Wayne Swan was treasurer of Australia during an extraordinary period of our politics.

He was at the financial helm when the world recession hit, and steered our economy through a time of unprecedented international economic challenges. Meanwhile, on the home front, the ALP was divided by leadership battles – whilst ruling on a knife-edge, as a minority government.

Sally Warhaft asks Swan about managing the economy, the challenges and compromises of a minority government, and wrangling legislation through parliament in the face of bitter opposition from vested interests (including the mining, banking and hotel industries). They also talk about Australia’s economic past, present and future.

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