Labour Market and Health Dynamics of Australia's Front Line Workers. Australia’s front line workers are there in times of greatest need, but face significant health risks. These risks are expected to increase with the predicted growth in natural disasters, and these concerns have been heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic. This project will apply econometric methods to population-based administrative data to study (1) the determinants and patterns of recruitment and retention into these occupation ....Labour Market and Health Dynamics of Australia's Front Line Workers. Australia’s front line workers are there in times of greatest need, but face significant health risks. These risks are expected to increase with the predicted growth in natural disasters, and these concerns have been heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic. This project will apply econometric methods to population-based administrative data to study (1) the determinants and patterns of recruitment and retention into these occupations, (2) how labour market and health outcomes are impacted by exposure to major disasters; and (3) the impact of the pandemic on labour market and health outcomes. The project will provide insights that can inform policies designed to protect the health of front line workers and meet future workforce demands.Read moreRead less
Government, Institutions and Economic Activity: A Long Term Analysis. Using national and regional data for 30 to 50 countries over multiple centuries, this project will examine the effects of itemised government expenditure and revenue on productivity, investment, saving, labour force participation and research and development. The results are expected to shed light on the macroeconomic effects of different revenue and spending categories (education, transfers, and so on). In addition, the proje ....Government, Institutions and Economic Activity: A Long Term Analysis. Using national and regional data for 30 to 50 countries over multiple centuries, this project will examine the effects of itemised government expenditure and revenue on productivity, investment, saving, labour force participation and research and development. The results are expected to shed light on the macroeconomic effects of different revenue and spending categories (education, transfers, and so on). In addition, the project aims to determine which factors have been responsible for the increase of government size over the past two centuries. The results aim to further reveal which government revenue and expenditure items are most conducive to economic welfare and growth.Read moreRead less
Modelling health: Reporting behaviour and misclassification using survey data. Empirical models based on large scale survey data sets are used by health economists to inform policymakers. However, in the case of sensitive topics, a potential for survey misreporting may lead to inaccurate estimates of aberrant behaviours. To date, little work has been done analysing the extent and consequences of inaccurate reporting, especially within health economics. By addressing areas where potential for mis ....Modelling health: Reporting behaviour and misclassification using survey data. Empirical models based on large scale survey data sets are used by health economists to inform policymakers. However, in the case of sensitive topics, a potential for survey misreporting may lead to inaccurate estimates of aberrant behaviours. To date, little work has been done analysing the extent and consequences of inaccurate reporting, especially within health economics. By addressing areas where potential for misinformation is high, the overall quality of results will be enhanced. This research will be submitted to highly ranked health economics and econometrics journals to be made available to relevant policymakers intent on ensuring a healthy society.Read moreRead less
Storage and the Hotelling Valuation Principle: Understanding the Dynamics of the Oil Industry. Understanding the economics of the oil market is important for understanding the shift toward smaller, more fuel-efficient motor vehicles and less fuel-intensive farming techniques. A better understanding of fundamental oil price processes will lead to more accurate oil price forecasting and hence more accurate pricing of oil derivatives (options, futures and swaps) and improved risk management (e.g. ....Storage and the Hotelling Valuation Principle: Understanding the Dynamics of the Oil Industry. Understanding the economics of the oil market is important for understanding the shift toward smaller, more fuel-efficient motor vehicles and less fuel-intensive farming techniques. A better understanding of fundamental oil price processes will lead to more accurate oil price forecasting and hence more accurate pricing of oil derivatives (options, futures and swaps) and improved risk management (e.g. airlines hedging the cost of their jet fuel needs). Read moreRead less
Growth, Trade, and Economic Development in Asia. Future growth in Asia has strong implications for growth, relative wages, skill levels, human capital accumulation and trade in Australia. This project seeks to gain insight into whether the high economic growth rates experienced in Asia will continue into the future and whether low income Asian countries will take off in the future. This information will be used to simulate future demand for skills, relative wages, trade and the incentives to inv ....Growth, Trade, and Economic Development in Asia. Future growth in Asia has strong implications for growth, relative wages, skill levels, human capital accumulation and trade in Australia. This project seeks to gain insight into whether the high economic growth rates experienced in Asia will continue into the future and whether low income Asian countries will take off in the future. This information will be used to simulate future demand for skills, relative wages, trade and the incentives to invest in Australia and give insight into the effects of various policies in Australia on educational decision, skill composition, relative wages, trade and growth.Read moreRead less
