Latest News
An Evolving Record
A Centennial History of The Economic Society of Australia, Alex Millmow
This centennial history of the Economic Society of Australia is much more than an administrative record. It’s the story of how the Society has evolved since 1925 against a background of rapidly changing trends in the Australian economics profession and profound changes within the economy.
ACE 2026 - Hold the Date
ACE 2026 will be held in Canberra, ACT from 7-10 July 2026 at University of Canberra and will cover a full range of topical economic issues. It is targeted at economists in academe, government and business and will cover Climate change and environmental externalities; Challenges in social policy; How government can best implement policies in an environment of declining trust and misinformation; and Contemporary economic issues such as raising productivity and tax reform. The conference will feature plenary sessions with international speakers and concurrent sessions with domestic presenters.
Up-skilling is the best way to boost productivity: leading economists
Poll 68
Australia's top economists overwhelmingly believe there’s no better way to boost productivity than to boost skills. Offered a choice of seven measures identified by the Economic Society of Australia as candidates for achieving the Treasurer’s aim of boosting Australia’s historically low rate of productivity growth, 26 of the 45 economists polled picked boosting skills and workforce capability, almost twice as many as picked the next most-popular option: promoting innovation and research and development.
Responses (43)
The Economic Record: From infancy to lusty stripling
They say that the wheels of academia turn slowly. Well, consider this. In August 1925 the Economic Society of Australia and New Zealand came into formal existence after branches had already been established in six Australian states and four major cities of New Zealand.
Awards 2025
A number of prestigious awards were bestowed upon worthy economists at ACE2025 which held in Sydney during July.
Economists eye costs of a failed energy transition
Poll 67
Poll finds support for aligning net zero, reliability and price,
Peter Martin
Responses (996)
Trump's impact on the Australian Economy
Poll 66
Top economists say Trump’s policies will hit Australian economic growth and push up inflation and interest rates in the US.
Responses (38)
Housing Reform
Poll 65
Panellists are unanimous in believing Australia’s housing market is in crisis.
Offered a choice of 14 measures identified by the Economic Society of Australia as likely to restrain prices for buyers and renters, none of the 49 leading economists polled picked: “do nothing, the market will determine appropriate prices”.
Responses (967)
Unreserved - RBA's latest release of digitised archival records
The latest tranche of archival records has been released in the Bank’s digital archive, Unreserved. It includes early economic analysis conducted by the central bank from 1930 to 1970.
Events
AGEW 2026
Event Type: WEN event
Date: Wednesday Feb 11, 2026, 12:00 am
The Australian Gender Economics Workshop (AGEW) is a premier conference dedicated to advancing gender economics in Australia. Now in its ninth year, AGEW is held in collaboration with the Women in Economics Network (WEN), and brings together a diverse mix of scholars and policymakers from both Australia and abroad.
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Eminent Speaker Series: Prof. Alan Manning - ONLINE ONLY
Event Type: ESA Event
Date: Wednesday Feb 11, 2026, 8:00 am
Immigration policy is hard, involving difficult decisions and trade-offs. But, as Alan Manning – former chair of the UK's Migration Advisory Committee – makes clear, this doesn't mean that we can't do much better.
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Start the year with a walk & a chat
Event Type: ESA Event
Date: Friday Feb 13, 2026, 7:30 am
Start the year with a walk & a chat
We are kicking off the year with another YEN Morning Walk — a relaxed way to reconnect, meet fellow economists, and ease back into the year.
No presentations. No pressure.
Just a casual walk, good conversation, and fresh air with students and early-career economists.
Andrew Leigh: The Shortest History of Innovation official book launch
Event Type: Wide/Public Interest
Date: Tuesday Feb 17, 2026, 12:00 pm
Join us at this Melbourne launch of Andrew Leigh's latest book: The Shortest History of Innovation.
For further details and registration please click here.
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Confessions of an Economics Editor: the five decade rise and stall of Australian prosperity
Event Type: ESA Event
Date: Tuesday Feb 17, 2026, 5:30 pm
Michael Stutchbury has spent most of his professional life charting the political economy of Australian prosperity for Australia's two national daily newspapers. The narrative begins with the surprising excitement of the 1960s mining boom and proceeds through the stagflation of the 1970s, the neo-liberal Labor reform revolution of the 1980s, the productivity dividend of the 1990s and then the unexpected China boom of the 2000s. But it peaked with the $US180 a tonne iron ore price in 2011 and 2012. Since then it has been slowly declining.
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Why do people make choices that look “irrational”?
Event Type: ESA Event
Date: Wednesday Feb 18, 2026, 12:30 pm
Professor Tymula will examine why people often make financial choices that look “irrational” - avoiding the stock market, struggling with complex offers, or freezing when there are too many options - even when they want to do better? Professor Tymula will share the research from her groups suggesting that many of these behaviours are not flaws in our character or preferences, but the predictable result of how a limited brain tries to navigate a complicated economic world.
This is a hybrid event - join in-person at 123 Pitt St, Sydney or Online. Please let us know how you plan to attend when registering.
The timing of this event is AEDT (SYD/CBR/MEL)
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WEN-NSW Coffee Roulette - 2026
Date: Thursday Feb 19, 2026, 12:00 am
We are thrilled to announce the 2026 edition of the NSW Women in Economics Network (WEN) Coffee Roulette program. After a successful inaugural run in 2024, we are excited to continue this initiative designed to strengthen connections and foster a vibrant community among women economists in NSW.
