On 18 July the Economic Society of Australia (WA Branch) teamed up with the 2025 Annual Conference of the History of Economic Thought Society of Australia to host a presentation by Dr. Alex Millmow titled “An Evolving Record: A Centennial History of the Economic Society of Australia”.

Dr Millmow was formerly an Associate Professor of Economics at Federation University Australia, where he is now an Honorary Research Fellow. He has been commissioned by the Economic Society of Australia to write a book on the history of the Society, to be published later this year in celebration of the Society’s 100^th anniversary. Dr Millmow also addressed this year’s Annual Conference of Economists in Sydney earlier this year.

The presentation traced the Society’s origins and the highs and lows of its history, describing some of the colourful and influential characters who shaped its development. Dr Millmow explained some of the challenges the Society has faced, including recurring tensions between different branches of the economics profession, the emergence of competing organisations and associations, the decline in economics student numbers and the changing priorities and interests of academic economists. The Society has declined in members and influence from its heyday in the 1970s and 1980s, but Dr Millmow is encouraged by the energy and vigour of younger members attracted into the Society in recent years through its women’s and young economists’ networks.

The presentation was followed by a panel session with current ESAWA President John Roberts and former Presidents Harry Bloch and Michael McLure.

Conference attendees mingled with Society members for a social event after the lecture.

Pictured below (from the left) are former President Harry Bloch, Alex Millmow, current ESAWA President John Roberts and former Presidents Peter Kolf, Margaret Nowak and Michael McLure.

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