Economic policy when interest rates are zero. This Project studies economic policy when interest rates are zero. Low interest rate environments constrain monetary policy because central banks cannot lower rates to raise demand. We exploit recent international experience with zero rates to understand why new policies have had mixed success. We argue different outcomes across countries arise because of different degrees of credibility and familiarity with new policy initiatives. We provide empiric ....Economic policy when interest rates are zero. This Project studies economic policy when interest rates are zero. Low interest rate environments constrain monetary policy because central banks cannot lower rates to raise demand. We exploit recent international experience with zero rates to understand why new policies have had mixed success. We argue different outcomes across countries arise because of different degrees of credibility and familiarity with new policy initiatives. We provide empirical support for this view and study the consequences of imperfectly credible policy. We characterize how monetary policy (conventional and unconventional) and fiscal policy can be used to greatest effect in low interest rate environments and quantify the welfare implications for Australia. Read moreRead less
A Review of Work for the Dole as a Labour Market Program. The project will review the Work for the Dole program in terms of its first formal objective (to install work habits in young people)and in the wider context of giving young unemployed people the skills and confidence that will increase their chances of finding employment. The principal research tools used will be sample surveys and in-depth interviews. An independent substantial review will give a firm basis for discussions of the progr ....A Review of Work for the Dole as a Labour Market Program. The project will review the Work for the Dole program in terms of its first formal objective (to install work habits in young people)and in the wider context of giving young unemployed people the skills and confidence that will increase their chances of finding employment. The principal research tools used will be sample surveys and in-depth interviews. An independent substantial review will give a firm basis for discussions of the program, including how it can be improved and whether or not, given the political imperatives to retain it,it is desirable to increase expenditure on it.Read moreRead less
Economic Analyses of Competitor Collaboration: Theory, Evidence, and Policy Implications. Several industries in Australia (eg. airlines, banking, telecommunications) exhibit some common characteristics: few big firms, with significant market power, selling differentiated products. Given the level of market concentration in these industries, mergers are unlikely to improve welfare. However, is the same true for collaborations on value-creating activities? What decisions, if any, should any two fi ....Economic Analyses of Competitor Collaboration: Theory, Evidence, and Policy Implications. Several industries in Australia (eg. airlines, banking, telecommunications) exhibit some common characteristics: few big firms, with significant market power, selling differentiated products. Given the level of market concentration in these industries, mergers are unlikely to improve welfare. However, is the same true for collaborations on value-creating activities? What decisions, if any, should any two firms be allowed to collaborate on? What are their effects on rival firms and consumers? The project will develop the first unifying framework to address these questions. Our research findings are expected to assist the competition policymakers in comprehensively assessing the welfare impacts of competitor collaborationsRead moreRead less
Child Dental Benefit Policies and the Health of Australian Children. This project aims to examine the early effects of two recent initiatives by the Australian government to improve children’s dental health by providing funds to cover essential dental services for children from disadvantaged families. It explores the factors affecting eligible children’s access to benefits from these initiatives and identifies the causal impacts of these changed health care financing arrangements on children’s c ....Child Dental Benefit Policies and the Health of Australian Children. This project aims to examine the early effects of two recent initiatives by the Australian government to improve children’s dental health by providing funds to cover essential dental services for children from disadvantaged families. It explores the factors affecting eligible children’s access to benefits from these initiatives and identifies the causal impacts of these changed health care financing arrangements on children’s consumption of dental services, indicators of oral health and general health, and other indicators of cognitive and non-cognitive development. Using advanced econometric techniques and panel datasets, this project is expected to contribute to the development of effective policies for promoting health and wellbeing.Read moreRead less
Modelling community preferences for health policy: how choice experiments can inform the organisation of acute health services for older Australians. This work will provide vital information on community preferences to inform health policy regarding how we should best organise acute healthcare for older Australians. It addresses one of the most pressing health policy issues in Australia: how to maintain a sustainable, equitable and responsive health care system, in the face of an ageing populati ....Modelling community preferences for health policy: how choice experiments can inform the organisation of acute health services for older Australians. This work will provide vital information on community preferences to inform health policy regarding how we should best organise acute healthcare for older Australians. It addresses one of the most pressing health policy issues in Australia: how to maintain a sustainable, equitable and responsive health care system, in the face of an ageing population.Read moreRead less
