The current government has close ties to Australia, with Australian campaign strategists such as Sir Lynton Crosby and Isaac Levido both having led successful election campaigns for the Conservatives in recent years, and the new trade deal between the UK and Australia agreed in principle in June 2021.

British politicians also like to point to Australia as an example of policy models to follow – from an ‘Australian-style’ immigration system to the prospect of an ‘Australian-style’ deal with the European Union.

This event brought together an expert panel to discuss why Australia has so captured the government’s imagination, what the UK is learning from Australia, whether the ‘Australia-style’ label glosses over important differences between the UK and Australia, and also whether there are any Australian policy successes that aren’t yet part of the political debate in the UK.

Our panel:

• James Starkie, Founding Partner at 5654 & Company and former Chief of Staff to Priti Patel
• Marc Stears, Director of the Sydney Policy Lab and former Chief Speechwriter to the Labour Party
• Laura Tingle, Journalist and Chief Political Correspondent at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• John McTernan, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and former Director of Political Operations for Tony Blair and for Director of Communications for Julia Gillard

The was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

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