Wrong Way by Damien Cahill, Phillip Toner | Black Inc.

Wrong Way: How Privatisation and Economic Reform Backfired

You might also like

About the author

Damien Cahill

Damien Cahill is Associate Professor of Political Economy at the University of Sydney. He has published widely on neoliberalism, including the books The End of Laissez-Faire? On the Durability of Embedded Neoliberalism and Neoliberalism

More about Damien Cahill



Phillip Toner

Phillip Toner is Honorary Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Political Economy at the University of Sydney. He has contributed to government inquiries on industry and vocational training, and consulted for the OECD, the World Bank, APEC, the …

More about Phillip Toner


Praise for Wrong Way

Cahill and Toner get it right. Neoliberal economic “reform” is indeed the wrong way because it undermines good governance, increases inequality and reduces our quality of life. Wrong Way is a finely crafted, clear and inviting analysis of all that is wrong with Australia’s experiment with neoliberalism.’ —Michael Pusey

This superb book, from experts in the field, explains clearly why decades of privatisation and economic reform have failed. It is vital reading for those who want high quality public services and a more equal Australia.’ —Richard Denniss

Australia has been subjected to a thirty year economic experiment under the catch-all title of neoliberalism. This important book is an audit of the outcomes and impact of this experiment. Has privatisation led to more productivity-enhancing competition, or less? Has deregulation increased economic welfare in energy, finance, health, education and labour markets, or not? Indeed, does the lived experience of Australians measure up to the promise of economic reform? The authors now have access to a comprehensive database with which to answer these questions. And they do so with conclusions that are both compelling and disturbing.’ —Emeritus Professor Roy Green, University of Technology Sydney