Where will the jobs of the future come from? Will automation lead to increase in productivity or increases in unemployment? How will the global trend away from fossil fuels effect the Hunter economy? And if the Upper Hunter is such a big source of royalties for the NSW Government why doesn’t the region have the best schools, roads and hospitals in the state?

In this talk Dr Richard Denniss will talk about his research which explores the opportunities, threats and choices that face the Upper Hunter. And, in the easy going and accessible style he is renowned for, he will answer as many questions as he can as well.

Dr Richard Denniss is the Chief Economist at the Australia Institute, a Canberra based think tank. Richard grew up in the Hunter Valley and lectured economics at the University of Newcastle for many years before moving to Canberra. His latest book is Econobabble: how to decode political spin and economic nonsense is out now.