HILDA Survey Research Conference 2026
HILDA CONFERENCE 2026 PROCEEDINGS
Thursday 1 and Friday 2 October
Academic Committee:
- Associate Professor Nicole Watson, , Co-Director, HILDA Survey, Melbourne Institute, University of Melbourne
- Professor Roger Wilkins, Co-Director, HILDA Survey, Melbourne Institute, University of Melbourne
- Professor Emeritus Mark Wooden, Honorary Fellow, Melbourne Institute, University of Melbourne
Best Paper Prize was awarded to:
Ms Man Hin Chio for her paper 'Disability, labour productivity and lifetime earnings- New evidence from Australia'.
Selection Committee:
- Dr Gianni La Cava, e61 Institute
- Professor Rachel ViforJ, Curtin University
- Professor Roger Wilkins, Melbourne Institute
Best Poster Prize was awarded to:
Mr Vahrun Mehta for his poster ‘Childcare subsidies and maternal employment: Evidence from Australian reforms’.
Selection Committee:
- Professor Peter Butterworth, Australian National University
- Professor Ann Evans, Australian National University
- Professor David Johnston, Monash University
Keunote presentations:
Longitudinal evidence on housing as a social determinant of health
Rebecca Bentley, The University of Melbourne
Drawing on longitudinal research, including extensive analysis of the HILDA dataset, this presentation demonstrates that housing affordability, stability, and quality significantly protect mental and physical health. The presentation makes an economic case that investing in healthy housing through rental standards, affordability support, and improved conditions would generate substantial health gains and cost savings.
Some economics of self-control
Deborah Cobb-Clark AO FASSA, The University of Sydney
This presentation explores the conceptual foundations of self-control in both psychology and economics, focusing on public policy insights and the new opportunities for quantifying and analysing self-control in the Australian context.
Papers Presented
| 1 | Presenter: Associate Professor Oyelola Adegboye, Charles Darwin University Two decades of hidden transitions: A joint latent Markov analysis of mental health and life satisfaction trajectories in Australia Co-Authors: Anton Pak (University of Queensland), Senfat Paula Malau-Aduli (James Cook University), Safat Page Malau-Aduli (James Cook University), Beena Suvarna (James Cook University), Theophilus I. Emeto (James Cook University), Alan Cass (Charles Darwin University), Tricia Nagel, (Charles Darwin University), Gillian Gorham (Charles Darwin University) Slides | |
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| 2 | Presenter: Dr Pelin Akyol, e61 Institute Working from home and fertility intentions: Evidence from Australia Slides | |
| 3 | Presenter: Mr Shah Alam, Monash University Early access to retirement savings and financial distress evidence from Australia’s COVID-19 policy Slides | |
| 4 | Presenter: Ms Lenah Ankliss, The University of Melbourne Intergenerational educational attainment and wage outcomes among migrants and Australian-born individuals Co-Author: Irma Mooi-Reci (The University of Melbourne) Slides | |
| 5 | Presenter: Dr Vandana Arya, Adelaide University From participation to problem gambling: Does financial literacy prevent harmful escalation? Co-Authors: Tony Cavoli (Adelaide University), Nirosha Wellalage (Adelaide University), Ilke Onur (Flinders University) Paper Slides | |
| 6 | Presenter: Dr Samia Badji, Monash University Does disability reshape who we are? Personality change following permanent disability onset Co-Authors: Gang Chen (The University of Melbourne), Michael Palmer (The University of Western Australia), Dennis Petrie (Monash University) Slides | |
| 7 | Presenter: Ms Lisa Becker, Deakin University Associations between the extent of working from home and health risk behaviours among Australian workers Co-Authors: Michael Wheeler (Deakin University), Paddy Dempsey (Deakin University), Genevieve Healy (Deakin University), David Dunstan (Deakin University) | |
| 8 | Presenter: Ms Harshita Bhatia, Melbourne Institute Do weekend workers like their jobs? Co-Authors: Inga Lass (Melbourne Institute), Mark Wooden (Melbourne Institute) | |
| 9 | Presenter: Dr Christina Bornatici, The University of Queensland From survey items to attitudinal profiles: Analytical choices in analysing multidimensional gender attitudes Co-Author: Janeen Baxter (The University of Queensland) Slides | |
