How is economic reform achieved?

On Tuesday 1 September 2026, the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research hosted its Inaugural Director’s Lecture. In her speech, Professor Beth Webster, who was appointed as Director and Ronald Henderson Chair in 2024, spoke on the topic of economic reform and how initial ideas move from concept into reality.

Published 17 Sep 2026

Christopher Hoy receives Paul Bourke Award for Early Career Research

We are thrilled to congratulate Dr Christopher Hoy on his recent achievement in being awarded The Paul Bourke Award for Early Career Research, recognising his outstanding contribution to social sciences research and public policy around the world.

Published 14 Sep 2026

For the first time, we’ve mapped where Australia's innovation really thrives

A new index charts Australian innovation across nearly two decades. It shows a country with real potential, and where we need to focus to realise it.

Published 11 Sep 2026

New Innovation Index maps Australia’s business innovation strengths

New research draws on 18 years of data to show where innovation activity is strongest across industries and regions and compares selected emerging technologies.

Published 11 Sep 2026

Reform wasn’t meant to be easy. Here’s how the battles for Medicare and child support defeated vested interests

Can you imagine Australia without Medicare, the age pension, or with 50% tariffs on imported goods such as cars, clothes and shoes? Institutions we take for granted now took many decades of agitating, fighting vested interests and staring down passive resistance to be created. This is the realpolitik of economics.

Published 10 Sep 2026

Consumer inflation expectations unchanged in September

The expected inflation rate (30-per-cent trimmed mean measure) was unchanged in September at 4.9 per cent.

Published 10 Sep 2026

Why health insurance cuts for the over‑65s won’t swamp public hospitals after all

The controversy surrounding the federal government’s plan to scrap extra private health insurance rebates for the over-65s continues. Not everyone agrees on the impact of the higher premiums, whether that’s the number of people set to cancel their cover or the impact on the public health system.

Published 10 Sep 2026

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.

Published 03 Sep 2026

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.

Published 31 Aug 2026

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.

Published 27 Aug 2026

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).

Published 27 Aug 2026

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.

Published 27 Aug 2026

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.

Published 19 Aug 2026

Call to modernise Australia’s private health insurance

In response to the Government’s Private Health Insurance Amendment (Modernising the Private Health Insurance Rebate) Bill 2026, the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research has prepared a submission supporting the removal of the higher private health insurance rebate for people aged 65 and older.

Published 13 Aug 2026

Vale Bill Evans (1950 - 2026)

Over the decades of his involvement with the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, Bill, as chief Economist of Westpac, was a valuable and respected collaborator. He was a terrific member of the Melbourne Institute Advisory Board and was responsible for a wonderful and enduring partnership with Westpac.

Published 12 Aug 2026

RBA pause likely to continue, inflation battle far from over

Published 11 Aug 2026

Health insurance rebates may change for the over‑65s. Our new study shows what to expect

Since the federal government announced earlier this year it would scrap the higher private health insurance rebate for people aged 65 and over, opponents have come out in force.

Published 07 Aug 2026

For the first time, the census will ask your sexual orientation. My new study shows why it matters

The change to this year’s census means for the first time, researchers will be able to examine how people’s health differs by sexual orientation across the whole population, not just in those living with a same-sex partner.

Published 03 Aug 2026

AI giants could get a free pass – and gut creators’ rights

Last week senator David Pocock alleged that the Albanese government was considering two competing proposals to change copyright policy for AI training.

Published 13 Jul 2026

Want to use health insurance in an emergency? Here’s what it does (and doesn’t) cover

In a medical emergency, Medicare is your primary safety net. You will get free care in every public hospital emergency department (and at urgent care clinics).

Published 09 Jul 2026