Guilty G20 Leaders Need to Beat Protectionism | BTalk Australia

By Phil Dobbie | September 24, 2009

BNET Australia Contributors

Aussie Rules

Biography

BNET Australia Contributors

BNET Australia Contributors
Phil Dobbie has a wealth of radio and business experience. In his BTalk Australia podcast, he provides a lively and insightful view on business issues.
Brian Haverty is editorial director for CBS Interactive Australia and is responsible for the company's BNET and ZDNet Australia sites.
Robert Gerrish is a coach, author and professional speaker and the founder of Flying Solo, an Australian online community for solo business owners.
Melissa Lourenco is the HR manager for CBS Interactive in Australia.
Chris Golis is the author of The Humm Handbook: Lifting Your Level of Emotional Intelligence. He runs seminars and workshops on EQ.
Suzi Dafnis is Community Director of the Australian Businesswomen's Network.
Yvonne Adele helps organisations build a culture of ideas by teaching people at all levels to access their untapped creative thinking skills.
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Mark Thirlwell

Mark Thirlwell

(Episode 338; 14 minutes 30) G20 leaders are meeting in Pittsburgh right now. Although they speak out against protectionism many of them are guilty of pursuing it. Tariffs may have been dropped but almost every country has bailed out struggling businesses. Isn’t that just another form of protectionism?

Mark Thirlwell, Director for the International Economy Program at the Lowy Institute for International Policy, says G20 leaders need to put in place arrangements to ensure transparency and to show the cost to their local economy that protectionist measures can introduce. He says the argument over the benefits of free trade is one often not understood by the general community.

Mark Thirwell is co-author, along with Bill Carmichael and Saul Eslake, of a Lowy Institute policy brief “Message to the G20: defeating protectionism begins at home”.

What do you think? Does more need to be done to argue the case for protectionism? Leave a comment in the Talkback section at the end of this post.

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