Andrew Leigh 2025

Australia is a nation obsessed with performance. We admire grit, teamwork and ingenuity on the field, and we take pride in our reputation for punching above our weight in international sport. From the pool to the pitch, our athletes regularly outperform much bigger nations.

Hamish Macdonald:

Andrew Leigh, welcome to 702 Mornings.

Andrew Leigh:

Thanks Hamish, great to be with you.

Macdonald:

Leon Delaney:

The federal Member for Fenner and Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities, Treasury and other things as well, Dr Andrew Leigh, good morning.

Andrew Leigh:

Morning Leon, great to be with you.

Delaney:

Patricia Karvelas:

To discuss the direction of this week’s roundtable, I want to bring in one of the figures in the government most focused on regulation, deregulation and competition – that’s the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition and Charities, Andrew Leigh. Andrew Leigh, welcome to the program.

For more than half a century, open trade has helped make Australia more prosperous, dynamic and resilient. Yet around the world, support for openness is fraying. Big economies are turning inward. Tariffs are creeping back. Multilateral institutions are struggling.

I acknowledge the Kaurna people, traditional owners and custodians of the Adelaide Plains, and all First Nations people present. Thank you to Jim Hancock and the South Australian Centre for Economic Studies for the invitation to speak with you today.

Georgia Stynes:

I need to go now to Dr Andrew Leigh, who has been waiting very patiently. He’s the federal Member for Fenner and the Assistant Minister for Productivity. Why are we talking about productivity? Because 27 local groups were invited today to meet, including local charities, to talk about productivity here in the ACT, and he joins me. Good evening.

When a German bakery chain wanted to boost sales, it didn’t hire consultants or launch a splashy rebrand. Instead, it did something more radical: it ran a randomised trial. Half its stores offered staff a modest group bonus. The other half didn’t. After a few months, the results were in: a 3 per cent sales increase in the bonus group.

I begin by acknowledging the Ngunnawal People, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we meet, and extend that respect to all First Nations people here today.

Stephen Cenatiempo:

Time to talk federal politics. Well, we’re not actually going to talk much federal politics this morning with the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, and Member for Fenner, Andrew Leigh. Andrew, good morning.

Andrew Leigh: