Regional Dimensions: New Models for Analysis of the Spatial Effects of Policy, Socio-Demographic and Economic Changes. This project aims to substantially improve the decision-support tools available to State and Territory governments by providing them with, first, far more detailed small area data than has previously been available, via the creation of a synthetic small area household database and, second, with the capacity to assess the current and future impact of possible policy reforms and l ....Regional Dimensions: New Models for Analysis of the Spatial Effects of Policy, Socio-Demographic and Economic Changes. This project aims to substantially improve the decision-support tools available to State and Territory governments by providing them with, first, far more detailed small area data than has previously been available, via the creation of a synthetic small area household database and, second, with the capacity to assess the current and future impact of possible policy reforms and likely social, demographic and economic changes at the small area level, through the construction of microsimulation models on top of the synthetic household data.Read moreRead less
Indigenous community organisations and miners: Partnering sustainable regional development? The project applies an innovative social sciences framework to an analysis of how Indigenous community organisations in remote Australia can better develop capacity to maximise the sustainable benefits of adjacent long-life mines. The roles of mining companies, governments and other stakeholders, as well as Indigenous organisations, in maintaining social capital within communities experiencing development ....Indigenous community organisations and miners: Partnering sustainable regional development? The project applies an innovative social sciences framework to an analysis of how Indigenous community organisations in remote Australia can better develop capacity to maximise the sustainable benefits of adjacent long-life mines. The roles of mining companies, governments and other stakeholders, as well as Indigenous organisations, in maintaining social capital within communities experiencing development strain associated with economic, social and environmental impacts of mining will be investigated. The project will make an important theoretical contribution to refining an emerging framework that includes the key element 'social capital'. Practical recommendations for policy change that facilitate better socio-economic outcomes will be provided.Read moreRead less
South Asian and East Asian economic integration and Australia: strategies for Asian regional cooperation. Australia has a vital interest in India's rise, its impact on South Asia's development and its integration with South and East Asia. The limited knowledge and the thinness of the intellectual base and institutional connections that would allow us to manage our interests in this event effectively mean that Australia is not yet well positioned to influence the forces and the thinking that will ....South Asian and East Asian economic integration and Australia: strategies for Asian regional cooperation. Australia has a vital interest in India's rise, its impact on South Asia's development and its integration with South and East Asia. The limited knowledge and the thinness of the intellectual base and institutional connections that would allow us to manage our interests in this event effectively mean that Australia is not yet well positioned to influence the forces and the thinking that will drive the process. Moving to explore the phenomenon of South Asia's development and aspirations in Asia and globally, is now a priority for Australia as other economies move to take up the opportunities that are unfolding from this development. This is a ground-breaking project that will address these deficiencies.Read moreRead less
Supporting pacific development. The research looks at the extent to which twenty-two of the world's richest countries support development in the Pacific Islands region through their efforts with respect to aid, trade, migration, private investment, security, technology and environmental sustainability. It will develop an index that will rank these countries on the basis of these efforts.
