This video features Auslan (Australian Sign Language) Interpretation. Peter Whiteford has spent much of his life studying the economics of the welfare state. In this talk, he shows why Australia, and all other high-income countries - need a welfare state and why it's important. Along the way he challenges the steretypes commonly associated with welfare recipients and challenges the notion of a welfare system of 'us' and 'them.' Peter Whiteford is a Professor in the Crawford School of Public Policy at The Australian National University, Canberra. He has previously worked at the University of York in the United Kingdom, at the Social Policy Research Centre at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, as well as in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris, and also for the Australian government. His work has encompassed pension and welfare policies in OECD countries, as well as on income inequality, child poverty, family assistance policies, and welfare reform. Professor Peter Whiteford has worked on pension and welfare policies and income inequality, child poverty, family assistance policies and welfare reform. He holds several academic posts and is recognised as an expert on Australia’s tax system. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx