Data analytics sharpens development policy in the Pacific and Timor-Leste

Development policy depends on data. But collecting data is only the first step. Its real value comes from careful analysis that shows where problems are most severe, who is being left behind and which policy responses are most likely to work.

Published 01 May 2026

‘No gap’ private health insurance can save you money. But there’s a catch

Reducing out-of-pocket health-care costs ultimately requires a public policy fix. “No gap” and “known gap” schemes may be useful. But they are a workaround to reduce out-of-pocket health-care costs – not a solution.

Published 30 Apr 2026

What does disadvantage look like in Australia? New research shows who’s struggling most

Disadvantage is a concept that goes beyond income poverty to encompass people’s outcomes, including deprivation and social exclusion. So what does disadvantage look like in Australia today?

Published 28 Apr 2026

Empirical evidence provides hope for changing the life trajectories of children experiencing significant adversity

University of Melbourne researchers will gather in Canberra today to present new findings from the Early Years Education Program (EYEP) Replication Trial, which will inform the national reform agenda for the early childhood (EC) system.

Published 28 Apr 2026

Economics

What does disadvantage look like in Australia?

The Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee updated the 2013 Productivity Commission report with newer data from HILDA.

Published 24 Apr 2026

Is Australia’s immigration rate too high?

Australia’s immigration program has become increasingly contentious, with “mass migration” blamed for the housing crisis, street violence and antisemitism. Does immigration go against our national interest, or is it essential in preventing Australia’s population from ageing such that there are too few working-age people to support older Australians?

Published 16 Apr 2026

Soaring petrol prices are hurting more than your wallet

For car-dependent Australians, petrol isn't just a household expense, it's a lifeline. As the fuel crisis deepens, rising prices don't just strain budgets, they hit our wellbeing hard.

Published 02 Apr 2026

Experts call for targeted reforms to boost Australian productivity

In a recent Flash Forum on productivity growth, leading Australian economists and policy experts outlined key areas for reform to drive our nation's economic future.

Published 30 Mar 2026

A sure way to keep our nation driving: make polluters pay

Australia cannot drill its way to fuel security. A Polluter Pays Levy can help fund the transition to EVs and green fuels while protecting households from future oil shocks.

Published 27 Mar 2026

As regular Australians struggle, gas companies are making massive profits and paying minimal tax. It is perverse

Australia’s gas belongs to all of us. The benefits should be shared fairly rather than hoarded by companies that pay some of the lowest taxes in the world.

Published 25 Mar 2026

Atlassian hits the AI wall

The co-founders of Atlassian, both long time advocates it seems of complete tech freedom from regulation, are now confronted with AI seriously threatening their business. What are we to make of this when we are considering policy for AI and big tech?  The answer depends on whether we are seeing genuine “creative destruction”, and so productivity gains, or an exercise mainly in economic rent extraction.

Published 20 Mar 2026

Making Specialist Care Within Reach: Policy Levers for Equity

Academics, decision-makers and industry leaders gathered in Canberra on Tuesday 17 March for the Public Economics Forum, to discuss the structural drivers of fee growth and access inequities in Australia’s healthcare system based on decision-relevant, independent research.

Published 19 Mar 2026

Pricing pollution unlocks investment in the energy transition

Rod Sims has delivered a speech to the 2026 Clean Energy Investor Conference, speaking about how we make the energy transition bankable. A bankable transition requires bankable policy – and that means a price on carbon.

Published 12 Mar 2026

RBA expected to raise interest rates in March in response to existing inflation pressure and rising inflation expectations

Published 12 Mar 2026

How Indigenous business enterprise is rewriting Australian economics

Indigenous businesses employ 135,000 people and provide one in five jobs for Aboriginal workers – but is government procurement policy missing the mark?

Published 06 Mar 2026

There is nothing creative about AI not paying for news content

It is untenable for most people to get their media stories from AI and expect Australian media businesses to produce these stories without the revenue to cover the cost.

Published 25 Feb 2026

Don’t be gaslit on climate. There’s no going back on this energy transition

As energy and climate return to the political debate, we should ground the discussion in data rather than rhetoric.

Published 20 Feb 2026

Steel town Whyalla left in limbo

Opting for gas over green iron would undermine Australia's climate targets and squander Whyalla's unique advantages.

Published 20 Feb 2026

How to make specialists’ fees fair? It’ll take more than a revamped website

To ensure a health system that is truly fair, we must address the underlying economics of specialist pricing and ensure Medicare remains a guarantee of affordable care, not just a small discount on an ever-rising bill.

Published 19 Feb 2026

Real wages have gone backwards. Even earning $100,000 isn’t what it used to be

Many people are feeling the pinch of inflation when paying their rent, groceries, insurance, child care and other costs. That’s why even a decent pay rise can be underwhelming. Because inflation doesn’t just squeeze budgets. It quietly moves the goalposts.

Published 18 Feb 2026