Trade Policy Decoded

In this episode of Trade Policy Decoded, Brad Carr from National Australia Bank joins Peter and Pru in analysing emerging risks and trends facing Australia’s trade patterns. Brad comes with a wealth of experience in leading NAB’s work on economic resilience and geopolitical risk analysis, with expertise in helping Australian producers recognise and adapt to changing global opportunities.

Taking listeners on a deep dive into emerging global risks, this episode looks at the importance of Australia-ASEAN ties, whether trade disruptions are better thought of as deglobalisation or just as a redirection of trade patterns, and what the future risks to financial stability and trade might consist of at a domestic and global level.

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In this episode of Trade Policy Decoded, Peter and Pru discuss the Trade and Investment Agreements (Consultation) Bill 2026. The bill seeks to create a new ‘Trade Advisory Group’ and prescribe what can and cannot be included in Australia’s new Free Trade Agreements. The discussion compares what’s proposed in the bill with the starkly different trade stakeholder engagement systems in the EU, US and South Africa.  With Australia’s trade agenda rarely requiring legislation tracking this bill through Parliament will be a novel experience for those interested in trade policy.

Find more analysis on the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠IIT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn Page and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ACITI ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website!

In this episode of Trade Policy Decoded, Pru and Peter host Steve Olson in discussing U.S.-China relations in the lead up to this week’s Summit. Tuning in from Bangkok, Steve speaks from an extensive career, some of which was spent in service as a United States Trade Official, as a research fellow at the Hinrich Foundation, and most recently as a senior fellow at the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute.

Taking stock of U.S-China relations, this episode considers the key areas to watch moving forward, and what some of the most likely Summit developments will be. While relations may be frayed between Beijing and Washington, there are still shared areas of concern and the potential for cooperation in various domains. Although it is unlikely that cooperation will extend whole-heartedly into reducing regional tensions in a meaningful sense, cooperation on issues such as Artificial Intelligence and in maintaining the existing ‘Trade Truce’ struck in Korea last year could become positive take aways from the Summit. In closing out the episode, Pru, Peter and Steve also look to what signs Australia and Southeast Asia might be paying attention to as talks between Washington and Beijing begin

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In this episode of Trade Policy Decoded, Pru and Peter host Dr Roy Chun Lee, former Deputy Foreign Minister for Taiwan and current Senior Deputy Executive Director at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research.

In tracing recent developments facing Taiwan’s position in the global system, this episode explores how the unfolding boom in Artificial Intelligence is interacting with Taiwan’s dominance in the production of semiconductor chips. Although not immune to the effects of the United States’ changing trade policies, Dr Lee explains both the factors underpinning Taiwan’s economic growth and success in producing semiconductors, as well as the potential future of exports in one of the world’s most important commodities.

The discussion also delves into ongoing cross-strait tensions and how Taiwan perceives developments and its relationship with Beijing. While economic and political conditions in China may be uncertain, Dr Lee explains how people-to-people connections and movement between the two countries are invaluable in deciphering China’s trajectory, as well as how this might influence cross-strait relations.

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In this episode Peter and Pru host long-time friend and veteran diplomat Jonathan Fried. Jonathan brings decades of experience and insights from a distinguished career including serving as the Canadian ambassador to Japan, Coordinator for International Economic Relations at Global Affairs Canda, and as Canada’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organisation.

Jonathan takes listeners through the ongoing turbulence in Canada’s trade relations with the US. Following on from President Trump’s renewed tariff threats against Canada, this episode provides an in depth look at what new tariffs might mean for Canadian trade relations with the US as well as what other US trading partners should make of the latest fracas. Discussion then turns towards competition between Washington and Beijing and their mutual trade dependencies in areas relevant to national security, as well as whether the idea of ‘Fortress America’ is either possible or desirable. In closing out discussion, Jonathan, Peter and Pru discuss possibilities for WTO reform and what the organisation may do in working to renew itself and adapt to the changing international climate.

