Picking winners: Industry policy with Craig Lawrence

<p>Economics Explained host Gene Tunny speaks with Craig Lawrence, Managing Director of <a href="https://lyttonadvisory.com.au/" target="_blank">Lytton Advisory</a>, regarding the pros and cons of picking winners and interventionist industry policy more broadly.</p><p>Craig Lawrence has over 30 years of experience across government and private sector projects, particularly in infrastructure, transport, and tourism. Prior to establishing Lytton Advisory, Craig was Director-Infrastructure Policy at the Queensland Government Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning where he led a team of policy and regulatory analysts and economists looking at infrastructure prioritisation and resource region supply chain optimisation. He was previously Director-Economic Policy within the Department.</p><p>Reports mentioned in the conversation include:</p><p><a href="https://queenslandeconomywatch.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/industry-assistance-review-final-report.pdf" target="_blank">QCA Industry Assistance Review Report</a> (see p. 25 for the footloose Berri Fruit Juice example) </p><p><a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/auto-modelling/report/automodelling.pdf" target="_blank">Productivity Commission Automotive Industry Modelling Report</a> (see p. 80 for the PC’s estimate of the high cost per job saved Gene mentioned in the conversation)</p>