Sunday 16 September 2018

Women In Economics Network Launch.

Last week when my friend Nina asked if I would like to accompany her to the "Women In Economics" launch at Parliament House I asked her the question any reasonable person would: "Is it free?" followed by, "Will it be catered?" On discovering it would be free (question mark still over the catering) I said "Sign me up, Nina" and immediately began imagining a suitable outfit, ideally with a statement sleeve, and then a feasible back story for the last twenty five years of my unemployed professional life.

While loyal reader/s know and love me as a Professional Crafter, what is less well known is that once upon a time I dabbled in Economics. This was right up until the institution I worked for — whom I shall cryptically refer to here as The Ploductivity Commission (privacy reasons) — kindly asked me not to. Dabble. To just stop. Go home, they said.

And yet, while fashioning for myself a successful life of Crafting I never fully gave up on things monetary and fiscal and in fact back in 2008, when the GFC was a thing, I took pride in being able to explain to friends, relatives and readers of my erstwhile economics blog, Money and Sh*t,  the technical differences between a recession and a depression (Six months or so for those interested. Give or take. I think. Don't quote me).

The day came for Nina to pick me up and drive us both to Parliament House. We both looked totally awesome (can I say that?) as though we actually had somewhere to be. Nina was wearing actual heels  plus smelled really clean and like, I don't think I have ever seen her with brushed hair before, not even when the local school turned Fifty and she organised a special celebration with visiting members of the local assembly.

A hassle getting through security at parliament house, but totally worth it when we signed in and received our name tags. These weren't just any ordinary name tag, such like the sticky labels you texta your name onto at Online Gamblers Anonymous meetings. No, these were pre prepared clip on, plastic laminated affairs. "Do we get to keep these?" I asked the nice girl in charge. She frowned, "No. Make your way upstairs towards the theatre. The doors will open in ten"

So, we're in the foyer, just handed our first tall glass of orange juice with ice when I spot Lateline's Sabra Lane on one of the big square leather benches in the centre . "Sabra!" I call out and wave in her direction, catching sight of those red specs through the crowd. "Love your work! Long time fan!" I manage to get out before Nina pulls my arm down and drags us behind a group of women deep in conversation about their modelling careers at Finance.

"What did you do that for?" I hissed, retrieving my arm from Nina's grip "I wanted to engage Sabra's thoughts on The Theory"

"Exactly" said Nina "Please don't share that theory with anyone today. Or anyone, ever". This ticked me off a bit, I'll be honest, because The Theory is actually excellent and if more people knew about it maybe we wouldn't need to promote the idea of women in economics with fancy launches at parliament house because economics would already be bursting at the seams with lady economists and economic policy would routinely be reflecting our policy needs. So don't go dissing The Theory quite so quickly Nina.

Ok, it goes like this: when was the last time you binged watched a boxed dvd television series centred around a sassy lady economist? Like never, right? Yet how many times has Claudia Karvan played a whip smart lady lawyer with an endearingly flawed personal life, juggling complex legal cases by day, and an ill-advised on-off romance with a loveable rogue by evening? Too many times to count, I'd say. But does anyone ever think to cast her as an economist instead??? Is it too hard to imagine a show with Claudia as the sassy Assistant Governor of the Reserve Bank? Her ambitions for the top job thwarted at each turn by a jealous colleague one week, a fall in national capital expenditure the next? 

No time to ponder this though as we are being ushered into the theatre, taking a seat before a brilliant presentation by actual assistant Governor of the Reserve Bank Lucy Ellis who gives an engaging and fact checked talk, punctuated with enough graphs and charts to remind us that economists like graphs and charts but also to demonstrate that economics is something young women are choosing NOT to study at an increasing rate. Alarming.

Though it wasn't all bad news. After Lucy spoke and spent some time answering questions from the audience we wrapped up and exited the theatre to find full catering in swing. Gourmet sandwiches, caesar salads and fresh coffee. I was onto my second prawn salad roll when a tall woman with dark hair  looked back my way and said "Mia? Mia Trudeau? Is that you? Oh my goodness - I haven't seen you since we were graduates together at the Ploductivity Commission"

For a second I consider saying, "I'm sorry, I think you've got the wrong person," when I realise my high end name tag would be giving me away and also, just as a wayward prawn had slipped down into my voluminous statement sleeve, wedging itself in the crook of my elbow.

"Oh, yes, Sarah! Hi, of course, yes, I remember you".

"Wow, imagine seeing you here after all these years. Whatever happened to you? One day you were busy with the Inquiry team, the next no one knew where you'd gone. There was talk of course, something about having lost all the public submissions on a bus and not having made copies?"

I feel weak. "That's ridiculous. Who doesn't make copies?"

"That's what I said," Sarah says generously, "I'm sure you'd just gone on to grander things. ASIC right?"

"Er, yes" I say before remembering what a small industry this really is. "Actually, more a sideways move....into media. Looking at....ways to get more women into the economics feild. Hoping to do something collaborative with the ABC actually. Just been talking to Sabra about it.... Claudia Karvan's signalled her interest as a matter of fact....just waiting for that green light...." I trail off and Sarah looks confused.

"Anyway!" I say, "Great to see you again. Better keep mingling, ... I need to catch hold of  Lucy Ellis before she leaves...Have an idea for a reality TV show set at the RBA, I think she'd really like to hear about it......".

Sabra Lane: rumoured host of upcoming reality 
series "Australia's Next Top lady Economist"


2 comments:

  1. Mia, I spent one hilarious day in 2014 reading every one of your entries. I sent your address to all my girlfriends who would appreciate your blog as well. And then you disappeared. Every so often when I absentmindedly looked over my bookmarks menu, I'd discover your name again and check to see how you were doing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. And then! 2 entries. So glad you're still around. Keep posting. There are people in the United States who could use a good laugh. Oh my god we could use a good laugh. It's bleak here.

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    1. Oh that is so kind. Thank you. I'm trying to get back to it xx.

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