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Seize the Moment: Australia's real opportunities in an unstable world
Australia is surviving the second coming of Trump with its institutions and social cohesion relatively intact. How do we turn this time of international crisis into a launchpad for success?
At the first-quarter mark of the 21st century, giant forces are reshaping our world. This Trump Moment marks a turning point in history. So far, Australia has played its hand pretty well.
But beneath the military and economic conflicts grabbing the headlines, technological disruption is escalating; our population is ageing; the climate crisis is upon us; China is gathering power; and the US empire is retreating from its strategic role internationally and from democratic norms. In the face of these pressures, can Australia continue to be a lucky country?
Bernard Keane draws on his experience within government and as a political commentator, to outline how Australia can prosper in the next quarter century. He argues we have crucial advantages we can leverage—if we make smart decisions now.
At the first-quarter mark of the 21st century, giant forces are reshaping our world. This Trump Moment marks a turning point in history. So far, Australia has played its hand pretty well.
But beneath the military and economic conflicts grabbing the headlines, technological disruption is escalating; our population is ageing; the climate crisis is upon us; China is gathering power; and the US empire is retreating from its strategic role internationally and from democratic norms. In the face of these pressures, can Australia continue to be a lucky country?
Bernard Keane draws on his experience within government and as a political commentator, to outline how Australia can prosper in the next quarter century. He argues we have crucial advantages we can leverage—if we make smart decisions now.
281 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 4, 2026
About the author
Bernard Keane
6 books8 followersBernard Keane is the politics editor for Crikey and is a former senior public servant.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 12, 2026
Ok this one was a bit hard going. Not what he was writing about (there were many things I agreed with- and disagreed with- but ultimately the realisation is that we can do better as a country to “seize the moment” for a better future for our younger generations.
It was the many references to Albanese-bashing which frankly, was tiring. (I’m getting tired of the constant tit for tat when it comes to politicians when the world is hurtling into the abyss, we need them to step up and do better hey, maybe even work together would be nice).
It was heavily skewed towards anti-Labor and the use of certain adjectives or personal thoughts (“Prime Minister X rightly so did XYZ - it’s that “rightly so” that made it come across as lecturing the reader which irked me.
Part of me thinks that we need to educate people (everyone! - I’m not entirely sure the average Australian knows) on things like democracy, Australian political and electoral system, critical thinking, ethics and philosophy to understand why we are where we are today and what kind of Australia we want for the future.
This is my first book of his I’ve read. I’m not entirely sure of his work but have heard of his name bandied about. I’m not on social media either so had to do a search of his background to understand what exactly he stands for as it wasn’t entirely clear in the book until the last chapters.
Anyway, worth a read. Read more politics books. We need to!
It was the many references to Albanese-bashing which frankly, was tiring. (I’m getting tired of the constant tit for tat when it comes to politicians when the world is hurtling into the abyss, we need them to step up and do better hey, maybe even work together would be nice).
It was heavily skewed towards anti-Labor and the use of certain adjectives or personal thoughts (“Prime Minister X rightly so did XYZ - it’s that “rightly so” that made it come across as lecturing the reader which irked me.
Part of me thinks that we need to educate people (everyone! - I’m not entirely sure the average Australian knows) on things like democracy, Australian political and electoral system, critical thinking, ethics and philosophy to understand why we are where we are today and what kind of Australia we want for the future.
This is my first book of his I’ve read. I’m not entirely sure of his work but have heard of his name bandied about. I’m not on social media either so had to do a search of his background to understand what exactly he stands for as it wasn’t entirely clear in the book until the last chapters.
Anyway, worth a read. Read more politics books. We need to!
September 14, 2026
I subscribe to Crickey and this has led me to be a regular reader of Bernard Keane’s articles on the Australian political scene. In my younger days, in the time of Whitlam, Hawke and Keating I was a passionate consumer of political journalism and books about the Australian political scene and its inhabitants. In my mature years I drifted away from this book genre, mainly travelling the world of fiction with the occasional socio-political text.
In the recent past with the rise of Trump and the political right I have dipped into a few text that explore this phenomenon. I am interested how many on the political right are overflowing with grievance but seem to have little in the area of policy to deal with the problems Australia and similar countries are facing.
Each chapter deals with an aspect of political, economic and social life in Australia. Chapter one discusses Trump and his influence on the Australian political scene. Months prior to the May 2025 election it appeared that the Peter Dutton led LNP was on its way to a triumph over Labor. Dutton himself and a few strategically located Liberal and National Party people praised Trump and made overtones to the effect that they would imitate him if elected. In this chapter Keane mentions an American equivalent of Pauline Hanson, H Ross Perot who stood, quite successfully as an independent candidate in the 1992 and 96 Presidential elections. He faded as quickly as we all hope Hanson fades.
Further chapters deal with global warming and the role of the carbon industry. Keane writes on defence and claims that Albanese may be the most pro-American prime minister in Australia’s history. He discusses the balance between dealing with the country that has contributed to Australia’s economic success and the one who we have sought most protection.
To me reading this type of book gives the reader the opportunity to reflect on the factors that have led to the Australia of today and will lead to the Australia of tomorrow.
An area where the Albanese Government has been singularly most successful in the South Pacific and with Indonesia, Japan and South Korea. Albanese has played the small target with Donald Trump, he has not raised his head above the turret.
AUKUS is a different story. One of the great unknowns in recent times has been why has Albanese given full-on support of AUKUS.
Keane’s chapter on education focuses on the university sector. His writing on immigration, especially Australia’s need for workers supplies interesting data. It is an area where in public discussion has been filtered through prejudices more than evidence. The recent rise of One Nation because of “Mass Migration” is a story that has some time to run. It will be interesting if there are serious cuts in migration and then there is a subsequent serious shortage of workers.
