Private Health Insurance and Utilisation of Health Care in Australia. The breakdown of activity between the Australian public and private health sectors is currently subject to considerable scrutiny. The combination of a comprehensive public system with minimal co-payments, but considerable waiting times for some treatment, and a private system with minimal waiting but sizeable co-payments has interesting economic implications for both consumer and provider behaviour. This research project will ....Private Health Insurance and Utilisation of Health Care in Australia. The breakdown of activity between the Australian public and private health sectors is currently subject to considerable scrutiny. The combination of a comprehensive public system with minimal co-payments, but considerable waiting times for some treatment, and a private system with minimal waiting but sizeable co-payments has interesting economic implications for both consumer and provider behaviour. This research project will explore the relationship between insurance status and utilisation of health care in Australia. Because insurance reduces the out-of-pocket price for consumers, they tend to purchase more care than they would without insurance.Read moreRead less
Enhancing regional resource synergies through the application of industrial ecology strategies for sustainable development in the Kwinana Industrial Area. The project will investigate the potential contribution of industrial ecology strategies for sustainable development at the regional level in heavy industrial areas, in particular the Kwinana Industrial Area (WA). Industrial ecology mimics natural processes in industrial production and consumption to achieve better environmental, economic and ....Enhancing regional resource synergies through the application of industrial ecology strategies for sustainable development in the Kwinana Industrial Area. The project will investigate the potential contribution of industrial ecology strategies for sustainable development at the regional level in heavy industrial areas, in particular the Kwinana Industrial Area (WA). Industrial ecology mimics natural processes in industrial production and consumption to achieve better environmental, economic and social outcomes. Despite its compelling logic, industrial ecology faces a number of barriers. This research will investigate such barriers and develop and pilot test innovative ways for overcoming those, in particular through the provision of facilitating structures, operational arrangements and evaluation tools.Read moreRead less
Technical Change, Productivity Growth and Pricing in Australian Manufacturing. We examine productivity growth and price competitiveness of Australian manufacturing by estimating an econometric model for aggregate manufacturing and as well as individual industries. The parameter estimates from the econometric model are used to identify the separate impacts on productivity growth and price changes due to technical change, economies of scale, capacity utilization and market power. We then estimate ....Technical Change, Productivity Growth and Pricing in Australian Manufacturing. We examine productivity growth and price competitiveness of Australian manufacturing by estimating an econometric model for aggregate manufacturing and as well as individual industries. The parameter estimates from the econometric model are used to identify the separate impacts on productivity growth and price changes due to technical change, economies of scale, capacity utilization and market power. We then estimate how each separate impact is affected by industry characteristics, including seller concentration and investment in physical, human and intellectual capital, and policy related variables, such as tariff rates and degree of unionisation of the labour force. This will provide an important contribution of the knowledge of how the economic environment and government policies impact on productivity growth and the international competitiveness of Australian manufacturing.Read moreRead less
Innovation, Competition and Economic Performance: Understanding the Dynamics of Industry Development. An improved understanding of the impact of innovation on competition and economic performance will inform the design of public policy in terms of industry assistance, research and development support, competition policy and regulatory activity. This will help ensure that the billions of dollars of private and public expenditure devoted to innovative activities and industry development has the gr ....Innovation, Competition and Economic Performance: Understanding the Dynamics of Industry Development. An improved understanding of the impact of innovation on competition and economic performance will inform the design of public policy in terms of industry assistance, research and development support, competition policy and regulatory activity. This will help ensure that the billions of dollars of private and public expenditure devoted to innovative activities and industry development has the greatest possible impact in terms of improved products, lower prices and the enhanced competitiveness of Australian businesses.Read moreRead less
Economic Aspects of Wool in Western Australia. Over the past 15 years, the wool industry in WA has gone from bust to boom.. This project develops a general equilibrium model to analyse the impact of the world economic conditions on the wool industry and the WA economy in general. We will also investigate the reasons for the systematically lower wool prices in Fremantle and the interactions between Australian wool prices and exchange rates. The results will enhance understanding of the industry, ....Economic Aspects of Wool in Western Australia. Over the past 15 years, the wool industry in WA has gone from bust to boom.. This project develops a general equilibrium model to analyse the impact of the world economic conditions on the wool industry and the WA economy in general. We will also investigate the reasons for the systematically lower wool prices in Fremantle and the interactions between Australian wool prices and exchange rates. The results will enhance understanding of the industry, and offer insights as to how it might be made less volatile in the future by providing valuable information to woolgrowers and policy makers.Read moreRead less
Climate Change, Industrial Structure and the Knowledge Economy: Key Issues for an Effective Response on Greenhouse Gases. The objectives of this project are to undertake a major, long term study of the impact of global structural change on greenhouse gas emissions and on climate change, and to develop a detailed knowledge base concerning trade in embodied emissions. It is hoped that the knowledge generated will both inform global responses to this vital problem and contribute to the continuing d ....Climate Change, Industrial Structure and the Knowledge Economy: Key Issues for an Effective Response on Greenhouse Gases. The objectives of this project are to undertake a major, long term study of the impact of global structural change on greenhouse gas emissions and on climate change, and to develop a detailed knowledge base concerning trade in embodied emissions. It is hoped that the knowledge generated will both inform global responses to this vital problem and contribute to the continuing development of effective responses within Australia. The output - a book and many papers - will be directed in part to contribute to the IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report.Read moreRead less
Automation and Income Inequality: Macroeconomic Policy Implications. The transition to wider use of robotics and artificial intelligence may eventually make our citizens better off, yet effects on domestic income and wealth inequality remain uncertain, depending strongly on general governance and macroeconomic policy regimes. This project would help clarify income inequality effects, both abroad and in Australia, through (i) new numerical theory from calibrated economic models at the global and ....Automation and Income Inequality: Macroeconomic Policy Implications. The transition to wider use of robotics and artificial intelligence may eventually make our citizens better off, yet effects on domestic income and wealth inequality remain uncertain, depending strongly on general governance and macroeconomic policy regimes. This project would help clarify income inequality effects, both abroad and in Australia, through (i) new numerical theory from calibrated economic models at the global and national levels; (ii) econometric testing of results from global and national data; (iii) the use of emerging insights to analyse economic policy responses and their global interaction as well as the implications for Australian economic policyRead moreRead less