This course will introduce students to the main economic issues faced by the Australian economy, both historical and more contemporary issues. The aim is to acquaint students with the some basic economic principles used by economists in discussing economic issues and in contributing to policy debates, and to achieve sufficient economic literacy to understand the economic writers in the mainstream media. A mix of microeconomic and macroeconomic policy topics will be covered. Microeconomic topics will cover the debate over deregulation and privatisation and the economic issues relating to climate change. Macro-economic topics will cover fiscal and monetary policy, inflation, unemployment and Australia’s relationship with world, including the relationship between Japan and now China’s economic resurgence and Australia’s economic fortunes.