Robert Tanton

from Communities In Numbers

Bio

I am a trained economist, with experience in modelling the impact of policy, particularly on communities. My work so far has included advising the ACT Government on their wellbeing framework; developing a model of Jobseeker for The Australia Institute; modelling the impact of policy on indicators in the Youth Development Index; and developing a model of price increases in NSW with the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Over the last 18 years in academia, I have provided expert advice to the Productivity Commission on transitioning regional economies; provided community level modelling to RIRDC; Namoi Water; Scottsdale local council; and the Murray Darling Basin Authority; and have also developed innovative community modelling techniques which have been used to estimate poverty and housing stress for communities in Victoria (VCOSS); New South Wales (NCOSS); and the ACT (ACTCOSS).

After fifteen years at the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM) at the University of Canberra, and with five years from 2015 to 2020 as Director, in 2023 I left the University to run a new initiative which provides my demographic modelling and economic analysis skills to local councils, NGO’s and Government.

Areas of Expertise