvantaged students.

In her parliamentary role, Spender draws on her cross-sector experience to advocate for practical, evidence-based policy, with particular emphasis on fiscal responsibility, innovation, and inclusive economic growth.

Background: Freebairn Lecture Series

The Freebairn Lecture series is named after Emeritus Professor John Freebairn, former holder of the Ritchie Chair in Economics here at the University of Melbourne, in recognition of his many significant contributions to economic research, public policy (and most especially taxation reform), and education. With degrees from the University of New England and the University of California, Davis, Professor Freebairn's academic journey has spanned several institutions, including La Trobe University, and Monash University.

Professor Freebairn has collaborated with policymakers at various levels of government to reform taxation systems that balance efficiency, equity, and revenue generation. His extensive research has informed significant reforms, including proposals to replace inefficient state taxes and close loopholes in the income tax system.

The Freebairn Lecture honours his impact on Australian economics and public policy, while serving as a forum for discussion about the future of economic reform in Australia.

This lecture will be delivered in-person. The lecture will commence at 6.00pm.

Numbers for this lecture are limited, please cancel your booking if you are no longer able to attend the lecture.
Photo ID is required on the evening.

For additional information please email melbinstitute-tickets@unimelb.edu.au

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