A remarkable shift in Australian politics is underway as Andrew Hastie breaks ranks to question the foundations of neoliberalism, calling out the failures of an economic model tied to rising inequality, stagnant wages, and Australia’s deepening housing crisis.
In this episode of the New Politics podcast, we look at why this rare critique from within the Liberal Party matters, how it reflects growing public discontent with free-market orthodoxy, and why the response from Angus Taylor to shut down the debate reveals just how entrenched neoliberal economic policy remains across both major parties, including the Labor government.
As Australia grapples with unaffordable housing, declining manufacturing, and structural inequality, we explore whether this moment signals the beginning of the end for neoliberalism, or just another false dawn in political reform. We also examine Hastie’s comments on Australia’s alliance with the United States and criticism of Donald Trump, and why challenging US foreign policy has become a politically safe but strategically significant move.
From the legacy of John Curtin and Australia’s historical realignment towards the United States, to the emerging influence of China and economic blocs like BRICS, this episode connects the dots between global power shifts and domestic economic stagnation. With China poised to reshape the global economic order, and neoliberal capitalism increasingly intertwined with a socialist superpower, we ask whether the future of Australia’s economy lies beyond the current system.
If even conservative voices are now questioning neoliberalism, why is Labor silent, and what does that mean for the future of economic reform, political leadership, and Australia’s place in a rapidly changing world?
