Andrew Leigh

HARNESSING THE DATA DELUGE: THE SURPRISING POWER OF BIG DATA AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE*
Address to the 10th Annual Australian Government Data Summit
Hotel Realm, Canberra
Thursday, 28 March 2024

I acknowledge the Ngunnawal people, the traditional owners of these lands, and pay respects to all First Nations people present.

I’m pleased to join you today, in the tenth year of the annual Australian Government Data Summit. Robust, rigorous data and statistics are vital for delivering outcomes for all Australians.

Throughout our nation’s history, Australia’s statisticians and statistical agencies have punched above their weight in this – or should I say, found themselves in the right tail of the distribution. The nation’s first statistician, George Knibbs (known to his friends as ‘The Knibb’) published papers on mathematics, geodesy, wealth, and population. He was an acting professor of physics at the University of Sydney. He published a book on the federal capital. He was a member of the British Astronomical Society. He even wrote a book of verse.

STARTING WITH STATISTICS TO TRANSFORM DISADVANTAGE
Launch of the 2024 Child Social Exclusion Report
Parliament House, Canberra
Wednesday, 27 March 2024

I acknowledge the Ngunnawal people, the traditional owners of these lands, and pay respects to all First Nations people present.

Thank you Claerwen for the warm introduction and to Aunty Violet Sheridan for your Welcome to Country. I also acknowledge the many researchers and policy advocates here and the work you all do to create a fairer Australia.

Thank you to UnitingCare for inviting me here today to celebrate the 2024 Child Social Exclusion Index Report. The report is a collaboration between University of Canberra researchers and UnitingCare, which has worked for over 100 years to support vulnerable Australians and advocate for social justice.

Tackling disadvantage is at the heart of our Government’s vision for Australia (Albanese, 2022), and one of the most important challenges of our time.

It is a topic I have been focused on since my university days. The title of my 2004 PhD thesis was ‘Essays in Poverty and Inequality’, a set of issues that I expanded on in my 2013 book: ‘Battlers and Billionaires: The Story of Inequality in Australia’. 

Tackling inequality and exclusion must start with robust data and statistics. That is what this report does. It extends the concept of poverty to measure social and material disadvantage, and highlights the geographical areas facing high levels of child social exclusion. I congratulate you on the report, and your contribution to a long and rich tradition in the social sciences.

It is a history which says we must start with robust statistics to transform disadvantage. It shows that data-driven indices and maps can create change significant social change. It is this tradition that I am going to focus on today, and which I hope inspires you, as you consider the findings of the report.

FAIRER, CLEANER: THE TRANSPARENT INVESTMENT REVOLUTION
Climate Integrity Summit 2024, Parliament House
Wednesday, 20 March 2024

I acknowledge the Ngunnawal people on whose lands we meet and pay respects to all First Nations people present today.

Thank you to the Australia Institute for hosting this annual summit on climate integrity, and to Richard Dennis for the invitation to deliver this address today. I am delighted to be joining such a distinguished line-up of speakers, including their excellencies Mr Anote Tong, former President of the Republic of Kiribati, and Mr Enele Sopoaga, former Prime Minister of Tuvalu.

My focus this morning is on climate and tax transparency in our financial system so that we can drive down emissions and create a fairer society in the process.

Transparency at work

This time last year, news broke that global biotechnology company Amgen is being sued for hiding its $10.7 billion dollar tax bill from investors. The plaintiffs said that “Amgen’s share price fell 6.5 per cent in August 2021, and a further 4.3 per cent in April 2022, because the company waited until then to disclose its potential liabilities” (Stempel, 2023). The US Inland Revenue Service “accused Amgen of underreporting taxes from 2010-2015, mainly for attributing what should have been US taxable income to a Puerto Rico unit” (Stempel, 2023). It powerfully illustrates how shareholder value is intimately linked to what is known about a company.

Consumers and investors have long understood that what they buy, and the investment decisions they make, have the power to influence ‘grand’ social, economic, and environmental challenges. As far back as the 1700s, John Wesley advised his congregants against “any sinful trade” (Uberti, 2023). When the Methodist Church began investing in the stock market at the turn of the 20th century, they avoided companies involved in alcohol and gambling (Goff, 2006). When investors saw the destruction of the Vietnam War in the 1970s, they created the first ethical fund – the Pax World Fund – so they could avoid investing in weapons and weapons manufacturers (Uberti, 2023).

Meanwhile, debate has raged about what this all means for corporations, and how they balance their responsibilities to shareholders and to the public. We must create a financial system in which Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors into shareholder value, as much as acquisitions or sales. Without transparency and robust public reporting, how will we know about the Environmental, Social and Governance factors faced by a company, and make decisions about where to invest our dollars accordingly?

The more that companies make regulatory or reputational risks they face transparent through data and metrics, the more that investors are empowered to vote with their feet on their values and make long-term, values-aligned sustainable investment decisions. With good ESG data, metrics and standards, people can move their capital with precision and thereby shape the world. “This is how values drive value”, as Mark Carney puts it (2020 & 2021).

INAUGURATION OF THE CANBERRA BAPS SHRI
Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir
Taylor, ACT
Sunday, 17 March 2024

I acknowledge the Ngunnawal people, on whose lands we meet today, and all First Nations people present. 

Chief Minister Andrew Barr, Deputy Indian High Commissioner Suneet Mehta, the many visiting dignitaries from Sydney, Perth and New Zealand, ladies and gentlemen.

This is my third visit to this BAPS Hindu Mandir. On my first visit, only the bare bones of the structure had been completed. On my second visit, much of the internal work had been completed. This third visit, the building looks perfect, inside and out. At this rate, I can only imagine how good it will look when I am back here for my fourth visit!

FRESH AND FAIR COMPETITION
National Farmers’ Federation Horticulture Council Roundtable
Wednesday, 28 February 2024

I acknowledge the Ngunnawal people, on whose lands we meet today, and pay respects to all First Nations people present.

Australia’s agriculture sector has hung its hat on technology to deliver a strong productivity performance over the past 20 years (Treasury 2023 p84).

As Australia’s third largest agricultural industry, horticulture is a significant part of the innovation story (DAFF n.d).

We are now seeing overhead cameras and artificial intelligence speeding up processing times by detecting and accurately determining the size of up to 5,000 pieces of fruit in the back of an open-top truck (AUSVEG 2023).

Researchers are testing drones – and the turbulent downdraft they create – as a possible way to pollinate glasshouse-grown strawberries and tomatoes (Jadhav 2023).

Growers are maximising their output by taking tonnes of otherwise wasted vegetables and turning them into nutrient-dense powders for supplements and our morning smoothies (AUSVEG 2023).

Governments are joining forces with industry to revamp pest-management datasets to further strengthen our arm at the trade negotiating table (Watt 2023).

GROCERY PRICES
Matter of Public Importance, House of Representatives
Wednesday, 28 February 2024

It is a great thing in this House to be discussing the important issue of competition, and for that I thank the member for Kennedy for bringing forward this matter of public importance.

If you're a sports fan in Australia you have plenty of choices. If you're an AFL fan you've got 18 teams to choose from. If you're a fan of the Women's Big Bash League you've got eight teams to choose from. If you're a fan of the Australian Ice Hockey League you have 10 teams to choose from including the Canberra Brave, the Central Coast Rhinos, the Melbourne Mustangs and the Sydney Ice Dogs. If you're an A-League fan you have 12 teams to choose from. The fact is that many of these leagues are also growing new teams, so we've had the GWS Giants and the Tasmanian JackJumpers.

COMPETITION AND CONSUMER AMENDMENT (FAIR GO FOR CONSUMERS AND SMALL BUSINESS) BILL 2024
Summing Up Speech
House of Representatives, Wednesday 28 February 2024

At the outset I would like to thank those members who have contributed to the debate on the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Fair Go for Consumers and Small Business) Bill 2024, including the members for Mayo, Moreton, Wentworth, Werriwa, Warringah, Lyons and Hume.

