Neoliberalism is dead. So why haven’t Australia’s leaders got the message? | John Quiggin

A quick Google search reveals multiple eulogies for the political and economic doctrine.

But what was (or is) neoliberalism and why is it no longer with us? The core meaning refers to a set of economic policies that emerged in the 1970s as a response to the economic crises of the time.

Neoliberalism sought to cut back the role of the state as much as possible while maintaining a basic safety net.

The Coalition no longer speaks the language of free-market reform.

Peter Dutton is promising to introduce divestiture powers to our competition laws to break up the monopolies and near-monopolies that dominate the Australian economy.

Less admirably, but more in conflict with the dictates of neoliberalsim, we have a commitment to a government-owned nuclear power industry.