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Back from travels to Southeast Asia and Taiwan, Peter and Pru regroup to speak to Jay Meek, Austrade’s General Manager for the Trade Diversification Taskforce.

Jay walks Trade Policy Decoded listeners through the work of the Taskforce, why it was established and how it is helping Australian trading businesses manage international market risk.

Jay talks about the new partnerships Austrade and other government agencies are forging with business to ensure a ‘team Australia’ approach to the new normal of ‘fluid’ global markets.

The discussion traverses what regions represent growth opportunities for Australia, and how Australia needs to manoeuvre through changing trade flows to secure trade resilience and growth.

Find more analysis on the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠IIT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn Page and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ACITI ⁠⁠⁠⁠website!

In this episode of Trade Policy Decoded, Peter and Pru host Professor Henry Gao, a trade expert and Professor of Law at Singapore Management University.

As a review of recent global and trade-world developments, discussion looks into the Reciprocal Tariffs Act and its effects, both temporary and lasting, on trade dynamics between the U.S. and its partners. Honing in on Australia’s neighbourhood, this episode also looks at the intended effects of the increasing tariffs beyond the headlines as a potential element of America’s ongoing Grand Strategy facing China.

Professor Gao provides deep analysis on how global trade and national security are inextricably intertwined, and sifts through ‘optics’, ‘substance’, and what matters for the region in the wake of recent talks between the U.S. and China.

Managing competition and decreasing the chance of escalation may be the best that can be hoped for where new Cold Peace dynamics are entering the global stage. Given this, this episode focuses on how we might choose to read into recent U.S. actions in Venezuela and Iran, and what the role of major trading powers such as the EU can be moving forward.

Find more analysis on the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠IIT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn Page and ⁠⁠⁠⁠ACITI ⁠⁠⁠website!

In this episode of Trade Policy Decoded, Peter and Pru host Jason Collins, CEO of the European Australian Business Council, to discuss the recently concluded Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and Australia. The discussion explores the road to launching, and then concluding, the FTA, the benefits of the agreement, and what the FTA means for Australia. It also touches on the difficult issue of agriculture, the impact of the broader trade context and strategic importance of getting the deal across the line, and path to implementation.

Find more analysis on the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠IIT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn Page and ⁠⁠⁠ACITI ⁠⁠website!

In this episode of Trade Policy Decoded, Peter and Pru investigate the latest developments in digital trade with two special guests, Pascal Kerneis, Founder and Managing Director of the European Services Forum, and Jane Drake-Brockman, Founder and Director of the Australian Services Roundtable.

Pascal and Jane explain the e-commerce-related outcomes from the World Trade Organisation’s 14th Ministerial Conference held in Yaoundé, Cameroon. With a mixed bag of positive and depressing news, Jane and Pascal’s insights highlight the relevance of these WTO agreements for business and the importance of continuing to invest in WTO negotiations. The discussion touches on the dynamics influencing MC14 negotiations and the geopolitics making progress in the WTO difficult.

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In this week’s episode of Trade Policy Decoded, Peter and Pru host Ken Ash in discussing Canadian and Australian responses to the changing behaviour of major global trading powers. Ken is a visiting fellow at the Institute of International Trade, and has served as the Director General of Economic and Policy Analysis with the Canadian Government, and as Director of Trade and Agriculture at the OECD. As part of a special episode, Peter moderates the discussion by posing questions to Pru and Ken, who draw insights from their respective experiences to analyse the responses of Canada and Australia to changing international trade conditions. As the rules-based international order has become increasingly challenged, now resembling more of a power-based international order, discussion centres on what Australia and Canada can hope to achieve given their respective trade dependencies on China and the U.S, what the role of a middle-power coalition may be moving forward, what it might mean for Australia and Canada to be ‘strategic cousins’ (if anything), and where the next arenas for achieving economic resilience could be locatedFind more analysis on the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠IIT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn Page and ⁠⁠⁠⁠ACITI ⁠⁠⁠website!