The Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) is a bipartisan, non-profit, national, independent, member-based organisation providing thought leadership and policy perspectives on the economic and social issues affecting Australia.
Its expressed aim is to "promote national economic development in a sustainable and socially balanced way." Sydney Morning Herald economics editor Ross Gittins has described CEDA as seeking to "inform the public debate without lobbying". It is financed by around 700 members drawn from business, universities, governments and community groups, and by a program of conferences and other events.
CEDA was formed in 1960 by Sir Douglas Copland, one of the most influential figures in Australian economics, and George Le Couteur OBE was President from 1968 until 1974. It was modelled on the US CED (Committee for Economic Development), but is now organised along lines more similar to the US Conference Board and the Conference Board of Canada. It is Australia's third-oldest think-tank, after the Institute of Public Affairs and the Australian Institute of International Affairs.
In 1979, after a debate on CEDA's involvement in lobbying, it established a 'Business Roundtable' as an independent entity which in 1983 was merged into the Business Council of Australia.
CEDA's research program in 2014 concentrates on the issues of federalism, the G20, the economics of climate change and advanced manufacturing. In 2015, CEDA's research program will look at retirement income policy, the economic cost of inequality, and Australia's future workforce through the lens of digital disruption. Rather than identifying strongly with a particular ideological viewpoint in the style of the Centre for Independent Studies, the Institute of Public Affairs or the Australia Institute, it mostly offers conclusions that are near the centre of the policy spectrum. It tends to favour market-oriented or at least price-oriented solutions to issues such as water supply and infrastructure. However, a substantial amount of its social policy work - for instance, on transitional labour markets - is sympathetic to government intervention in appropriate circumstances. It is respected for the quality of its research and its commitment to open debate as a means of identifying good policy outcomes.
Australia's Brisbane Summit challenge: Securing G20's future (2014)- examines the role, effectiveness and processes associated with the G20, specifically looking at the issues of international governance, financial regulation and taxation regulation.
The Economics of Climate Change (2014) - examines the economic impact of climate change for Australia, explores the responses of other nations and considers what policies will be most effective for Australia to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.
Advanced Manufacturing: Beyond the production line (2014)- examines where Australia's opportunities for advanced manufacturing lie and how they can play a role in supporting Australia's long-term growth.
Australia Adjusting: Optimising national prosperity (2013) - explored how Australia can remain competitive into the future. It calls for the establishment of a National Productivity Policy as well as reforms to the taxation system, the Federation, industrial relations policies and education.
Setting Public Policy (2013) - sets out a practical approach for making meaningful change in public policy. CEDA used its unique relationship with politicians, advocates and policy advisors to draw together practical and personal experience on successful economic reform in Australia.
Women in Leadership: Understanding the gender gap (2013) - explores a broad range of gender diversity issues including barriers to career progression, the gender pay and participation gap, tax incentives and childcare, workplace diversity, and hidden cultural and unconscious barriers. It makes recommendations on enabling workplace meritocracies, changing workplace culture and engaging leaders and introducing accountability
Healthcare: Reform or Ration (2013) - explores Australia's biotechnology industry, the skills required to enable healthcare innovation and the fiscal challenges Australia's healthcare system faces. It also provides recommendations for improving the pricing of generic drugs in Australia, potentially saving billions in healthcare spending by government.
'Crisis and Opportunity: Lessons of Australian Water Reform' - Australian Water Project, volume 1. This discussion paper, as part of the Australian Water Project, aims to drive debate around water reform to ensure Australia learns from the mistakes of the devastating drought from 1996 to 2009. Volume I draws together 14 contributions from experts to look at different aspects of Australian water reform including environmental, economic, agricultural and technological water management issues.
Australia's Nuclear Options (2011) is the first policy perspective in the three part series, Australia's Nuclear Options. It explores nuclear technology and its capacity to assist in meeting Australia's energy requirements in a carbon constrained environment. The publication advocates for future development of nuclear power in Australia and its authors are Barry Brook, Tony Irwin, Tony Wood, Tom Quirk and Anthony Owen.
A Taxing Debate: Climate policy beyond Copenhagen (2009) is an 11-chapter volume on the practicalities of a consumption-based carbon tax and its potential to deliver economic and international certainty. It includes papers by Yale University's William D Nordhaus and leading Australian economist Professor Warwick McKibbin.
Australia's Broadband Future - Four doors to greater competition (2009) offers a competition-based approach to delivering broadband services to customers in different situations across the country.
Competing From Australia, an eight-paper volume examining Australia's engagement with the world economy. Two papers in Competing From Australia, by Professor Geoffrey Blainey and Professor Glenn Withers, examine the continuing effects of distance on the Australian economy. These papers develop an investigation of the so-called "New Economic Geography" begun in Australia by researchers from the Federal Treasury in the early 2000s. They also revive in a new context the "tyranny of distance" concept made famous by Blainey in the 1960s. Other papers in Competing From Australia examine industrial innovation and the rise of global supply chains.
