Australia's leading applied economic and social research institute
The Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research has worked for over 60 years to advance opportunity, equity, and prosperity in Australia and our region. Our world-class economists conduct rigorous, independent research and analysis, providing an evidence base for effective policy reform. We are a trusted partner for governments, industry, and communities, working to solve the complex challenges of our time.
News
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Carrot or stick? What separating Australia’s health insurance penalty from its subsidy reveals about smarter tax design
The Australian government uses both a carrot and a stick to encourage people to buy private health insurance (PHI). The carrot is a premium subsidy for people who buy PHI (the PHI Rebate), costing $7.6 billion a year. The stick is a tax penalty (the Medicare Levy Surcharge, or MLS) applied to higher earners who don’t purchase it.
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Monthly inflation rose in August
The Melbourne Institute Monthly Inflation Gauge increased for a second consecutive month in August, after falling in May and June.
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Per-capita recession likely — too early to call
GDP per capita fell by 0.1 per cent in the March quarter. Nevertheless, the per capita expansion is dated as having continued in the March quarter.
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Third and Final Nowcast in the June Quarter 2026 is 0.2 per cent
The Melbourne Institute anticipates that Australian economic growth in the June quarter is likely to be weak (0.2 per cent).
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Indexes again suggest modest growth prospects across the states
The latest Melbourne Institute State Leading Indexes of Economic Activity show improvements in growth prospects in NSW, VIC, SA, WA and TAS, but a material weakening in QLD.
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Consumer inflation expectations increased in August
The expected inflation rate (30-per-cent trimmed mean measure) rose by 0.2 percentage points in August to 4.9 per cent.
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SERD is a welcome overhaul of the innovation ecosystem
The Melbourne Institute welcomes the Department of Industry, Science and Resources SERD report, which has undertaken a strategic examination of our research and development system.