Taxation reform is an activity that Australian governments avoid like the plague. Everyone wants tax reform, yeah, tax reform where they pay less tax. This is a view that the Business Council perpetuates continually.
A crucial aspect of taxation policy in 2026 is the bias that policies have for older Australians and against younger Australians.
Both parties have used taxation as a mallet to hit the other party over the head with.
Keane has a couple of choice paragraphs on the AFR (Australian Financial Review). “Wood also mentioned The Australian Financial Review as an example of the media beating up tax reform stories and misleading readers. . . . the AFR with excellent journalists, led by dreadful editors who are faint shadows of far more illustrious predecessors – is one of the malignant actors in the tax debate”
He went onto say, “One is generational unfairness which is universally acknowledged – except by the pages of the AFR”
With taxation too many Australians want champagne services but are only willing to pay beer prices.
The penultimate chapter is titled ‘Speed humps on the road to 2050.’ Which seems far away till you think back the equivalent distance and you reach 2001. These are the most thought-provoking pages as Keane discusses previous attempts at implementing change and the setting in 2026 and in the years to come to achieve change that will improve Australia. He discusses the various ways policies are developed and implemented. The role of the public service, consultants, political advisors, lobbyists, business and other organisations and trade unions, then finally the voter.
I reflected on Labor’s recent tax changes in relation to housing and the huge, vested interests’ response. The author touches on the generational conflict brewing. Finally, he pleads with the reader to be more optimistic than pessimistic.
When I closed the book and reflected on the issues Keane has raised, I thought I am not sure if the Australian electorate is mature enough to have sensible and evidence driven debates to make the best choices for the future of the country. Too many voices are shrill, the rich and powerful have megaphones and futility and cynicism drown much interest among many in the society.
In the recent past with the rise of Trump and the political right I have dipped into a few text that explore this phenomenon. I am interested how many on the political right are overflowing with grievance but seem to have little in the area of policy to deal with the problems Australia and similar countries are facing.
Each chapter deals with an aspect of political, economic and social life in Australia. Chapter one discusses Trump and his influence on the Australian political scene. Months prior to the May 2025 election it appeared that the Peter Dutton led LNP was on its way to a triumph over Labor. Dutton himself and a few strategically located Liberal and National Party people praised Trump and made overtones to the effect that they would imitate him if elected. In this chapter Keane mentions an American equivalent of Pauline Hanson, H Ross Perot who stood, quite successfully as an independent candidate in the 1992 and 96 Presidential elections. He faded as quickly as we all hope Hanson fades.
Further chapters deal with global warming and the role of the carbon industry. Keane writes on defence and claims that Albanese may be the most pro-American prime minister in Australia’s history. He discusses the balance between dealing with the country that has contributed to Australia’s economic success and the one who we have sought most protection.
To me reading this type of book gives the reader the opportunity to reflect on the factors that have led to the Australia of today and will lead to the Australia of tomorrow.
An area where the Albanese Government has been singularly most successful in the South Pacific and with Indonesia, Japan and South Korea. Albanese has played the small target with Donald Trump, he has not raised his head above the turret.
AUKUS is a different story. One of the great unknowns in recent times has been why has Albanese given full-on support of AUKUS.
Keane’s chapter on education focuses on the university sector. His writing on immigration, especially Australia’s need for workers supplies interesting data. It is an area where in public discussion has been filtered through prejudices more than evidence. The recent rise of One Nation because of “Mass Migration” is a story that has some time to run. It will be interesting if there are serious cuts in migration and then there is a subsequent serious shortage of workers.
Taxation reform is an activity that Australian governments avoid like the plague. Everyone wants tax reform, yeah, tax reform where they pay less tax. This is a view that the Business Council perpetuates continually.
A crucial aspect of taxation policy in 2026 is the bias that policies have for older Australians and against younger Australians.
Both parties have used taxation as a mallet to hit the other party over the head with.
Keane has a couple of choice paragraphs on the AFR (Australian Financial Review). “Wood also mentioned The Australian Financial Review as an example of the media beating up tax reform stories and misleading readers. . . . the AFR with excellent journalists, led by dreadful editors who are faint shadows of far more illustrious predecessors – is one of the malignant actors in the tax debate”
He went onto say, “One is generational unfairness which is universally acknowledged – except by the pages of the AFR”
With taxation too many Australians want champagne services but are only willing to pay beer prices.
The penultimate chapter is titled ‘Speed humps on the road to 2050.’ Which seems far away till you think back the equivalent distance and you reach 2001. These are the most thought-provoking pages as Keane discusses previous attempts at implementing change and the setting in 2026 and in the years to come to achieve change that will improve Australia. He discusses the various ways policies are developed and implemented. The role of the public service, consultants, political advisors, lobbyists, business and other organisations and trade unions, then finally the voter.
I reflected on Labor’s recent tax changes in relation to housing and the huge, vested interests’ response. The author touches on the generational conflict brewing. Finally, he pleads with the reader to be more optimistic than pessimistic.
When I closed the book and reflected on the issues Keane has raised, I thought I am not sure if the Australian electorate is mature enough to have sensible and evidence driven debates to make the best choices for the future of the country. Too many voices are shrill, the rich and powerful have megaphones and futility and cynicism drown much interest among many in the society.
September 13, 2026
Very ordinary. Sorry I bought it. Mixes fact with personal biases. And then builds his own conspiracy theories that suit his narrative whilst denouncing everyone else’s. And his obsession with ‘older white people’ as the source of all current social problems along with every large corporation on the planet is tiresome at best. And once he said that the ‘United States is arguably the single greatest long-term economic threat to Australia’ I struggled to go further. Opinionated and distorted writing. Lost all credibility with me.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews