Has Australia Lost Its Nerve? Immigration, Risk and the Nuclear Debate
Has Australia lost its appetite for risk, or have government policies made it too difficult to succeed?
In Episode 6 of Australia Inc., Greg Robinson, Adrian Turner and Tony Davis challenge some of the assumptions shaping Australia's future. Moderated by Nick Hossack, the discussion examines immigration, entrepreneurship, nuclear energy and the growing concerns about Australia's economic competitiveness.
Could cutting immigration make Australia's problems worse? As the Coalition proposes significant reductions to migration, the panel debates the consequences for housing, productivity, skilled workers and regional communities. Adrian challenges the economic logic of reducing labour supply without improving productivity, while Greg argues Australia has relied too heavily on immigration to drive growth.
Have Australians become too comfortable to take risks? From falling business confidence and regulatory barriers to entrepreneurs moving overseas, the discussion questions whether Australia's declining appetite for risk is cultural or the result of poor policy settings. Are we losing the willingness to have a go?
And is nuclear energy the missing piece of Australia's economic future? Tony examines the realities of developing a nuclear industry, while Adrian challenges the assumption that Australia must wait decades. Greg considers the consequences for corporate investment, AI infrastructure and long-term competitiveness.
The episode closes with the panel's signature Buy, Hold or Sell verdicts.
If Australia were a company, would you invest?
ABOUT.
Every episode of Australia Inc. puts the country through the same test applied to any listed business. Assets. Liabilities. Leadership. Growth prospects. Moderator Nick Hossack brings the question to a panel of operators, dealmakers, and industry figures — people who've built companies, run boardrooms, and shaped policy from the inside. They pull the numbers apart and deliver a verdict: buy, hold, or sell.
The regular panel: Greg Robinson, Founder & Managing Partner of Blenheim Partners. Adrian Turner, CEO of TimeBridge Partners. Tony Davis, Principal of Perseus Management.
Australia Inc. is centrist and evidence-led. No party lines, no point-scoring, no relitigating the past. The panel argues from data and looks ten to twenty years ahead, because the only question worth asking is where Australia is headed, and what gets it there.
This isn't a heritage podcast about who Australia was. It's a test of whether the country can execute on its own strategy — the national balance sheet, read the way an investor reads a target: with curiosity, rigor, and zero patience for spin.