Nanny state or good public policy: Do the benefits of mandatory health programs justify the loss of consumer choice? Governments are increasingly turning to mandatory programs to improve health. Such programs are appealing because there are high health benefits from universal participation and low costs for promotion and monitoring the program. However, this apparent benefit relies on restriction of personal choice, which may impose welfare losses on consumers. Evaluations generally ignore loss ....Nanny state or good public policy: Do the benefits of mandatory health programs justify the loss of consumer choice? Governments are increasingly turning to mandatory programs to improve health. Such programs are appealing because there are high health benefits from universal participation and low costs for promotion and monitoring the program. However, this apparent benefit relies on restriction of personal choice, which may impose welfare losses on consumers. Evaluations generally ignore loss of choice, despite evidence suggesting consumers value the ability to choose. This study will estimate the impact and value this loss of consumer choice, explore program specific factors and consumer characteristics influencing the valuation, and determine whether and how restricted choice should be explicitly considered when evaluating public health programs.Read moreRead less
Community preferences for organ donation and allocation in Australia. This work will provide vital information on the Australian public's attitudes and preferences towards organ donation and allocation strategies, and inform the development of a national organ donation strategy that considers the public's preferences for different policies to increase organ donor rates. This project will directly address the National Research Priority of 'promoting and maintaining good health'; increasing the a ....Community preferences for organ donation and allocation in Australia. This work will provide vital information on the Australian public's attitudes and preferences towards organ donation and allocation strategies, and inform the development of a national organ donation strategy that considers the public's preferences for different policies to increase organ donor rates. This project will directly address the National Research Priority of 'promoting and maintaining good health'; increasing the availability of donor organs, and improving the equity and transparency of organ allocation in Australia will lead to improved health outcomes for patients on transplant waiting lists around Australia, and improved health outcomes for patients not previously eligible for transplant (e.g. some dialysis patients)Read moreRead less
Analysis of the Global Price Competitiveness of Tourism with particular reference to Australia. Price competitiveness is a key determinant of tourism flows, and this project will measure and explain global patterns in competitiveness. Building on earlier work by the investigators, it will expand the measures of competitiveness and develop a new method for measuring competitiveness in package tourism. Cross country differences in industry productivity are a primary reason why competitiveness di ....Analysis of the Global Price Competitiveness of Tourism with particular reference to Australia. Price competitiveness is a key determinant of tourism flows, and this project will measure and explain global patterns in competitiveness. Building on earlier work by the investigators, it will expand the measures of competitiveness and develop a new method for measuring competitiveness in package tourism. Cross country differences in industry productivity are a primary reason why competitiveness differs; productivity will be measured using input and output prices. Patterns in productivity will be analysed, and the hypothesis that productivity varies inversely with real incomes, observed in other service industries, will be tested.Read moreRead less
Climate change and energy policy: elements of a robust policy mix. The national benefits of the project lie directly in assisting Australia achieve significant emissions reductions (at least 60% by 2050) as part of the global effort to avoid dangerous climate change. This needs to be done in an effective, efficient and equitable manner that takes into account other national policy goals including those of the energy sector. There are clear benefits in developing a framework that can assist in cr ....Climate change and energy policy: elements of a robust policy mix. The national benefits of the project lie directly in assisting Australia achieve significant emissions reductions (at least 60% by 2050) as part of the global effort to avoid dangerous climate change. This needs to be done in an effective, efficient and equitable manner that takes into account other national policy goals including those of the energy sector. There are clear benefits in developing a framework that can assist in creating a policy mix that explicitly deals with the complementarities and trade-offs that arise in the interaction of the various policy instruments employed to achieve these multiple goals.Read moreRead less
Patient waiting times at public hospitals and the demand for private care. Public hospital waiting times compromise the objective of accessible health care for all Australians. Past policy focused on private insurance incentives to ease pressure on public hospitals. Current policy focuses on extra public provision. This will be the first Australian research to model the impact of waiting times on private health insurance and the choice between private and public hospital treatment. We will analy ....Patient waiting times at public hospitals and the demand for private care. Public hospital waiting times compromise the objective of accessible health care for all Australians. Past policy focused on private insurance incentives to ease pressure on public hospitals. Current policy focuses on extra public provision. This will be the first Australian research to model the impact of waiting times on private health insurance and the choice between private and public hospital treatment. We will analyse how waiting times differ by income, medical procedure and region, and quantify the benefits associated with different ways of reducing waiting lists. This research will provide an evidence base for effective policy design and lead to better targeting of health care investments.Read moreRead less