Past events

More than 100 guests joined us at Rydges Melbourne for Quinn Allan's annual Post-Budget Breakfast, our largest event of the year and an opportunity to bring together clients, partners and industry professionals to discuss the economic issues shaping Australia's future.

For the second consecutive year, we were pleased to welcome IFM Investors' Chief Economist, Dr Alex Joiner, who provided a thought-provoking analysis of the Federal Budget and the broader economic outlook. While the Budget itself generated significant discussion, Alex's presentation extended well beyond Canberra, exploring the global and structural forces likely to influence Australia's economy over the years ahead.

One of the strongest messages from the presentation was that geopolitical uncertainty is no longer an occasional disruption. It has become a permanent feature of the global economic landscape.

Alex highlighted the impact of ongoing international conflicts, trade tensions and energy market instability, noting that businesses, governments and investors are increasingly being required to make decisions in an environment where uncertainty is elevated and persistent. These developments have implications for investment, inflation and economic growth across both developed and emerging economies.

For Australian businesses, the challenge is not simply responding to individual events but adapting to a world where volatility is increasingly common.

While Australia's economy continues to benefit from strong commodity exports and relatively resilient economic conditions, Alex argued that our long-term prosperity will depend on improvements in productivity.

Productivity growth is fundamental to improving living standards, supporting real wage growth and maintaining Australia's competitiveness in a rapidly evolving global economy. Alex noted that while population growth has helped expand the size of the economy, future economic success will increasingly rely on creating a more productive economy rather than simply a larger one.

Discussion also centred on the role of government policy, investment, regulation and economic reform in creating the conditions necessary for stronger productivity outcomes in the years ahead.

Despite the challenges identified throughout the presentation, Alex concluded on an optimistic note. Artificial intelligence and the significant investment currently flowing into technology and data infrastructure have the potential to become powerful drivers of productivity, innovation and economic growth. He highlighted the emerging data centre investment boom, and the opportunities technology presents to improve efficiency across a wide range of industries.

While challenges remain, including energy, infrastructure and workforce requirements, Alex's view was that AI has the potential to help address some of Australia's longer-term productivity concerns and contribute to the next phase of economic growth.

The value of events such as these lies not only in the presentation itself but also in the conversations they spark. Alex's insights prompted much discussion among attendees and provided plenty of food for thought as businesses navigate an increasingly complex economic environment.

We thank Alex Joiner for once again sharing his expertise with our guests and everyone who joined us for another successful Post-Budget Breakfast. We look forward to continuing these conversations throughout the year.