Competition policy has been front and centre in the public debate over recent months. The Albanese government has been concerned to ensure that our competition settings are fit for purpose. Competition reform is vital to boosting productivity. In the early 1990s, reforms kicked off by Prime Minister Paul Keating and competition expert Fred Hilmer led to cooperation with the states and territories which ultimately boosted living standards, producing a permanent 2½ per cent lift in GDP. That translates to something in the order of $5,000 for the typical Australian household in today's terms. So competition reform is a big deal. Getting competition right is good for consumers, it's good for employees and it's good for innovation.

Peace at the Policy Table: Australia's Path Forward*

Australian Peacebuilding Network Roundtable, Canberra
Wednesday, 21 February 2024

I acknowledge the Ngunnawal people, on whose lands we are meeting today, and to all First Nations people present.

I acknowledge Kate Wallace, First Assistant Secretary of the Multilateral Policy, First Nations and Human Rights Division at DFAT and Dr Tania Miletic, Deputy Director of the Initiative for Peacebuilding at the University of Melbourne — thank you for the warm introduction.

Thank you to John Langmore for the invitation to address today’s Australian Peacebuilding Network Roundtable. John is Professorial Fellow and Chair of the Initiative for Peacebuilding Board at the University of Melbourne. He is also my predecessor, having served as member for Fraser, my former electorate, from 1984 to 1996. In 1988, I was lucky enough to do work experience for John for a fortnight. This ‘New’ Parliament House had just opened, and it was a delight for an idealistic, politically engaged 16-year-old to work in John’s office. He was generous with his time, thoughtful in providing me with interesting work, and optimistic about the power of good policy to change lives for the better. Since leaving parliament, John has been an engaged and energetic contributor to the policy debate – a role model as to what a post-political life can contribute to Australia.

Today I will focus on how Australians have contributed their ideas and vision to shaping the field of peacebuilding. And as you begin discussions, I hope you find inspiration in these stories.

Competition And Consumer Amendment (Fair Go For Consumers And Small Business) Bill 2024
Second Reading Speech
House of Representatives, Thursday 15 February 2024

One of the summer's box office hits is Wonka—the prequel to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Without giving too much away, it's the tale of how Willy Wonka takes on the chocolate cartel of Slugworth, Fickelgruber and Prodnose.

Between them, the cartel controls the chocolate market. Prices are kept high. Innovators are kept out. Big chocolate has the police in its pocket, and is willing to use every bitter trick to preserve its sweet control over the market.

NATIONAL MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL
Constituency Statements, House of Representatives
Wednesday, 14th of February 2024 

Canberra's multicultural story goes back to the 1940s, when skilled migrants flocked to the capital region to work on the Snowy Mountains Scheme. When Canberra Week began in 1977, it starred Al Grassby, the godfather of Australian multiculturalism, and honoured the First Nations and migrant communities. The National Multicultural Festival began in 1996 and has become our city 's largest festival, drawing support from volunteers in the diplomatic corps.

This weekend Canberra will celebrate the National Multicultural Festival, the event made possible by the dedication of numerous communities. I want to acknowledge some of the unsung heroes today: Andrew Yan and Robert Feng from the Chinese showcase; Jo Chivers and Duncan Smith from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander showcase; Toa Takiari and Elena Sione from the Pacific Islander showcase; Deepak Raj Gupta from India in the City; Tracy Dennis from the European village; George Karkazis from Greek Glendi; Lauren Harvey from Contact Canberra; Gonzales Olmos from Latin American Quarters; Bianca Abreu from Latin American embassies; Trevlyn Gilmour and Alicia Doherty from the USA showcase; Brooke Thomas from the belly-dancing showcase; Charles Koker from the African village; Malcolm Buchanan from the Celtic Irish showcase; Jacqui Dillon and Mandy Scott from community languages; Franco Papandrea from the Italian community; Suren Deonarain from the festival parade; Helen Musa from City News; and Lee Donnelly from Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets.