Monthly Archives: June 2005

I’m currently working on an article looking at how states could engage in "healthy interstate competition", by using wage subsidies (or negative income taxes) to encourage low-skilled workers into the workforce. Given the substantial fall in male full-time employment over … Continue reading →

The various business economists who have argued against lowering the petrol tax are probably right, assuming that we think the prices are going to stay this high (if prices are about to come down, you could construct a good argument … Continue reading →

While writing a rejoinder to my Australian Research Council referee reports, it occurred to me what an odd system we have for handing out money to academics. 40% of the funding decision is based on track record, relative to opportunity. … Continue reading →

I have a review of two "all-time rich list" books in the latest issue of the Economic Record. Parts of it are a bit wonkish, but people with an interest in inequality may find it worth skimming. Full text over … Continue reading →

The Canberra Times today carries a front page story with the heading "25pc of prostitutes students, says sex industry" (the CT’s website is generally a day out of date, so check here on Monday). As Andrew Norton has pointed out, … Continue reading →

Roger Price MP, speaking about John Anderson’s retirement in the House of Representatives on June 23: I know John is a devoted family man and I think that every member of parliament, no matter how humble their position, has a … Continue reading →

David Blanchflower (Dartmouth) and Andrew Oswald (Warwick) have a new NBER working paper out on happiness. It’s entitled "Happiness and the Human Development Index: The Paradox of Australia", and the abstract reads: According to the well-being measure known as the … Continue reading →

Along with 14 other Senators,* West Australian Senator Peter Cook retires at the end of this month. I worked as Peter’s trade adviser from 1998-2000, when he was shadow trade minister, and learned a tremendous amount. It was only a … Continue reading →

We thought we were being radical arguing for some big Senate reforms in the Canberra Times recently. But it turns out we’re nowhere near as angry about the way that parliament functions today as the Clerk of the Senate, Harry … Continue reading →

The SMH is ‘thinking big’ with its campaign for Sydney (summary here, more detail here), but the campaign has the feeling of Democrats’ press release. There are lots of waffly ideas (eg. "Pursue transport strategy to target soaring car use"), … Continue reading →

The ACTU today starts a major membership drive. I’m relatively optimistic that this is a good use of their money. Although the factors that have driven unionisation down over the past 25 years aren’t going to be reversed (see here … Continue reading →

Adele Horin had a piece in today’s SMH calling for more liberal arts degrees. I agreed with it, but felt like I’d heard the ideas somewhere before.

On my bike ride home yesterday, a comment by Catallaxy‘s Andrew Norton got me thinking more about the way in which people approach policy solutions. Responding to my casting doubt on the methodology of a recent study that claimed to … Continue reading →

A new study out of Flinders University looked at the number of friends that elderly people had in 1992. When they re-contacted the subjects in 2002, they found that those who had more friends were less likely to have died. … Continue reading →

Yesterday featured a rather unusual event – a day-long celebration of the career of economics professor Bob Gregory, who headed the economics program at ANU RSSS from 1987-2005, served on the Reserve Bank Board from 1985-95, and since 1969 has … Continue reading →

Justin Wolfers and I have a piece in the SMH today on unfair dismissals (full text over the fold). We make three points: 1. The reforms are pretty modest, and probably won’t cause the OECD to amend their rating of … Continue reading →