Why Steven Hamilton's critique of the ABC's economics coverage is so cutting
A centrist economist's disdain for the public broadcaster's economics coverage highlights simmering industry tensions over the way immigration and inflation are being covered.
Steven Hamilton is frustrated with the way economics is covered in Australia. And, in particular, by the ABC. But even talking about this open wound is controversial.
Hamilton is an assistant professor of economics at George Washington University, visiting fellow at the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute at the ANU and formerly worked for Treasury. He’s well respected, has a PhD and is a self-described centrist.
He’s also uncowed when commentating on economic policy. And recently, he’s been vocal about what he perceives as shortcomings in the Australian media and how it reports economic issues of national importance, and with the national public broadcaster coming in for particularly pointed criticism.
“The entire conversation is off the rails, mostly because the people commenting seemingly aren’t in touch with the frontier of knowledge,” Hamilton says.
