Media releases

A new economics history book written by Associate Professor Alex Millmow of Federation University Australia has been made the subject of almost an entire academic economic journal.

The book, A History of Australasian Economic Thought, was featured prominently in the latest edition of History of Economics Review. The majority of the 11 contributions in the journal focused on critiquing the landmark work. Millmow’s book has been reviewed by nearly 15 academics in seven journals with a few more still to unfold.

Associate Professor Millmow’s book is one of the most dissected accounts on the subject of 20th century Australian and New Zealand economic thought on record.

“In my book I wanted to focus on economists as interesting people and not just technocrats,” Associate Professor Millmow said.

“I wanted to document the rise of the economics profession in both Australia and New Zealand and bring out the passing parade of economists – not just the good and great but also lesser mortals, heretics and maddies.

“Australian economics have been hugely influential in the policy sphere and were a leading factor in the transformation of the Australian economy over the past 30 years.”

Associate Professor Millmow said Australia’s policies on Medicare, immigration, trade practices, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, macroeconomic policy, competition policy, trade policy, tariffs and privatisation have all been heavily influenced by the advice of Australian economists.   

“I am very grateful for the praise my book has received. It has been commended by Professor Stuart Macintyre as a shrewd historical survey, which I find very pleasing,” he said.

A History of Australasian Economic Thought is published by Routledge who commissioned the work in 2015.