Edited by the Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University of Technology

New Research

Evidence and perceptions of inequality in Australia

15 March 2010This paper considers the ways in which globalising economic forces have affected the level of income and wealth inequality within Australian society.

The economic vitality report: the impact of the GFC on Australians

15 March 2010Althrough the global financial crisis proved to be more of a slowdown than a recession in Australia and that the economy improved throughout 2009, this report finds that more people felt their personal circumstances had declined.

From the margins to the mainstream: the challenges for microfinance in Australia

09 March 2010This report on research undertaken by the Brotherhood and Community Foresters Finance draws on the literature and stakeholder consultation to explore microfinance in Australia, highlighting the need to achieve sustainability, scale up successful pilot programs and measure impact on financial exclusion.

Targeting scams

08 March 2010More than 20,000 scam reports were made to the ACCC in 2009, an approximate increase of 16 per cent compared with 2008. This report explains key trends in scam activity and highlights the impact of scams on the community.

Issues consultation paper: Food Labelling Law and Policy Review

08 March 2010Various reviews of the food regulation system suggest that food labelling has been an ongoing issue of concern for the food industry, consumers and government. This paper summarises issues raised in the current review of labelling.
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Business & finance

Income & wealth

Rates of return to university education: the regression discontinuity design

15 March 2010This paper develops a model to estimate the value of returning to a university degree and the causal effect of a university education on earnings in China.

Commentary

Clear signal of need for change to TV licence fees

22 February 2010A makeover is long overdue, writes Julian Thomas in the Australian

Central banks could learn more from experience

17 February 2010While the lessons of the 1970s and 1980s had been learned well, it seems that little or nothing has been learned from the failures of the past decade, writes John Quiggin

From queue to pool: skilled migration gets a makeover

11 February 2010Peter Mares analyses the latest changes to Australia’s migration program for Inside Story
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Audio

2009 in review

Listen to audio
04 December 2009On 2 December members of the Lowy Institute research team gave their perspectives on politics, economics and other international events in 2009.

When boring became sexy: lessons from the global financial crisis for middle powers

Listen to audio
05 November 2009This presentation addresses the significant role that public policy plays in responding to the global financial crisis and what this might mean for the institutions of global economic governance such as the IMF, G8, and G20.

Employment

The effectiveness of the traineeship model

12 March 2010The traineeship model is currently targeted at a broader group of people compared with the original target group of young unemployed persons as envisaged by the Kirby Enquiry.

Video

Governing the economy: Fiscal policy

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14 December 2009At this symposium, Treasury Secretary Ken Henry discusses the role and direction of fiscal policy in a changing economic landscape.

A new regulator for the ASX

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31 August 2009Australia's financial watchdog, Australian Securities and Investiment Commission, to take over regulatory duties of the Australian Securities Exchange from 2010.

Economic policy

Beyond corporate responsibility: the 'spiritual turn' and the rise of conscious business

15 March 2010This paper asks whether the Corporate Responsibility movement can transform business practices enough to assist society address key human and environmental sustainability challenges.

Websites

Research papers in economics (RePEc

08 October 2009Research Papers in Economics) is a collaborative effort of hundreds of volunteers in 68 countries to enhance the dissemination of research in economics. The heart of the project is a decentralized database of working papers, journal articles and software components. All RePEc material is freely available.

Ketupa.net

25 September 2009 This site profiles major media groups in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Caslon Analytics

25 September 2009This site concerns the intersection of law, digital technology, business and society in Australia and beyond.

Most viewed: This week

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Framework for measuring wellbeing: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, 2010
2
Australian workforce futures: a national workforce development strategy
3
Do employers discriminate by gender? A field experiment in female-dominated occupations
4
Accounting for the cost of carbon: Price for small and medium business not sky high
5
Demography as destiny: Schooling, work and Aboriginal population change at Wadeye

Jobs

Events

Seminar
A 21st century infrastructure?: Broadband, daily life and an Australian digital economy
16 Mar 2010 - 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Melbourne
Conference
Indigenous Land Management with Economic Development
24 Mar 2010 - 9:00am - 25 Mar 2010 - 5:30am
Darwin
Conference
ACOSS National Conference 2010: A vote for equity
25 Mar 2010 - 9:00am - 26 Mar 2010 - 5:00pm
Canberra

Books

Introducing China: the world's oldest great power charts its next comeback

Introducing China: the world's oldest great power charts its next comeback

  • Ron Huisken
  • ANU E Press
China's transformation has been patiently, methodically and very deliberately constructed by a leadership group that has equally carefully protected its monopoly on power.
Best Australian political cartoons 2009

Best Australian political cartoons 2009

  • Edited by Russ Radcliffe
  • Scribe Publications
The year in politics as seen by Australia’s funniest and most perceptive political cartoonists.

Noticeboard

Invitation to collaborate on research
03 July 2009

Beyond mainstream thinking and easy answers, the Australian Business Foundation is looking at the issues that set a new agenda for the future competitiveness of Australian businesses.

Policy Guides

Topics

APO