Last semester, our NAB writing competition gave students the opportunity to write on one of three topical economic issues: Australia’s ageing population, rising housing prices and environmental sustainability. The top six essays each found different ways to answer the questions posed, making for an imaginative and informative read.
How should business address the challenge of an ageing population? – Daniel Clayton-Chubb
Australia’s ageing population: three key opportunities for the business sector – James Wong
Surging house prices: rate hikes the answer? – Jaclyn Ying
Helping the elderly: encouraging innovation within Australian small businesses – Wilson Chen
Can business arrest the inexorable decline of the Australian labour force? – Christopher Gawler
Among the writers’ suggestions for ageing population was increased expenditure on healthcare, shifting the older workforce to consulting and coaching roles, and even an ’empathy suit’ from MIT to help people understand how it feels to be old. For the housing boom, writers recommended tighter monetary policy, yet with concerns about the effects on the rest of the economy. Read on.