Joseph Noel Walker
@JosephNWalker
Host, The Joe Walker Podcast
Australia has relatively high state capacity. That is, our administrative state is unusually effective. This deserves study, but I was surprised to find that very little had been directly written on the topic. So the economist Peter Bowers and I produced a literature review.🧵

Best venue/s in Sydney to host a private symposium of ~10 people, where the venue serves you dinner?
Any Twitter friends know a good videographer in Canberra?
On the theme of podcasts, I'm taking a second, more thorough pass, at this one. Incredible breadth, depth, and density. This thread shall become a list of self-recommendations for future re-listens. Struck many chords. Superb! x.com/JosephNWalker/…
New episode Much fun chatting with @LauraDeming! We discuss: - personal identity, and what, exactly, we want to preserve - what a “more humane transhumanism” might look like - scientific awe - seeing inside the cell - the antimemetic qualities of reversible cryopreservation -…
What would a serious pro-natal policy program look like? •Faster degree completion (3 vs 4 years, start your JD or MD right away) to speed careers •Zoning/housing reform to make more starter homes •Enforce early retirement again to speed early people's careers •Eliminate…
Immigration has always been deeply tied up with nation-building for Australia. Here are the opening paragraphs of the first policy paper of Australia's inaugural minister for immigration, Arthur Calwell (1945):

Australia's Adult Migrant English Program seems world-class. Migrants who speak little or no English receive free tuition, with no time limits for starting and finishing the program. Which other countries have a comparable program?

If you (i) own your home outright, (ii) live in a major city, and (iii) have kid/s under the age of 25, what is the maximum % of your home equity you would you trade in order for your kids, once adults, to be able to buy their own home within 30 minutes’ travel-time of yours?
In a very on-brand move for Australia, our national airline now has an “AI Doom ☠️” genre on their in-flight entertainment system
Do *societies* exhibit risk aversion? E.g., as countries grow richer, are they less likely to gamble on reforms that could enhance productivity? Grateful for pointers to any relevant literature 🙏
Recording a podcast in Perth in July. Is there anyone else in Perth I should interview or meet?
I keep hearing "these new apartments are expensive, so they won't improve affordability". This is wrong. New supply reduces the price of existing dwellings, as in any market. The price of the new units makes little difference. 1/6
LAUNCH DAY 🚀 Today I’m launching a new podcast, Hard Drugs, with Jacob Trefethen (@JacobTref) Our first episode is about lenacapavir — a new HIV drug that blocks infections with an efficacy rate of nearly 100%, and which could completely change the fight against HIV worldwide.…
A few weeks ago, our CEO @LauraDeming joined @JosephNWalker for a thoughtful and wide ranging discussion 🤩 Joe came incredibly well-researched; together they explored: – personal identity – seeking a more humane transhumanism – states of scientific awe – visualizing…
New episode Much fun chatting with @LauraDeming! We discuss: - personal identity, and what, exactly, we want to preserve - what a “more humane transhumanism” might look like - scientific awe - seeing inside the cell - the antimemetic qualities of reversible cryopreservation -…
This was written by @evandeturk. All the illustrations were made by @EllaWD_PhD. Read & subscribe: press.asimov.com/articles/crisp…