Financing aged care in Australia: Mitigating fiscal gaps and maintaining intergenerational equity. Aged care has been identified as a significant contributor to the growing fiscal problems predicted for Australian government finances during the next 10 to 20 years. This project will develop the cutting-edge modelling tools needed to allow Australia to make informed decisions about possible reforms in aged care financing. It will create significant national benefits by allowing detailed assessmen ....Financing aged care in Australia: Mitigating fiscal gaps and maintaining intergenerational equity. Aged care has been identified as a significant contributor to the growing fiscal problems predicted for Australian government finances during the next 10 to 20 years. This project will develop the cutting-edge modelling tools needed to allow Australia to make informed decisions about possible reforms in aged care financing. It will create significant national benefits by allowing detailed assessment of the distributional impact of a wide range of possible reforms, including how the outcomes of any policy change will affect disadvantaged sections of our society, whether different generations will be fairly treated, and the impact by gender.Read moreRead less
A dynamic understanding of labour market mobility of new migrants. Australia is an immigrant country. Despite this, we know little about the factors that enable some migrants to integrate quickly and successfully into the labour market, while others do not. This project will use an excellent set of longitudinal data that follow new migrants over a period of three and a half years. It will apply sophisticated panel data econometric techniques to identify the causes of their success or otherwise ....A dynamic understanding of labour market mobility of new migrants. Australia is an immigrant country. Despite this, we know little about the factors that enable some migrants to integrate quickly and successfully into the labour market, while others do not. This project will use an excellent set of longitudinal data that follow new migrants over a period of three and a half years. It will apply sophisticated panel data econometric techniques to identify the causes of their success or otherwise in the labour market. It will also examine the link between labour market success and the overall settlement experience, including satisfaction with life in Australia, of migrants.Read moreRead less
Creating effective local labour markets - a new framework for regional employment policy. The Project will develop a new framework for designing regional employment policy aimed at providing effective solutions to persistently high unemployment across Australia. It will integrate the renewed international focus on public employment strategies and local partnerships with existing and other emerging policy directions. The international experience in adapting national employment policy to local con ....Creating effective local labour markets - a new framework for regional employment policy. The Project will develop a new framework for designing regional employment policy aimed at providing effective solutions to persistently high unemployment across Australia. It will integrate the renewed international focus on public employment strategies and local partnerships with existing and other emerging policy directions. The international experience in adapting national employment policy to local conditions and the feasibility of local public job creation will be evaluated. The findings will refine a proposal for a Community Development Job Guarantee. The Project will develop innovative assessment mechanisms for matching the local unemployed with local job opportunities to enhance regional labour market outcomes.Read moreRead less
PATHWAYS TO IMPROVED EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: SOCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS UNDERLYING SCHOOL PARTICIPATION. This project aims to provide an economic analysis of social environmental and institutional factors associated with educational participation of Indigenous and other Australian youth. The incentives for Indigenous youth to attend school, include: local labour market conditions, and the extent/nature of Indigenous interaction with the criminal justice system. B ....PATHWAYS TO IMPROVED EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: SOCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS UNDERLYING SCHOOL PARTICIPATION. This project aims to provide an economic analysis of social environmental and institutional factors associated with educational participation of Indigenous and other Australian youth. The incentives for Indigenous youth to attend school, include: local labour market conditions, and the extent/nature of Indigenous interaction with the criminal justice system. By identifying the relative importance of the factors underlying education, policy can be directed to reducing dependence on welfare by enhancing their competitiveness in the mainstream labour market. The resulting increase in social inclusion of Indigenous people is no doubt a pre-condition for achieving a lasting reconciliation of Indigenous and other Australians.Read moreRead less
Developing a responsive regulatory system for Australia's small corporations. Small corporations employ approximately 50% of Australia's 10.5 million employed persons (ABS: Nov 2007). Promoting and maintaining small corporations is vital to the health of the Australian economy and the well being of society. This research will strengthen Australia's social and economic fabric by identifying, in consultation with regulators, industry leaders, government, the ideal regulatory environment for Aust ....Developing a responsive regulatory system for Australia's small corporations. Small corporations employ approximately 50% of Australia's 10.5 million employed persons (ABS: Nov 2007). Promoting and maintaining small corporations is vital to the health of the Australian economy and the well being of society. This research will strengthen Australia's social and economic fabric by identifying, in consultation with regulators, industry leaders, government, the ideal regulatory environment for Australia's small corporations. A responsive regulatory framework will enable small corporations to conduct business more efficiently and profitably allowing for and creating structures and processes for encouraging and managing innovation creativity in this vital sector.Read moreRead less
Infrastructure project delivery: a life cycle evaluation model for public private partnerships. Governments continue to embrace public-private partnerships so as to obtain value for money and provide financial accountability to taxpayers. This project will determine the most appropriate way to engage the private sector in infrastructure delivery and develop a dynamic life cycle evaluation model to ensure projects are delivered effectively and efficiently.