Barack Obama & The Australian Model

Who should be the role model for centre-left US president-elect Barack Obama? The Sydney Morning Herald’s political editor quotes the Wall Street Journal columnist William McGurn, formerly chief speechwriter for George Bush: “It should be Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd” whose Labor Party has made their peace with the global economy.

Knowledgeable Americans have pointed to Australia as some kind of model, exemplar, or best case. They complimented Australia on competent governance, wise political management, successful politics, sound economic management and prudent economic reform, writes Peter Hartcher, the Herald’s political editor.

“Economic modernisation, a vigorous private sector and a competent system of public institutions have combined to make Australia a success story. And other countries – the US, in this case – have noticed.

“One remarkable and little-noted feature of Australia’s performance is that, this year, Australia overtook the US in income per capita. In the September quarter, US per capita income was $US47,100 and Australia’s was $US48,600. As the ANU’s Professor Ross Garnaut has pointed out, it is the first time that Australia has pipped the US on this measure since World War I.

“Still, on the more comprehensive measure of living standards in the UN’s annual human development index, Australia remains in the topmost echelon, ranked third among the world’s 190 countries. Only Iceland and Norway rated higher in the 2007-08 listing, and Iceland’s plunge into insolvency in the past few months won’t help its human development one bit.” More here…

Later this month prime minister Kevin Rudd will be in India to meet with his counterpart Dr Manmohan Singh to discuss a range of issues including security and climate change. This is Rudd’s first visit to India as prime minister.

During my longish stay in Australia last year, it was clear that Rudd has opted to keep China and India on the top of the list of his economic allies.