Breaking News, Business, Financial and Economic News, World News from EconoTimes

Become a contributor

Bookmark Econotimes

Wed, Sep 16, 2026 05:08 PM All times are UTC

Follow Series

©Econometrics LLC . All Rights Reserved.

Jim Minifie

Productivity Growth Program Director, Grattan Institute

Jim Minifie directs the Grattan Institute's Productivity Growth Program, which is focused on policy reforms to drive Australian living standards. His team is currently focused on structural change in the Australian economy.

Prior to joining Grattan in June 2012, Jim spent 13 years at the Boston Consulting Group, including seven years as Chief Economist for Australia and New Zealand. There he was responsible for leading the firm's thinking on economic challenges – including the global financial crisis, the resources boom and climate change – and their implications for Australian policymakers and corporate leaders. His clients included governments in Australia, Asia and the Middle East and firms in media, online marketplaces, financial services, agriculture, industrial goods, logistics, retail, and resources and commodities.

Examples of his work include:

Public policy and public economics:
• Policy development: growth policy; development policies for middle income economies; foreign investment policy;
• Policy assessment and cost-benefit analysis: assessment of industry development policies and transport infrastructure; climate change policy; energy asset privatisation; low-emissions energy finance;
• Market and contract design: water markets; vocational education market design, energy infrastructure selection and finance design.

Private sector strategy development:
• Regulatory strategy: health insurance, resources, transport infrastructure, airlines;
• Policy impact assessment and response development: trade policy, tax, R&D;
• Pricing and contract design: media & marketplaces, finance, commodity exports;
• Financial structuring and funding: cooperatives, financial crisis response in banking;
• Governance reviews: cooperatives, vocational education, resource management;
• Sustainability strategy development: retailing, resources.

Jim has a PhD in applied economics from Stanford University and honours and masters degrees in economics from the University of Melbourne. His research focused on contracts, incentives, and taxation.

Do Australian banks have double the return on equity of banks in other developed economies?

May 22, 2017 13:03 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy

The banks in Australia have a return on equity which is about twice, if not more than that, what you see particularly in other parts of the advanced developed economies of the world. Treasurer Scott Morrison, ABC Insiders,...

PC sets groundwork for long-awaited look at super competition and efficiency

Aug 03, 2016 06:01 am UTC| Insights & Views Technology

The Productivity Commission has released its draft report setting out criteria for assessing the competitiveness and efficiency of the superannuation system. The final report will be delivered in November this year. The...

Digital disruption: STEM graduates and more regulation not the answer

Jun 16, 2016 05:43 am UTC| Insights & Views Technology Law

A complacent government could easily adopt a wait-and-see approach when it comes to the effects of technology on our economy, but a report from the Productivity Commission advocates what governments need to do to confront...

Economy

US Stocks Rise Ahead of Fed Rate Decision

U.S. stocks opened higher on Wednesday, snapping back after six declines in the previous seven sessions as easing oil prices provided some relief ahead of a closely watched Federal Reserve interest rate decision. At 9:32...

Vietnam, U.S. Firms Plan 29 Deals Across Energy, Tech and Aviation

Vietnamese and U.S. companies are expected to announce a broad package of commercial agreements covering energy, technology, aviation and financial services next week as Vietnamese leader To Lam visits New York. An...

UK Inflation Rises to 3.1% Ahead of BoE Rate Decision

UK inflation accelerated in August, adding pressure on households and policymakers just one day before the Bank of England is expected to announce its latest interest rate decision. Official figures released Wednesday...

Asian Currencies Subdued as Yen Slides Ahead of Fed, BOJ Decisions

Asian currencies traded mostly cautiously on Wednesday as the Japanese yen weakened to a one-week low and the U.S. dollar remained near multi-week highs ahead of key Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan policy decisions. The...

Saudi Arabia Raises Security Alerts as Houthi Attacks Threaten Oil Routes

Saudi Arabia issued widespread security alerts on Tuesday, including in Mecca and Jeddah, as attacks by Iran-aligned groups intensified and raised fresh concerns over Middle East oil supplies and Red Sea shipping. The...

Politics

Guterres Urges Stronger Global AI Safeguards Ahead of UN Assembly

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned world leaders on Wednesday that the rapid development of artificial intelligence carries significant risks that governments cannot afford to overlook, highlighting a...

Rodrigo Duterte Makes First Public Appearance at ICC in 18 Months

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appeared before the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday, marking his first public appearance since being transferred to The Hague 18 months ago to face murder charges...

US Confirms Weapons in Orbit as Space Tensions Rise

The United States has publicly acknowledged operating weapons in Earths orbit, marking a major shift in how the Pentagon discusses military capabilities in space as competition with China and Russia intensifies. U.S. Air...

South Korea’s Cho Hyun to Meet Rubio in Washington

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will travel to Washington this week for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as Seoul and Washington seek to maintain close coordination on their bilateral alliance, the...

Ovechkin Faces Scrutiny Over United Russia Campaign Video

Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin has drawn renewed attention over his political ties after appearing in a campaign video connected to United Russia, the ruling party backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin....

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Databricks to Invest $350 Million in Singapore AI Expansion

Databricks plans to invest more than $350 million in Singapore over the next three years, expanding its presence in the city-state as demand rises for its data and artificial intelligence products. The privately held data...

SK Hynix, Intel Discuss U.S. Memory Chip Production Deal

SK Hynix is reportedly in discussions with Intel over a potential agreement to manufacture memory chips in the United States, a move that would mark the South Korean semiconductor giants first U.S.-based memory production....

DOJ Will Investigate AI-Related Crimes, Attorney General Blanche Says

U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Department of Justice will investigate individuals or companies connected to artificial intelligence when there is evidence they have violated federal criminal law, while...

Meta CEO Zuckerberg Backs Independent AI Safety Reviews Over Development Slowdown

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has argued that artificial intelligence companies should prioritize independent safety evaluations and stronger alignment rather than slowing the pace of AI development. Zuckerberg said AI...

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Expected at Trump-Xi State Dinner

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is expected to attend a state dinner hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump for Chinese President Xi Jinping next week, placing one of the technology industrys most prominent executives at the center...