From the 1960s, when there was full employment, George charts how in the 1970s this golden age, and its closed economy, was smashed by shock after shock. As the country suffers stagflation and gets angry, reforms become an urgent matter of economic survival.

In the 1980s, as the economy is radically overhauled by the Hawke/Keating government, there are winners and losers, and society is remade. The new challenge becomes how to best manage the roller coaster ride of the free market.

With a well regulated open economy, but a liking for living the good life on credit, Australia must face the worst crisis since the depression. How we avoided the GFC (just) is told by the leaders who were there. George considers how to make sure we keep Australia's winning streak going by learning the lessons of history.