Modelling Payments for Environmental Services on Indigenous held lands. Payments for environmental services (PES) such as fire management have potential to provide employment to indigenous people managing land that has previously been thought to hold no commercial value. In so doing it could transform the economies of the very remote parts of Australia where indigenous people live. For these schemes to work, however, greater understanding is required not only of the willingness of society to pay ....Modelling Payments for Environmental Services on Indigenous held lands. Payments for environmental services (PES) such as fire management have potential to provide employment to indigenous people managing land that has previously been thought to hold no commercial value. In so doing it could transform the economies of the very remote parts of Australia where indigenous people live. For these schemes to work, however, greater understanding is required not only of the willingness of society to pay for environmental services in northern Australia but also of the perceptions of the indigenous people who are providing these services. Choice modelling can (1) quantify values of different environmental services in different sectors of society and (2) help allocate the payments for environmental services efficiently.Read moreRead less
Determining urban water conservation and management strategies: a novel approach using field experiment and survey data. The project's national benefits are consistent with the research priorities that evaluate an environmentally sustainable Australia through efficient and sustainable water use. The project explores how households react to different demand side instruments and identifies water saving strategies preferred by the public. The findings can be used by decision-makers to select eff ....Determining urban water conservation and management strategies: a novel approach using field experiment and survey data. The project's national benefits are consistent with the research priorities that evaluate an environmentally sustainable Australia through efficient and sustainable water use. The project explores how households react to different demand side instruments and identifies water saving strategies preferred by the public. The findings can be used by decision-makers to select effective instruments to enhance water conservation, reduce water consumption and therefore use water sustainably according to Australia's ecological means. Read moreRead less
Innovative financing mechanisms for higher education. Advances in statistical modelling are used to highlight the potential to apply creatively income contingent loans for the expansion of Australian and international higher education. Alternative student loan mechanisms for income support and tuition are critically analysed, and new arrangements are proposed for equitable reforms in higher education.
Understanding and Improving Teacher Quality. The quality of Australia's schooling system is a key determinant of skills in the economy, affecting economic growth, unemployment and inequality. With 3 percent of GDP currently devoted to primary and secondary education, improving educational productivity could lead to enormous gains. International evidence suggests that a promising approach to improving our education system is to boost teacher quality, yet we currently know little about the differe ....Understanding and Improving Teacher Quality. The quality of Australia's schooling system is a key determinant of skills in the economy, affecting economic growth, unemployment and inequality. With 3 percent of GDP currently devoted to primary and secondary education, improving educational productivity could lead to enormous gains. International evidence suggests that a promising approach to improving our education system is to boost teacher quality, yet we currently know little about the differences between the best and worst teachers. With large numbers of teachers due to retire in the next decade, now is an ideal time to learn more about teacher quality, and implement policies to ensure that the calibre of the teaching profession is as good as it can be.Read moreRead less
Economics of Conserving Australian Tropical Wildlife: An Analysis of the Role of Economic Valuation, Property Rights and Commercialisation. Australian tropical native animals are selected to analyse economic valuation (use and non-use valuation) of wildlife species and to assess systematically the role of property rights and commercialisation in conservation. The project will (1) reduce bias of Australian economic studies in favour of temperate species; (2) answer several unresolved questions ra ....Economics of Conserving Australian Tropical Wildlife: An Analysis of the Role of Economic Valuation, Property Rights and Commercialisation. Australian tropical native animals are selected to analyse economic valuation (use and non-use valuation) of wildlife species and to assess systematically the role of property rights and commercialisation in conservation. The project will (1) reduce bias of Australian economic studies in favour of temperate species; (2) answer several unresolved questions raised in the Parlimentary Report on Commercial Utilisation of Australian Wildlife; (3) advance economic theory (e.g. relating to dynamic influences on economic valuation) and provide new insights into property rights making use of empirical and experimental results, and (4) thereby contribute to public policy decision-making.Read moreRead less
Managing Carbon Offsets to Improve Australian Climate Policy Effectiveness. This project aims to evaluate the Emissions Reduction Fund-Australia’s flagship climate policy-by using a combination of state-of-the-art theoretical and experimental economic methods. This project expects to generate new knowledge by investigating how the use of aggregators (intermediaries) and contract design impact the current regulation. Expected outcomes of this project include a clear scholarly understanding of how ....Managing Carbon Offsets to Improve Australian Climate Policy Effectiveness. This project aims to evaluate the Emissions Reduction Fund-Australia’s flagship climate policy-by using a combination of state-of-the-art theoretical and experimental economic methods. This project expects to generate new knowledge by investigating how the use of aggregators (intermediaries) and contract design impact the current regulation. Expected outcomes of this project include a clear scholarly understanding of how to redesign the regulatory system to deliver better environmental outcomes for less public funds. The insights gained should provide significant benefits to both Federal and State Australian policymakers (as well as policymakers worldwide) on the design and implementation of carbon offsetting mechanisms.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101270
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
The behavioural birthdate effect: the impact of relative position within cohorts on risk aversion, self-confidence and aspiration levels. The 'birthdate effect' describes the phenomenon where children born just after the school entry cut off date are more successful in life than those born just before. This project will study why these children make very different life choices, those born just after the cut-off date are expected to take greater risks and have higher self esteem.
Informing economic policies to enhance an efficient and sustainable use of water resources in a context of high uncertainty on future climate. The main purpose of this project is to assess how economic instruments can be used to improve water resources management in a context of uncertainty and climate change.
Economic growth and globalisation: identifying costs and benefits. Globalisation provides opportunities to stimulate economic development and growth, but it may also impose costs on national economies. This project will utilise economic theory and econometric analysis to identify the principal sources and the magnitude of such benefits and costs. It will focus on three areas: trade in consumer goods; trade in capital goods; and the importation of knowledge and technology. The results will in ....Economic growth and globalisation: identifying costs and benefits. Globalisation provides opportunities to stimulate economic development and growth, but it may also impose costs on national economies. This project will utilise economic theory and econometric analysis to identify the principal sources and the magnitude of such benefits and costs. It will focus on three areas: trade in consumer goods; trade in capital goods; and the importation of knowledge and technology. The results will inform national policy-making in the areas of trade policy, industry policy, education and R&D.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100829
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$353,000.00
Summary
The effects of parental education on child health outcomes. This project aims to understand how public education policies can improve health. Common economic analysis of returns to education fails to capture the critical secondary beneficial effects of parental education on future generations’ health. These positive effects are systematically undercounted in the cost-benefit analysis of Australia’s investment in education. This project will use Australian datasets and natural experiments to iden ....The effects of parental education on child health outcomes. This project aims to understand how public education policies can improve health. Common economic analysis of returns to education fails to capture the critical secondary beneficial effects of parental education on future generations’ health. These positive effects are systematically undercounted in the cost-benefit analysis of Australia’s investment in education. This project will use Australian datasets and natural experiments to identify how parental education affects the health outcomes of the second generation. This project expects to provide policy recommendations to maximise health, wellbeing and economic outcomes for Australia.Read moreRead less