Taxation, family policy and pension reform in an uncertain economy. The policies with which this research is concerned are central in determining the well being of millions of Australians in both current and future generations. It is important that these policies be debated and formulated on the basis of the best possible conceptual framework and with the most reliable possible quantitative assessments of their effects. It is also important that the policies concerned be considered jointly rathe ....Taxation, family policy and pension reform in an uncertain economy. The policies with which this research is concerned are central in determining the well being of millions of Australians in both current and future generations. It is important that these policies be debated and formulated on the basis of the best possible conceptual framework and with the most reliable possible quantitative assessments of their effects. It is also important that the policies concerned be considered jointly rather than in isolation from each other. The work will therefore directly assist policy makers in this area. Since it will be at the leading edge of current research, it will also benefit Australia's standing in the international research community.Read moreRead less
Advertising and Drinking: Does it Matter? The Health profession and various community groups have been demanding the government introduce new alcohol advertising policies that aim to reduce the social cost and misery associated with the misuse of alcohol (estimated to cost Australians about $8 billion, cause about 3,300 deaths and 72,000 hospitalisations annually) and to maintain the health and future well-being of Australians. This project will assess the impact of current advertising policies ....Advertising and Drinking: Does it Matter? The Health profession and various community groups have been demanding the government introduce new alcohol advertising policies that aim to reduce the social cost and misery associated with the misuse of alcohol (estimated to cost Australians about $8 billion, cause about 3,300 deaths and 72,000 hospitalisations annually) and to maintain the health and future well-being of Australians. This project will assess the impact of current advertising policies and the impact of a possible ban on alcohol advertising on the level of alcohol consumption in Australia. The results will be useful to the Australian government, the Australian community and the alcohol industry in developing new advertising policies that aim to reduce alcohol consumption.Read moreRead less
Social Network Analysis: Social Media, Peer Effects and the Environment. The aims of this proposal are to better understand the role of networks in different activities such as social media, education, crime and environment-friendly behaviour. The project expects to help inform the design and practice of policies for education and environmental authorities, police and media markets. Social networks are pervasive in Australia. The project tackles issues of criminal gangs in Australian cities, the ....Social Network Analysis: Social Media, Peer Effects and the Environment. The aims of this proposal are to better understand the role of networks in different activities such as social media, education, crime and environment-friendly behaviour. The project expects to help inform the design and practice of policies for education and environmental authorities, police and media markets. Social networks are pervasive in Australia. The project tackles issues of criminal gangs in Australian cities, the political system and environment-friendly behaviours. This project is at the frontier of work in the economics of networks, with expected outcomes to include new models and methods to better understand the impact of social networks. Benefits include clear policy recommendations to improve welfare in Australian society.Read moreRead less
International Comparisons of Consumption, Incomes and Prices. This project will provide insights into the workings of the world economy, and how it might change in the future. This will be beneficial to the Australian economy as the role of international trade in goods, people and capital is likely to become even more important to us in the future. The project will also enhance Australia's reputation for producing high-level research of both a fundamental and applied nature in consumption econ ....International Comparisons of Consumption, Incomes and Prices. This project will provide insights into the workings of the world economy, and how it might change in the future. This will be beneficial to the Australian economy as the role of international trade in goods, people and capital is likely to become even more important to us in the future. The project will also enhance Australia's reputation for producing high-level research of both a fundamental and applied nature in consumption economics and international economics. It is hoped that the training of research students will be a further benefit of the project.Read moreRead less
Harm-minimisation policies and the economics of controlling illicit drug use. The use of illicit drugs and its consequences are of major concern in Australia. Policies seeking to directly curb illicit drug use have met with mixed success and, over time, pressure has been placed on policymakers to switch toward increased reliance on harm-minimisation policies. This switch can generate adverse incentive effects by reducing the user costs of illicit drug use which acts to increase illicit drug use. ....Harm-minimisation policies and the economics of controlling illicit drug use. The use of illicit drugs and its consequences are of major concern in Australia. Policies seeking to directly curb illicit drug use have met with mixed success and, over time, pressure has been placed on policymakers to switch toward increased reliance on harm-minimisation policies. This switch can generate adverse incentive effects by reducing the user costs of illicit drug use which acts to increase illicit drug use. Cost-effectively mitigating these adverse incentive effects can improve the effectiveness of policy by promoting harm- minimisation without seriously sacrificing drug use abstinence objectives. Read moreRead less