Wrapping Up the Australian Tour

I’m back from the film tour in Australia. I attended most of the screenings, and it’s safe to say that the ripple effects from the visit are still being felt in the public and private discourse. Thanks to Steven Hail, Gabie Bond, and many of their friends and students in the Modern Money Lab/Torrens University program, my schedule was packed with gatherings, interviews, media appearances, and various speaking engagements.

Here are some photos from the last week of the trip. March 8 was International Women’s Day, and I spoke (in Melbourne) at a luncheon organized by a group of women in finance. That’s me at the far end of the pic.

Later that evening, we screened the film in Solidarity Hall at the Victorian Trades Hall Council. I got a nice tour of the historic building while the audience watched the movie. It’s where workers fought for the right to an eight-hour workday, leaving eight hours for rest and eight hours for recreation. You can see evidence of the 888 Movement everywhere, including the carpeting that runs throughout much of the space.

Here’s a shot of the audience watching the film in Trades Hall.

And here I am with Maren and Shireen Morris, author and law professor, following the screening.

The next day (March 9), I sat down with Luke Taylor, who is working on a new documentary. You can’t see him (or his camera crew) in this shot. At some point, Luke will release the film, which will focus on the climate emergency in Australia. I was honored to take part.

Immediately after we wrapped up filming for the documentary, I spun my chair around and was joined on stage by ABC Radio National’s multi-award-winning journalist Natasha Mitchell. The conversation will air nationally on ABC Radio National on Big Ideas on Wednesday 27 March and Sunday 31 March at 8pm. It will also air across the Asia-Pacific on Radio Australia at different times. And you can listen anytime on the Big Ideas podcast and on the website at the link.

The next day, I traveled to Brisbane for a screening of the film at The Elizabeth Cinema. I think this was the only screening where my publisher arranged to have copies of The Deficit Myth on hand. They sold out immediately, and I signed every one.

On March 11, Maren, Gabie, and Susan Borden took the film to the Gold Coast for the Bangalow Film Festival, while Steven and I made our way back to Sydney for my appearance on the ABC television show Q&A.

The next morning, I travelled to Canberra, where I had a meeting in Parliament and and a great conversation with Greg Jericho, chief economist at the Australia Institute. We talked about the film, MMT, etc.

That evening, we screened Finding the Money at Dendy Cinemas, and I was delighted to be have Peter Martin and Steven Robson join me on stage for the audience Q&A.

And then it was back to Sydney—by car—with me asking “Are we there yet?” for the better part of three hours.

That evening, we showed the film at Torrens University, where Maren and I were joined on stage by Jim Stanford of the Australia Institute.

At this point, I might be getting my days mixed up, but I spoke at another Inside Network finance luncheon, which was held in this iconic venue in Sydney.

Before the luncheon, I met with an old friend from graduate school, George Argyrous, and his team at the Paul Ramsay Foundation. We talked job guarantee, basic income, baby bonds, and other innovative anti-poverty programs.

I also had a really nice conversation at this little round table, but I cannot for the life of me remember where I was or what we recorded.

On the last night of the trip, Joan Harcourt met us for dinner near Circular Quay. Joan’s late husband, Geoff Harcourt, was an Australian economist, an intellectual giant, and one of the nicest people I have ever known. I was honored to be the Harcourt Visiting Professor at the University of Adelaide in 2020, which gave me the opportunity to see Geoff again before his passing.

Dinner—overlooking the Harbor Bridge and the Opera House—with Steven, Gabie, Susan Borden, and Joan Harcourt was the perfect way to end to an amazing tour.

Next Stops

After Australia, the film’s director, Maren Poitras, took Finding the Money to Greece, Scotland, and the UK. It’s showing in Keswick this evening (March 23). Tickets here. Before returning to the U.S. the film heads to Berlin (March 26), Zurich (March 27), and Spain (April 3). You’ll need a ticket for the Berlin screening, but Zurich and Spain are free.

Maren and I are coordinating U.S. tour dates now. You can look for the movie in theaters across the east and west coast starting in May. Keep an eye out here for dates and details. I’ll attend as many screenings as possible, so come and say hi!