Upturn: A better normal after COVID-19

If you had asked most people a year ago, they would have told you there was no way that school children could shift overnight to online learning; that it was impossible for banks to offer mortgage holidays; impossible to double unemployment benefits; impossible to house rough sleepers or put a hold on evictions; impossible to offer wages subsidies and definitely impossible to get Australians to stay home from the beach and the pub.

COVID-19 has resulted in changes none of us could have imagined, but what happens next? In this book, edited by Labor luminary Tanya Plibersek, a who’s who of economic and social policy experts explore ways in which we can rebuild our society and economy in a strong, fair and environmentally sustainable way. The stellar line-up of contributors includes Ross Garnaut on investing in renewables for cheap energy, Sally McManus on industrial relations, Annabel Crabb on gender roles during the COVID crisis, Jenny Macklin on the new social security net, Tim Soutphommasane on race, June Oscar on keeping COVID-19 out of Indigenous communities and Peter Garrett on the environment.