Treasurer releases final swathe of invitations to Economic Reform Roundtable
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The news: Treasurer Jim Chalmers has sent out a final tranche of invitations to the three-day Economic Reform Roundtable from 19-21 August 2025, including academics, executives, government agency heads, institutional investors and top economists.
Chalmers said the invitees bring "deep expertise in their respective fields" and are well-placed to "engage with the challenges and opportunities" across each of the upcoming sessions.
The invitations by session:
- International risks, opportunities and trade: National Farmers' Federation president David Jochinke, ANU Professor Shiro Armstrong.
- Skills attraction, development and mobility: Jobs and Skills Australia Commissioner Professor Barney Glover, Western Sydney University chancellor Professor Jennifer Westacott, Macquarie University chancellor Martin Parkinson.
- Capital attraction and business investment: Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia CEO Mary Delahunty, Investor Group on Climate Change and Asia Investor Group on Climate Change CEO Rebecca Mikula-Wright, AustralianSuper CEO Paul Schroder, Macquarie Group CEO Shemara Wikramanayake.
- Better regulation and approvals: BHP CEO Mike Henry, Australian Conservation Foundation CEO Kelly O'Shanassy, e61 Institute CEO Michael Brennan.
- Competition and dynamism across the federation: Team Global Express group executive chairman Christine Holgate, former ACCC chair Rod Sims, University of Queensland Professor Flavio Menezes.
- AI and innovation: Strategic Examination of Research and Development chair Robyn Denholm, CSIRO chair Ming Long.
- Efficient and high-quality government services, spending and care: Future Government Institute CEO Victor Dominello, Productivity Commission Commissioner of social policy Angela Jackson, CEDA CEO Cassandra Winzar.
- A better tax system: Grattan Institute CEO Aruna Sathanapally, ANU Professor Robert Breunig, independent economist Chris Richardson, Commissioner of Taxation Rob Heferen.
The numbers: Almost 900 organisations and individuals made submissions to the government regarding economic reform. From 28 July to 8 August, Chalmers' diary includes meetings with 75 CEOs and senior industry representatives spanning tech, superannuation, banking and other industries.
Among the CEOs met by Chalmers are Woolworths Group's Amanda Bardwell, Westpac Group's Anthony Miller, HSBC Bank Australia's Anthony Shaw, INPEX's Bill Townsend, Shell Australia's Cecile Wake, Fortescue Metals' Dino Otranto, Rio Tinto's Kellie Parker, Commonwealth Bank of Australia's Matt Comyn, Barrenjoey's Matthew Grounds, Woodside Energy's Meg O'Neill, Google's Mel Silva, BHP's Mike Henry, AustralianSuper's Paul Schroder, Wesfarmers' Rob Scott, Qantas Group's Vanessa Hudson and Telstra's Vicki Brady.
He has also met with major lobby groups, including two meetings each with the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Council of Trade Unions, and will meet with state and territory treasurers.
From 8 July to 15 August, 41 ministerial roundtables will have been held ahead of the Economic Reform Roundtable, spanning construction and transport, tech in government, regulators, women's economic reform, Trade 2040 Taskforce, small business, tourism, housing, climate change and energy, academics and think tanks, investors, charities, skills and universities and industrial capability, technology and innovation.
What they said: "The roundtable is all about building consensus on long term economic reform, with a focus on resilience, productivity and budget sustainability," Chalmers said in a media release.
"These contributions will inform the discussions at and beyond the roundtable."
The source: Treasurer media releases
