Latest News
ESA Administration - Christmas and New Year
During the holiday period, ESA staff will be taking a short break and there will be limited administration coverage during this time and up to end January. The office will be staffed intermittently, so the response time to any enquiry may be a little slower than usual. If you need to get in touch, please email or leave a voicemail at 02 7228 9721.
Wishing all our members a wonderful holiday season and a happy and healthy 2026.
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.
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)
ACE 2026 - Hold the Date
ACE 2026 will be held in Canberra, ACT from 7-10 July 2026 at University of Canberra.
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
EVENT CHANGED: Casual economics catch-up!
Event Type: ESA Event
Date: Friday Jan 16, 2026, 5:00 pm
Event has been changed to be a catch-up. Come talk economics with fellow economics enthusiasts!
*Image is a picture I took while on holiday down the coast because finding a free to use 'economics' picture that doesn't involve money or a graph is more difficult than it should be.
Australia’s Soaring Electricity Prices: Causes, Consequences and Policy Choices
Event Type: ESA Event
Date: Thursday Jan 29, 2026, 12:00 pm
The Economic Society of Australia (Queensland) invites members, non-members and students to attend a lunchtime seminar examining Australia’s rapidly rising electricity prices and their implications for households, businesses and inflation.
Electricity prices have been a major contributor to CPI inflation in recent years, with significant flow-through effects on cost-of-living pressures, business competitiveness and public policy. This seminar will explore the key drivers of rising electricity prices.
The seminar will be presented by Aidan Morrison, Director of the Energy Program at the Centre for Independent Studies, followed by audience Q&A.
The event will be chaired by Gene Tunny, President of ESA QLD.
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Is Australia’s housing crisis really just about boosting supply?
Event Type: ESA Event
Date: Wednesday Feb 4, 2026, 12:30 pm
Join Professor Peter Abelson as he presents his latest work on the NSW Government’s new housing policies and what they mean for communities in Sydney and across the state.
In this session, Peter Abelson examines why additional dwellings may only have marginal price effects and challenges the idea that Australia’s housing crisis is simply about boosting supply.
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.
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The History of the Higher Education Contribution Scheme & The Role of Academics and Economics in Public Policy
Event Type: ESA Event
Date: Wednesday Feb 4, 2026, 5:30 pm
The Economic Society of Australia (SA Branch), in collaboration with the Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand, invites you to the first public event of 2026:
The History of the Higher Education Contribution Scheme & The Role of Academics and Economics in Public Policy – with Emeritus Professor Bruce Chapman
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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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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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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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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.
