Microeconomic effects of Australian natural disasters. This project aims to describe and identify the effects of Australian natural disasters – such as the Black Saturday bushfires and the Brisbane floods – on important microeconomic outcomes, including health, education and employment. Natural disasters have profound economic and social effects on individuals and communities. This project intends to bring evidence on how disasters affect individuals and how the effects can be lessened. The proj ....Microeconomic effects of Australian natural disasters. This project aims to describe and identify the effects of Australian natural disasters – such as the Black Saturday bushfires and the Brisbane floods – on important microeconomic outcomes, including health, education and employment. Natural disasters have profound economic and social effects on individuals and communities. This project intends to bring evidence on how disasters affect individuals and how the effects can be lessened. The project expects to inform policy-makers on these critical issues by analysing field, survey and administrative data on individuals before and after past disasters.Read moreRead less
The effect of competition and doctor heterogeneity on prices charged by doctors. Prices charged by doctors can have important effects on health care costs, access to health care and health status. This research will examine the determinants of prices charged by doctors. The results will be important in understanding the pricing practices of doctors and their impact on health care costs.
The socioeconomic determinants and dynamics of mental health and disorders in Australia and the United Kingdom: evidence from childhood to the elderly years. Poor mental health and specific mental disorders are prevalent in Australia, and have severe consequences for the social and economic functioning of individuals, families and communities. This project will shed new light on the long-term socio-economic determinants and dynamics of mental health, using data that tracks individuals over time.
International comparisons of retirement decisions and well-being of mature age populations: applied micro-economic analyses. Australia needs a pension reform to promote longer working lives of mature people in a health- and productivity-enhancing way, that is also financially sustainable. This study uses cutting-edge methodology and data to analyse decisions surrounding how mature people disengage from employment towards their eventual permanent retirement, and how these decisions relate to thei ....International comparisons of retirement decisions and well-being of mature age populations: applied micro-economic analyses. Australia needs a pension reform to promote longer working lives of mature people in a health- and productivity-enhancing way, that is also financially sustainable. This study uses cutting-edge methodology and data to analyse decisions surrounding how mature people disengage from employment towards their eventual permanent retirement, and how these decisions relate to their health and well-being. It compares and contrasts Australia with the UK, Germany and the US to derive lessons for developing evidence-based pension reform. International comparative research enables the identification of important policy, institutional and/or cultural differences and lessons that may well be missed by single country studies.Read moreRead less
Competition in medical labour markets. A sharp increase in the supply of medical practitioners has occurred in Australia. This is expensive and has uncertain effects on population health, earnings, and the distribution of medical practitioners. The aim of this project is to examine the impact of competition and increased supply on the prices charged, the quality of care provided, and the health status of patients. The research also aims to examine the location choices of medical practitioners an ....Competition in medical labour markets. A sharp increase in the supply of medical practitioners has occurred in Australia. This is expensive and has uncertain effects on population health, earnings, and the distribution of medical practitioners. The aim of this project is to examine the impact of competition and increased supply on the prices charged, the quality of care provided, and the health status of patients. The research also aims to examine the location choices of medical practitioners and is expected to generate new and important evidence using unique longitudinal data.Read moreRead less
A benefit-cost analysis of the Early Years Education Program. This project undertakes a benefit-cost analysis of the Early Years Education Program (EYEP). EYEP is an innovative early years education and childcare program for children at risk of abuse and neglect that is being trialled by the Children’s Protection Society in Melbourne. The use of the randomised evaluation method in the trial, the innovative and extensive nature of EYEP, the inter-disciplinary research team, and the breadth of dat ....A benefit-cost analysis of the Early Years Education Program. This project undertakes a benefit-cost analysis of the Early Years Education Program (EYEP). EYEP is an innovative early years education and childcare program for children at risk of abuse and neglect that is being trialled by the Children’s Protection Society in Melbourne. The use of the randomised evaluation method in the trial, the innovative and extensive nature of EYEP, the inter-disciplinary research team, and the breadth of data collection, provide the opportunity to complete a high quality benefit-cost analysis that will be internationally unique. Results from the study have the potential to influence the design of childcare and education for 30,000 at-risk children in Australia, as well as informing approaches in regular childcare.Read moreRead less
Combating HIV/AIDS in Indonesia: understanding the behaviour of sex workers and their clients. The aim of this project is to improve our understanding of the behaviour of sex workers and their clients in Indonesia, which has the fastest growing HIV epidemic in Asia. A comparison of the behavioural characteristics of sex workers and their clientele will tell us which groups are likely to be more responsive to particular types of policies.
Health and Intergenerational Poverty in a Developing Country. The alleviation of poverty is a major policy objective of the Indonesian government. As one of Indonesia's closest neighbours and allies, Australia has a special interest in the economic and social wellbeing of Indonesia. This interest is often expressed through financial aid and through the sharing of expertise. This research aims to contribute to this expertise by investigating whether health is a mechanism that transmits poverty ....Health and Intergenerational Poverty in a Developing Country. The alleviation of poverty is a major policy objective of the Indonesian government. As one of Indonesia's closest neighbours and allies, Australia has a special interest in the economic and social wellbeing of Indonesia. This interest is often expressed through financial aid and through the sharing of expertise. This research aims to contribute to this expertise by investigating whether health is a mechanism that transmits poverty across generations of Indonesians. Thus, this research contributes to a body of knowledge that informs development policy, leading to more effective use of aid funds and to a more prosperous and safe region.Read moreRead less
Socioeconomic status and health in Australia: An econometric investigation into causality and pathways. This project aims to provide new policy-relevant research focusing on the role of socioeconomic status (SES) in determining health outcomes for children and adults in Australia, and in reducing health-related inequalities. This project will use high-quality Australian longitudinal data and the most advanced econometric models to provide new insights into the pathways underlying the SES gradien ....Socioeconomic status and health in Australia: An econometric investigation into causality and pathways. This project aims to provide new policy-relevant research focusing on the role of socioeconomic status (SES) in determining health outcomes for children and adults in Australia, and in reducing health-related inequalities. This project will use high-quality Australian longitudinal data and the most advanced econometric models to provide new insights into the pathways underlying the SES gradient. The project will also use similar data for Britain as a valuable comparison point. The research will contribute to a better understanding of health outcomes relating to a healthy start to life and strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric.Read moreRead less
Bayesian analysis of individual decisions in health and labour economics. This project aims to exploit emerging Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo methods to develop new approaches to modelling economic decision making. These methods will generate insights into two current and important policy debates. This includes (i) marijuana, alcohol and tobacco use and legalisation of marijuana use; and (ii) parental leave policies, maternity leave decisions and mothers' labour market dynamics. Although p ....Bayesian analysis of individual decisions in health and labour economics. This project aims to exploit emerging Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo methods to develop new approaches to modelling economic decision making. These methods will generate insights into two current and important policy debates. This includes (i) marijuana, alcohol and tobacco use and legalisation of marijuana use; and (ii) parental leave policies, maternity leave decisions and mothers' labour market dynamics. Although policies play an important role in observed health and labour market behaviours, their exact effects on individuals' decisions and outcomes are often difficult to quantify due to the complex nature of the decision process. Outcomes from the project will include new evidence of changes in substance uses under different legal scenarios and provide benefits such as yielding vital evidence on labour market and health behaviour impacts to support policy makers and strengthen Australia's research capacity in Bayesian analysis.Read moreRead less