Have We Gone Too Far on Free Trade?
From Economics Explored by Gene Tunny
April 17, 2026 · 39 min · Episode 316
About this episode
The episode debates the relevance of free trade in today's uncertain world, focusing on tariffs, industrial policy, and economic resilience.
Free trade has long been a cornerstone of economic thinking, but is it still fit for purpose in a more dangerous and uncertain world? Gene Tunny is joined by Dan Ryan and John Humphreys to debate tariffs, industrial policy, and economic resilience. They explore whether Australia has gone too far in opening its economy, the risks of fragile global supply chains, and the perceived trade-offs between efficiency and national security.
People in this episode
Host: Gene Tunny
Guests: Dan Ryan, John Humphreys
Topics covered
- free trade
- tariffs
- industrial policy
- economic resilience
- global supply chains
- national security
Keywords
- Australia
- economic policy
- trade-offs
- efficiency
Mentioned in this episode
Places: Australia
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