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Transport Economics - Where are we headed?
Event Type: ESA Event
Date: Thursday Feb 26, 2026, 5:30 pm
From: Australian Capital Territory
You are invited to a book launch of Dr Cameron Gordon's latest book:
Transport Economics: Understanding transport economics through economic first principles
Transport economics in its most widely applied form is drawn from an elaborated system of theory, (typically labelled neoclassical economics), which models the choice of whether to engage in transport or not; and also the closely related choice of where to locate activity.
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Meet the Author
Event Type: Partner Event
Date: Thursday Feb 26, 2026, 6:00 pm
From: Australian Capital Territory
ESA members are invited to attend the ANU event - Meet the author.
Dr Andrew Leigh will be in conversation with Anna -Maria Arabia on his new book The Shortest History of Innovation.
This event is free but registration is required
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Alumni Evenings with Associate Professor Onur Ozgur
Event Type: Wide/Public Interest
Date: Friday Feb 27, 2026, 5:30 pm
Join us for the first Alumni Evenings event of the year with Associate Professor Onur Ozgur.
Associate Professor Ozgur will discuss "the value of connections in business and in life". Onur will give you a taste of the insights drawn from decades of research into the power of connections in business and in life.
For further details and registration please click here.
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ABARES Outlook Conference
Event Type: Partner Event
Date: Monday Mar 2, 2026, 12:00 am
ABARES Outlook 2026 will be held over two days with two ways to participate. Both experiences will feature a dynamic program with influential speakers and panellists from industry and government. A mix of sessions will keep delegates engaged including keynote presentations, fireside chats, panels, and a debate on day two.
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WEN Event: A conversation with Danielle Wood, Chair of the Productivity Commission
Date: Thursday Mar 5, 2026, 12:00 pm
Join us for an insightful Q&A with Danielle Wood, Chair of the Productivity Commission (PC), as we discuss the lessons she has learned throughout her career, with advice for those who are just starting theirs.
Before joining the PC, Danielle was CEO of the Grattan Institute and Head of its Budgets and Government Program. In this role she was, as as one reporter put it, "one of the most visible and highly regarded economists in the country".
She has served on several key national advisory bodies and previously held senior roles at the ACCC and NERA Economic Consulting.
Danielle is also an Honorary Fellow and former President of the Economic Society of Australia, and co-founder of the Women in Economics Network.
The Q&A will be chaired by Jennifer Fish, Partner, Econic Partners LLC.
📍 In Person Only: Level 23, The Great Room, 85 Castlereagh Street, Sydney
This event is exclusive to WEN members, with limited in-person places available.
Attendees will enjoy a light lunch from 11.40am while connecting and networking with fellow participants.
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Search Smarter, Dig Deeper: Tips and Traps in Literature search with AI
Event Type: ESA Event
Date: Wednesday Mar 11, 2026, 12:30 pm
Join Professor Christopher Gibbs for a practical session on how to critically assess research and navigate today’s crowded evidence landscape.
The session will cover standards of evidence and how to assess confidence in research findings, along with practical guidance on how to follow a body of literature and identify credible summaries. It will also explore how to spot predatory journals and understand pay-to-play risks, as well as how to evaluate industry and government reports for potential bias. Participants will learn how to distinguish seminal papers from outdated research and how to use AI tools effectively to support literature reviews.
This is a hybrid event - join in-person at 123 Pitt St, Sydney or Online. Please let us know how you plan to attend when registering.
The timing of this event is AEDT (SYD/CBR/MEL)
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4th PhD Summer Institute in International Trade & Industrial Organisation
Event Type: Wide/Public Interest
Date: Thursday Mar 19, 2026, 9:00 am
The 4th PhD Summer Institute in International Trade & Industrial Organisation (PhDSI 2026) will be hosted by Deakin Business School, Deakin University on 19th March 2026 in Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
For further details please click here.
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Society for Experimental Finance Asia-Pacific Conference 2026
Event Type: Wide/Public Interest
Date: Wednesday Apr 8, 2026, 9:00 am
The Department of Banking and Finance in the Monash Business School is pleased to invite you to attend our conference, bringing together researchers in experimental and behavioral finance for a focused one-day program. The conference will feature Professor Hazel Bateman as keynote speaker, alongside presentations of cutting-edge research by scholars from across the region.
This event provides a dedicated platform for sharing new ideas, discussing innovative methodologies, and fostering collaboration within the experimental and behavioral finance community.
For further details and registration please click here.
View...LGBTQ+ Economists and Allies in Asia-Pacific (LEAP) Summit
Event Type: Wide/Public Interest
Date: Wednesday May 13, 2026, 12:00 pm
The LEAP Summit will provide a platform for voices and issues that are underrepresented in global LGBTQ+ and economic discussions, with a shared commitment to advancing LGBTQ+ equity in workplaces, markets, and society.
Over two days, the LEAP Summit will showcase leading applied and empirical research, facilitate knowledge exchange between researchers, decision makers, and community organisations, with the aim of fostering lasting networks.
For further details and registration please click here.
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IEA World Congress, Belgrade
Event Type: Partner Event
Date: Monday Jun 22, 2026, 12:00 am
Welcome
Welcome to the National website of the Economic Society of Australia (The Society). The Society is primarily concerned with promoting discussion and debate of economic issues within Australia.
