Moral Hazard and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. The extent and significance of moral hazard in the PBS is an issue of significance for all Australians. Pharmaceuticals are a central feature in maintaining the health of Australians and with factors such as an ageing population and technological advances the centrality of pharmaceuticals is likely to be consolidated One, if not the, major challenge will be how to provide pharmaceuticals efficiently, equitably and sustainably. If significant a ....Moral Hazard and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. The extent and significance of moral hazard in the PBS is an issue of significance for all Australians. Pharmaceuticals are a central feature in maintaining the health of Australians and with factors such as an ageing population and technological advances the centrality of pharmaceuticals is likely to be consolidated One, if not the, major challenge will be how to provide pharmaceuticals efficiently, equitably and sustainably. If significant and extensive, moral hazard potentially compromises PBS efficiency and threatens sustainability. The proposed project represents a significant empirical contribution to understanding the impact of moral hazard on the PBS and will make a significant contribution towards making the PBS sustainableRead moreRead less
An investigation of illicit tobacco use - its prevalence, economic impact and the motivations and perceptions of consumers. Black market tobacco costs the Australian government at least $450 million in lost taxes per annum. Little is known about the prevalence and economics of illicit tobacco use, or the motivations, attitudes and perceptions of consumers. Using a national telephone survey of licit and illicit tobacco consumers, we will investigate their economic thresholds, decision-making pr ....An investigation of illicit tobacco use - its prevalence, economic impact and the motivations and perceptions of consumers. Black market tobacco costs the Australian government at least $450 million in lost taxes per annum. Little is known about the prevalence and economics of illicit tobacco use, or the motivations, attitudes and perceptions of consumers. Using a national telephone survey of licit and illicit tobacco consumers, we will investigate their economic thresholds, decision-making processes, and perceptions of health effects. Our work will lead to improved supply and demand reduction measures for illicit tobacco, and enable development of appropriately targeted health promotion strategies, generating enduring benefit to Australia's economy and public health. Read moreRead less
Analysis of Drug Consumption in Australia Using New Microeconometric Techniques for Unit Record Data. The consumption of licit and illicit recreational drugs and its adverse health, social and economic effects are everyday topics in Australian society. Much debate has surrounded government drug policies implemented through education, legislation and taxation. This study will provide comprehensive empirical knowledge of Australians' consumption of alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs for non-med ....Analysis of Drug Consumption in Australia Using New Microeconometric Techniques for Unit Record Data. The consumption of licit and illicit recreational drugs and its adverse health, social and economic effects are everyday topics in Australian society. Much debate has surrounded government drug policies implemented through education, legislation and taxation. This study will provide comprehensive empirical knowledge of Australians' consumption of alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs for non-medical purpose, and illicit drugs such as heroin and cocaine. It will help identify social, economic and demographic determinants of drug consumption, information which is invaluable for targeting drug policies and education programs. New microeconometric techniques will also be developed that have wide application in other fields.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
Self-control in Economic Behaviour. This project aims to use new Australian data to study the way that people’s self-control affects their economic behaviour. This project expects to advance science by testing two new ways of identifying whether people understand their own self-control issues and conducting an innovative program of research that links people’s self-control to their life chances. Expected outcomes include an understanding of i) the factors driving the capacity for self-control; i ....Self-control in Economic Behaviour. This project aims to use new Australian data to study the way that people’s self-control affects their economic behaviour. This project expects to advance science by testing two new ways of identifying whether people understand their own self-control issues and conducting an innovative program of research that links people’s self-control to their life chances. Expected outcomes include an understanding of i) the factors driving the capacity for self-control; ii) the role of self-control in promoting wellbeing; and iii) policy options for improving outcomes through better self-control. This should provide significant benefits in supporting policy agendas such as the Government’s Priority Investment Approach and behavioural economics teams. Read moreRead less