Season 3, Ep 3: The Economics of Arrival with Dr Katherine Trebeck
When it comes to our economy, can we dare to ask the question, ‘when is enough, enough?’ Is it time to be more discerning about what we want from our economy and how we define success?
Political economist, writer and advocate for economic systems change Dr Katherine Trebeck is here to guide us through a paradigm shift from the economics of ‘more’ to the economics of wellbeing — what she describes as ‘arriving and making ourselves at home’.
Katherine is co-founder of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance. She is a writer-in-residence at the University of Edinburgh’s Edinburgh Futures Institute, Strategic Advisor for Australia’s Centre for Policy Development and sits on a range of boards and advisory groups (including our own). She’s co-authored the essential book, ‘The Economics of Arrival: ideas for a grown up economy’.
Katherine has a talent for explaining big ideas with warmth, passion and clarity. If a wellbeing economy feels like a thousand piece jigsaw puzzle, where do you start with a puzzle? You start with the corners, which she memorably introduces us to here. It’s a conversation that will change the way you read the news, listen to political speeches, look at business and think about these ideas forever.
“The purpose of this journey could change. We could go from trying to own the world to trying to feel at home in it… And that’s when you take off your shoes, prepared to stay a while.” - Katrine Marçal, quoted in The Economics of Arrival, page 1.
This episode of the reMAKERS was recorded in Gubbi Gubbi Country on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, as well as the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples in Canberra. We honour Traditional Owners of these lands and waters, and pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
Show notes
Things we mention
The Club of Rome’s Limits to Growth report (first published more than 50 years ago)
Prof Serge Latouche, who coined the term ‘consolation goods’
Deliberative democracy, citizens’ assemblies, participatory budgeting, Just Transition work
Wealth Tax myths debunked by the Tax Justice Network in the UK
Recommendations and things you can do
Read “The Economics of Arrival: Ideas for a grown-up economy” by Katherine Trebeck and Jeremy Williams.
Check out WeAll.org and join your local chapter.
“Channel your inner three-year-old,” and keep asking why, use your spheres of influence, start conversations.
Encourage governments to flip the script (the economy exists to serve the issues we care about), encourage pro-social business models and get real about environmental crises.
Donate to support this podcast and keep it ad-free.
Subscribe to the reMAKERS podcast (hit ‘follow’ in your podcast app). Share on social, write a review, tell a friend.
Join the conversation. Find us on social media (@Australia reMADE), leave a message for the show by calling (02) 7257 2619, or email us at podcast@AustraliareMADE.org.