Understanding the economic implications underlying demographic trends is crucial for shaping economic policies associated with growing the economy, increasing workforce participation, and developing workforce capability to meet projected population needs. This is a special webinar to celebrate WEN SA’s collaboration with WEN’s NT counterpart.

What has our experience with COVID-19 taught us about the best ways for government to respond to future crises? How can budget policy best respond? Are some types of interventions a lot more cost-effective than others? What policies could we prepare to quickly roll out to respond to a future crisis (even if we don’t yet know what that crisis will be)? Can we prepare for any differential effects of a crisis on each gender? What steps do we need to take (such as new types of data collection) in order to respond quickly and affordably to a crisis?

The value of placing a “gender lens” on economic policy and budget design is gaining stronger attention in the Australian policy environment.

In early 2022, NSW WEN announced a writing competition to empower female voices in economics. The competition is part of the Credible Economist blog series.

Members were invited to this national panel discussion on an independent review of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). Both major parties have committed to a broad-based and independent review, and it has been recommended by the OECD and IMF.

Join ESA President, Danielle Wood, in a short online ceremony for the presentation of the 2021 Annual Economic Society Awards and Prizes. Each year the Economic Society of Australia offers four awards at the national level to honour distinguished Australian economists. The awards are....

Climate change is arguably one of the most important and complicated economic and public policy challenges facing our generation. As NASA says, one of the complexities of climate change is that it is a global problem, felt on local scales.

Navigating an Uncertain Future: Is Australia up to meeting the challenges and grasping the opportunities that await?

As Australia looks to rebuild after the health and economic devastation associated with the COVID pandemic, Martin Parkinson will explore some of the challenges and opportunities the nation will need to navigate. Join the latest instalment in the Ted Evans Public Lecture Series as Martin Parkinson discusses:

The ACT Branch of the Women in Economics Network is pleased to host a webinar on the gender impact of COVID-19, featuring four contributors from September’s Special Issue of the Australian Journal of Labour Economics. Their research provides early analysis on some of the key economic issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and explores gender issues raised by the pandemic both directly in the labour market and indirectly through its effects on particular aspects of economic and social life. The panel will be facilitated by Linda Ward, ACT Chair of the Women in Economics Network, and will feature four panellists who were contributors to this Special Issue of the Australian Journal of Labour Economics.

The Young Economist Network's team debaters were asked: ''Given the better than expected economic recovery within the Australia housing sector in recent months, should the Federal Government look to implement measures (including those of a policy, regulatory, etc. nature) to lower the volume of new investment housing loans/credit to help improve housing affordability and assist in the achievement of more equitable housing and overall economic outcomes?'

Growing numbers of often single older women are facing uncertain economic futures. This seminar will explore the emerging situation and public policy responses that can reduce the number of older women experiencing poverty.  Join our panel members who will present on some of the challenges confronting older women. This online lunchtime seminar will be co-hosted by WEN and ESA - timing is AEST. 

Despite a recession and a global pandemic, Australian house prices continue to reach new highs. How did we get here? Will today’s young Australians ever be able to afford to buy a house? What are the implications for economic and social outcomes? And what might be the policy changes that could make a difference? Our panel of expert economists will tackle one of the most pressing questions for Australia: how can we make houses more affordable?

Join Saul Eslake, Nicki Hutley, Brenan Coates (Grattan Institute) and moderator Madeleine Morris (ABC Breakfast) to be part of the discussion.

Reconciliation Australia's theme for 2021, "More than a word", highlights the need to convert awareness into action.

"For reconciliation to be effective, it must involve truth-telling, and actively address issues of inequality, systemic racism and instances where the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are ignored, denied or reduced."

Co-hosted by the ESA, WEN and Charles Darwin University (CDU), this event showcased recent contributions to research by economists in Australia on issues affecting the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as learning from the expertise of members of Australia’s Indigenous community.

Governor of the RBA, Philip Lowe, presented to over 500 ESA members on the topic of "The Labour Market and Monetary Policy".  If you missed this address you can catch up here.

In this presentation, Joshua Gans reflects on the lessons learnt from the different ways in which Covid-19 has been managed in different countries and how key economic principals can be applied to deciding on the effective health and economic policy response to pandemics.  These lessons will be important in more effective responses to any future pandemics.

What are the consequences and outlook for global trade and investment and for Australia in the context COVID-19?

Watch to the discussion between Jenny Gordon (@DFAT Chief Economists), Heather Cotching (Acting Chief Economist, Austrade) and Kim Mundy (Director, International Economics and Currency Strategy, CBA), hosted by Lisa Elliston (Australian Treasury).

Behavioural economics has cemented its place as an important discipline within the broader economics profession. It also follows a long tradition of economists borrowing from other fields of study. While economics has historically had strong links with political science, maths and data science; behavioural economics has opened the door to drawing on insights from neuroscience, psychology, sociology and anthropology.

2020 Young Economist Address: On the Young and Economists in the Covid Era and ESA National Awards

Gross Domestic Product, while used so often, has long been criticised as a less than perfect measure of economic well-being. Alternative measures have been proposed to better reflect of societal well-being, and more recently, conventional measures of GDP are being re-examined to incorporate the growing importance of online economic transactions and globalisation. The webinar speakers will brought their experience and insights to the important issue of measuring economic well-being.

This event coincided with Social Sciences Week.

The rise of digital platforms has come with many benefits for consumers and business, but also poses new regulatory challenges. Following the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (the ACCC) Digital Platforms Inquiry Final Report, Australia has seen significant recent discussion on the role of privacy and data security, as well as the bargaining power imbalances between Australian news media businesses and major platforms such as Google and Facebook. Our webinar speakers brought their experience and insights to the important issue of regulating digital platforms.

This event has been held as part of Social Sciences Week.

Have you ever considered where studying economics might take you – aside from careers with the job title ‘economist’? Join our panel as they discuss their career paths and where an economics degree has taken them (so far!). The SA Women in Economics Network (WEN) is very pleased to host this webinar as part of the national seminar program with the Economics Society of Australia (ESA).

The late Ted Evans, like many of his generation, understood innately that economic policy-making affects people’s lives in more fundamental ways than numbers can ever capture. In this lecture, Ian Harper will draw on his extensive policy experience in financial regulation, wages policy, competition policy and, most recently, monetary policy during the pandemic to discuss the ways in which his own approach to good economic policy-making has been shaped by Ted’s example in keeping one eye on how the policy advice translates into the lives of ordinary people.

Student enrolment numbers in economics have starkly declined in Australian high schools over recent decades. Furthermore, diversity among economics students on the basis of gender and socioeconomic background has also declined during this time. These statistics prompt us to ask what has contributed towards these trends? Link to survey or download PDF

Listen to our expert panel from the public sector and academia as they discuss women’s financial literacy and why it needs to improve, particularly in the current context - with women’s economic wellbeing disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

Listen to our expert panel of economists from the public sector and academia as they discuss the evidence on the likely impact of COVID19 on children, their development and acquisition of human capital.  What impacts are already visible and what policies will help mitigate the impacts.