Restoring State income taxation in Australia. This project aims to investigate the many design and implementation issues that would need addressing if State income taxation was restored in Australia. This issue has been debated for many decades since the Commonwealth assumed responsibility for income tax collection in 1942 as a wartime measure. The project’s highly innovative approach will involve interdisciplinary and comparative research, involving Australia, Canada, and the United States ....Restoring State income taxation in Australia. This project aims to investigate the many design and implementation issues that would need addressing if State income taxation was restored in Australia. This issue has been debated for many decades since the Commonwealth assumed responsibility for income tax collection in 1942 as a wartime measure. The project’s highly innovative approach will involve interdisciplinary and comparative research, involving Australia, Canada, and the United States and as well as an analysis of tax sharing arrangements in Germany. This project will contribute to understanding the policy issues associated with States access to revenue sources and provision of key social services.Read moreRead less
Inequality and economic growth. This project aims to identify forces driving inequality. Piketty’s influential book, Capital in the 21st Century, stimulated research on inequality to address the increased public concern about inequality and its side-effects such as reduced growth. Piketty proposes three laws that explain and predict inequality paths over time, but there is no empirical evidence or theoretical foundations for these laws. This project will examine Piketty’s laws and investigate fa ....Inequality and economic growth. This project aims to identify forces driving inequality. Piketty’s influential book, Capital in the 21st Century, stimulated research on inequality to address the increased public concern about inequality and its side-effects such as reduced growth. Piketty proposes three laws that explain and predict inequality paths over time, but there is no empirical evidence or theoretical foundations for these laws. This project will examine Piketty’s laws and investigate factors that shape inequality and its relation to growth. This knowledge should enable Australian governments to reduce inequality and benefit economic growth, thereby reducing disadvantage and building stronger, more resilient communities.Read moreRead less
The econometrics of gravity models of trade: a re-assessment. This research will lead a much greater understanding of the empirical determinants of trade flows between countries. This project will apply cutting-edge data econometric techniques to the popular Gravity model of international trade flows. These more appropriate techniques will shed more light on some previous puzzling findings, such that regional trade agreements had little, or no, affect on trade.
Stochastic Geometry for Multi-sensor Data Fusion System. The aim of this project is to develop efficient algorithms for tracking and sensor management in a multi-sensor multi-target environment. Finite random set theory provides a natural way of representing a random number of (random) object states, an issue that has been largely ignored in the tracking literature until recently. Although a satisfactory foundation for multiple object filtering has been provided by random set theory, in this ear ....Stochastic Geometry for Multi-sensor Data Fusion System. The aim of this project is to develop efficient algorithms for tracking and sensor management in a multi-sensor multi-target environment. Finite random set theory provides a natural way of representing a random number of (random) object states, an issue that has been largely ignored in the tracking literature until recently. Although a satisfactory foundation for multiple object filtering has been provided by random set theory, in this early stage no algorithm capable of tracking many targets has emerged from this framework. We are confident that efficient algorithms can be developed by exploiting the insights and mathematical tools of stochastic geometryRead moreRead less
Emerging transport technologies: finding new practices in urban governance. This project will explore the rapidly changing political economy of Australia’s urban transport systems as private companies deploy new technologies. Many new and existing policy instruments are available to governments to manage this difficult technological transition. In-depth case studies of emerging policy responses in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney will be set in the context of fast-moving international developments. T ....Emerging transport technologies: finding new practices in urban governance. This project will explore the rapidly changing political economy of Australia’s urban transport systems as private companies deploy new technologies. Many new and existing policy instruments are available to governments to manage this difficult technological transition. In-depth case studies of emerging policy responses in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney will be set in the context of fast-moving international developments. This work will deliver new insights into the design and use of better instruments for policy, planning and governance to meet the needs of businesses and the public and to ensure that the potential benefits of the new technologies are fully realised in Australian cities. Read moreRead less