The author has been described by News Ltd as an "iconoclast", "Svengali", a pollie's "economist muse", and "pungently accurate". Fairfax says he is a "Renaissance man" and "one of Australia’s most respected analysts." Stephen Koukoulas concludes that he is "85% right", and "would make a great Opposition leader." Terry McCrann claims the author thinks "‘nuance’ is a trendy village in the south of France", but can be "scintillating" when he thinks "clearly". The ACTU reckons he’s "an enigma wrapped in a Bloomberg terminal, wrapped in some apparently well-honed abs."

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Three cheers for Wayne Swan for advocating non-European head of IMF

Appointing yet another French politician is nothing short of mad. The fact that the candidate in question is a lawyer only gives one more pause (what do lawyers honestly understand about the complex economic interdependencies underpinning the global financial system?).  If the World Bank is to be run by an American, the only other major global financial institution has to be more representative than the North Atlantic nexus. Surely there are credible candidates from India, Asia, Australia, South America, or other parts of the Southern Hemisphere? The Lowy Institute's Stephen Grenville, who was previously Deputy Governor of the RBA, would be one domestic possibility worth considering.
at 10:21 AM