Ross Garnaut will be in conversation with Barry Jones on his new book Let's Tax Carbon: And Other Ideas for a Better Australia, tracing a new path for Australia

Could Australia become a full-employment, renewable-energy superpower? Ross Garnaut says yes, and it starts with taxing carbon. A levy on the big polluters will help fund Australia to become a carbon-free energy giant, lower the cost of living and assist the world to cut emissions.

In this path-breaking book, eminent economist Ross Garnaut makes two linked arguments. He focuses on the underpinnings of successful social democracy and traces when economic policy has worked for Australia and when it hasn't. He leads off with a critique of the Albanese government – is this a case of policy half-done, or a government sailing at half-mast?

His second argument is about the low-carbon opportunity that Australia has before it. Garnaut brings to bear his unrivalled expertise on industrial development, here and internationally. He calls for a new Carbon Solutions Levy. Getting this right is a way to secure the economic base of Australia's social democracy. A thought-provoking book by a visionary thinker.

Dr. Ross Garnaut AO is the professorial research fellow in economics at the University of Melbourne. In 2008, he produced the Garnaut Climate Change Review for the Australian government. He is the author of many books, including the bestselling Dog Days, Superpower and Reset. Ross has held senior roles in universities, business, government and other Australian and international institutions.. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Sciences and a Distinguished Fellow of the Economic Society of Australia.

The Hon. Dr. Barry Jones AC (b. 1932) is a politician, lawyer, writer and former Labor Minister between 1983 and 1990 holding the portfolios of Science, Prices and Consumer Affairs, Small Business and Customs. Barry is the only person to have been elected as a Fellow of all four Australian learned Academies. He was a member of the executive board of UNESCO in Paris from 1991 to 1995 and was National President of the Australian Labor Party from 1992 to 2000. Jones has written a number of influential books, of which the best known are the international best-seller Sleepers, Wake!: Technology and the Future of Work, and the Dictionary of World Biography.

Emma Aisbett, Associate Professor ANU School of Law and Associate Director (Research) Zero-Carbon Energy for the Asia-Pacific Grand Challenge will give the vote of thanks.

This event is in association with Harry Hartog Bookshop. Books will be available for purchase. Pre-event book signings will be available from 5.30pm and again after the event.

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A podcast will be made available after the event.

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