| 10 | Presenter: Professor Robert Breunig, Australian National University Measuring the changing size of intergenerational transfers in the Australian tax and transfer system Co-Authors: Peter Varela (Australian National University), Matthew Smith (Australian National University) Paper Slides | |
| 11 | Presenter: Dr Sandra Buchler, The University of Queensland Who cares? Trends in the division of care among separated parents Co-Authors: Janeen Baxter (The University of Queensland), Barbara Broadway (Melbourne Institute), Razia H. Esufally (The University of Queensland) Slides | |
| 12 | Presenter: Ms Man Hin (Iris) Chio, Australian National University Disability, labour productivity and lifetime earnings- New evidence from Australia Co-Author: Chung Tran (Australian National University) Paper Slides | |
| 13 | Presenter: Dr Melek Cigdem-Bayram, Melbourne Institute Monetary and multidimensional poverty in Australia: Overlap, persistence and prediction Co-Author: Nicole Bieske (Brotherhood of St. Laurence) Slides | |
| 14 | Presenter: Professor William Clark, University of California, Los Angeles Life course events and decisions under duress: Disruptive events and their impact on migration, neighbourhood choices, and wellbeing Co-Author: Caroline R. Baumann (Walt Disney Imagineering) Paper | |
| 15 | Presenter: Mr Josh Clyne, e61 Institute Measurement error and the dynamics of consumption inequality Slides | |
| 16 | Presenter: Ms Lina Doan, Aalto Pty Ltd How successful are childcare subsidy reforms in promoting childcare usage and maternal employment in Australia? Paper Slides | |
| 17 | Presenter: Professor Michael Dockery, Curtin University Alignment of the low-SES equity target to higher education access: An assessment Paper - if you would like to read this paper, please email the author directly at m.dockery@curtin.edu.au Slides | |
| 18 | Presenter: Professor Ann Evans, Australian National University I think my father was a project manager: Reliability and validity of parental occupation and schooling measurement in the HILDA survey Co-Authors: Anna Reimondos (Australian National University), Edith Gray (Australian National University) Paper Slides | |
| 19 | Presenter: Professor Xiaodong Gong, University of Canberra Compatibility in personalities and non-cognitive skills and relationship dissolution in Australia Co-Authors: Ben Freyens (University of Canberra), Robert Breunig (Australian National University) Paper Slides | |
| 20 | Presenter: Dr Neta Hagani, The University of Sydney Have Australians become more lonely and socially isolated? A longitudinal analysis of the HILDA study Co-Authors: Philip Clare (The University of Sydney), Katherine Owen (The University of Sydney), Mengyun Luo (The University of Sydney), Daniel Surkalim (The University of Sydney), Karine Manera (The University of Sydney), Michelle Lim (The University of Sydney), Ben Smith (The University of Sydney), Philayrath Phongsavan (The University of Sydney), Ding Ding (The University of Sydney) Paper Slides | |
| 21 | Presenter: Mr Chi Minh Ho, The University of Western Australia Debts in the shadows: Informal borrowing and mental health in Australia Co-Authors: Jacqueline Birt (Charles Sturt University), David Gilchrist (The University of Western Australia), Lai Hoang (The University of Western Australia), Duc Vo (The University of Western Australia) Slides | |
| 22 | Presenter: Dr Lai Hoang, The University of Western Australia Cultural uncertainty avoidance and homeownership: Evidence from immigrants in Australia Co-Author: Trang Thu Phan (National Economics University, Vietnam) Paper Slides | |
| 23 | Presenter: Ms Yuqi Huang, University of Auckland The trade off between union wage gains and working time flexibility Co-Author: Sholeh Maani (University of Auckland), Haikun Zhan (University of Auckland) Paper Slides | |
| 24 | Presenter: Professor David Johnston, Monash University Does adversity build resilience? Childhood socioeconomic status and wellbeing dynamics in adulthood Co-Authors: Sundar Ponnusamy (Deakin University), Olena Stavrunova (University of Technology Sydney), Trong-Anh Trinh (Monash University) | |
| 25 | Presenter: Associate Professor Jan Kabátek, Melbourne Institute Fatherhood, wellbeing, and social isolation: Longitudinal evidence around the birth of a first child | |
| 26 | Presenter: Mr Md Rabiul Karim, Macquarie University The impact of paid parental leave on intra-household bargaining dynamics in Australia Co-Authors: Kompal Sinha (Macquarie University), Rebecca Mitchell (Macquarie University) | |
| 27 | Presenter: Dr Syed Afroz Keramat, The University of Melbourne Neighbourhood characteristics and mental health among Australian adults Co-Author: Cassidy Ekstrom (The University of Queensland) Paper Slides | |
| 28 | Presenter: Dr Inga Lass, Melbourne Institute Working from home and working time (mis)match Co-Authors: Heiko Ruger (BiB), Nico Stawarz (BiB) Slides | |
| 29 | Presenter: Dr Rennie Lee, The University of Queensland Health assimilation of Australian immigrants Co-Author: Janeen Baxter (The University of Queensland) Slides | |
| 30 | Presenter: Mr Mingji Liu, Economics Researcher The effect of acquiring disability on employment outcomes in Australia Co-Author: Oscar Lane (Economics Researcher) Slides | |
| 31 | Presenter: Dr Maximilian Longmuir, UNSW Sydney Cross-sectional representativeness in longitudinal surveys: Income distribution trends in HILDA Co-Author: Bruce Bradbury (UNSW Sydney) Paper Slides | |
| 32 | Presenter: Dr Kate Mason, The University of Melbourne Housing tenure as a structural determinant of sleep quality in Australia Co-Author: Rebecca Bentley (The University of Melbourne) | |
| 33 | Presenter: Mr Michael McLean, Finity Consulting / University of Newcastle Non-insurance in Australia and the effect of natural hazard risk Co-Author: Antonia Settle (Monash University) | |
| 34 | Presenter: Professor Francis Mitrou, The Kids Research Institute Australia Delving into the eye of the cyclone to quantify the causal impacts of natural disasters on life satisfaction Co-Author: Ha Nguyen (The Kids Research Institute Australia) Paper Slides | |
| 35 | Presenter: Mr Aaron Mollross, Australian National University Disability employment and working from home in Australia Paper Slides | |
| 36 | Presenter: Mr Jamie van Netten, Fair Work Commission Labour mobility of award-reliant employees Co-Author: Justin Strong (Fair Work Commission) Paper Slides | |
| 37 | Presenter: Dr Peter Ngigi, Deakin University The wellbeing implications of financial hardship: Entry, persistence, and recovery in Australia Co-Author: Campbell Heggen (Deakin University) Slides | |
| 38 | Presenter: Dr Ha Nguyen, The Kids Research Institute Australia The interplay between migration and residential insurance in response to natural disasters Co-Author: Francis Mitrou (The Kids Research Institute Australia) | |
| 39 | Presenter: Associate Professor Natalie Nitsche, Australian National University Do mental health declines contribute to falling fertility motivations? - A cohort analysis from Australia Co-Authors: Richard Morris (Australian National University), Edith Gray (Australian National University) Paper Slides | |
| 40 | Presenter: Associate Professor Natalie Nitsche, Australian National University Beyond the traditional-egalitarian continuum: Rethinking gender attitudes as multidimensional | |
| 41 | Presenter: Dr Ewa Orzechowska-Fischer, Department of Infrastructure Digital exclusion in Australia: Evidence from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey Co-Author: Luke Elliott (Department of Infrastructure) Paper Slides | |
| 42 | Presenter: Dr Sundar Ponnusamy, Deakin University Disaster exposure and household financial disruption Co-Author: David Johnston (Monash University) Paper | |
| 43 | Presenter: Dr Mei Qiu, Massey University The dynamics of household financial hardship - entry, duration, path and exit Co-Authors: Linh Thuy Pho (Massey University), Adnan Balloch (Massey University) Paper Slides | |
| 44 | Presenter: Ms Ha-Linh Quach, The University of Sydney Volunteering and trajectory of loneliness among older adults in Australia Co-Authors: Ben J. Smith (The University of Sydney), Michelle H. Lim (The University of Sydney), Philayrath Phongsavan (The University of Sydney) | |
| 45 | Presenter: Dr Alessio Rebechi, University of Tasmania Social Class Dynamics and Inequality of Opportunity: A Probalistic Approach Co-Authors: Maria Grazia Pittau (Sapienza University of Rome), Roberto Zelli (Sapienza University of Rome), Philippe Van Kerm (University of Luxembourg) | |
| 46 | Presenter: Dr Fikru Rizal, Monash University Social health dynamics around the onset of long-term health conditions Co-Authors: Lidia Engel (Monash University), Matthew Hamilton (Monash University), Sharon Clifford (Monash University), Michelle H. Lim(The University of Sydney), Cathrine Mihalopoulos (Monash University) Slides | |
| 47 | Presenter: Mr Md Mahmudul Hasan Sagar, The University of Queensland A healthy work–life balance is linked to good mental health: Longitudinal evidence from Australian workers Co-Authors: Syed Afroz Keramat (The University of Queensland), Rubayyat Hashmi (The University of Adelaide), Md. Mehedi Hasan (The University of Queensland), Abdullah Mamun (The University of Queensland) Paper Slides | |
| 48 | Presenter: Dr Suneha Seetahul, The University of Sydney Mapping generative AI exposure across Australia's ageing and gender-segregated workforce Co-Authors: Anya Bedi (The University of Sydney), Isabella Dabaja (The University of Sydney), Elsie Foeken (The University of Sydney), Laura Good (The University of Sydney) Paper Slides | |
| 49 | Presenter: Professor Anastasia Semykina, RMIT University Does work from home contribute to increased BMI and obesity? Evidence from Australian data Co-Author: Brenda Gannon (The University of Queensland) Paper Slides | |
| 50 | Presenter: Mr Md Ehsanul Haque Tamal, Murdoch University The long shadow of distress: Scarring effects of mental health episodes on Australian labour market trajectories, 2001–2023 Co-Authors: Kamrul Hassan (Murdoch University), Dominic Gasbarro (Murdoch University), Khurshid Alam (Murdoch University) Slides | |
| 51 | Presenter: Mr Derek Tong, Melbourne Institute Beyond parental absence: Parental divorce, bereavement, and illicit drug use in Australia | |
| 52 | Presenter: Associate Professor Nicole Watson, Melbourne Institute HILDA immigrant top-up sample Slides | |
| 53 | Presenter: Ms Emily Woodthorpe, Australian National University Fertility intentions are declining among young Australians with each subsequent birth cohort Co-Authors: Richard Morris (Australian National University), Natalie Nitsche (Australian National University), Edith Gray (Australian National University) | |
Posters Presented
| 1 | Presenter: Rachael Dooley, HealthAbility Division of paid and unpaid work in families with children Co-Author: Barbara Broadway (Melbourne Institute) | |
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| 2 | Presenter: Dorina Kalkum, Roy Morgan Improving Consent to Data Linkage in Longitudinal Household Surveys, Melbourne InstituteCo-Authors: Tania Bellofiore (Roy Morgan), Christine Maddern (Roy Morgan) | |
| 3 | Presenter: Gagandeep Kaur, The University of Melbourne Improving affordability of Oral Healthcare Through Income and Financial Hardship Interventions: A Longitudinal Modified Treatment Policy Analysis Co-Authors: Upul Coorayb (The University Sydney) Tania Kingd (RMIT University), Amalia Karahaliosa (The University of Melbourne), Ankur Singhb (The University of Sydney) | |
| 4 | Presenter: Ruby King, Productivity Commission Oh to be young again? Understanding the decline in wellbeing among young Australians Co-Author: Yolanda Grift (Utrecht University) | |
| 5 | Presenter: Varun Mehta, The University of Western Australia Childcare Subsidies and Maternal Employment Evidence from Australian Reforms | |
| 6 | Presenter: Aaron Mollross, Australian National University Who still works from home? The changing traits of remote workers | |
| 7 | Presenter: Ha Linh Quach, The University of Sydney The roles we play: Informal social role profiles and association with chronic loneliness and social isolation Co-Authors: Ben J. Smith (The University of Sydney), Michelle H. Lim (The University of Sydney), Philayrath Phongsavan The University of Sydney) | |
| 8 | Presenter: Ruoran Wang, The University of Sydney The Effect of House Price Shocks on Individual Divorce Risk in Australia Co-Authors: Kadir Atalay (The University of Sydney), Luke Hartigan (The University of Sydney), Stephen Whelan (The University of Sydney) | |
| 9 | Presenter: Yitian Wang, Monash University The Effect of Extreme Wildfire Exposure on Energy Poverty: Evidence from Australia’s Black Saturday Bushfires Co-Author: Russell Smyth (Monash University) | |