Opinion Pieces

2016

• 'FactCheck: has the level of casual employment in Australia stayed steady for the past 18 years?', Professor Mark Wooden and Sue Richardson, The Conversation, 23 March 2016
• 'A new index for economic uncertainty: nothing to fear but fear itself', Associate Professor Efrem Castelnuovo, The Conversation, 9 March 2016

2015

• 'Be sure to read the fine print in Turnbull’s mid-year economic update', Associate Professor Efrem Castelnuovo, The Conversation, 30 November 2015
• 'Time to give our kids a leg-up', Professor Deborah Cobb-Clark, The Australian, 4 November 2015, p. 12
• 'Keeping the low-skilled, low-paid in jobs a national policy challenge', Professor Mark Wooden, The Australian, 3 November 2015, p. 12
• 'Childhood homelessness makes for adult unemployment: study', Dr Anna Zhu, The Conversation, 16 October 2015
• 'Funding healthcare by fixing federal responsibility', Professor Anthony Scott, Australian Financial Review, 3 September 2015, p. 55
• 'The potential of behavioural economics: beyond the nudge', Reuben Finighan, The Conversation, 28 July 2015
• 'You can't have it both ways on parental leave', Dr Barbara Broadway, The Drum, 26 June 2015
• 'What the latest capital expenditure figures tell us about the economy', Dr Tim Robinson, The Conversation, 29 May 2015
• 'Credibility trumps optimism when it comes to growth forecasts', Associate Professor Efrem Castelnuovo, The Conversation, 22 May 2015
• 'Budget explainer: the forces influencing Australia’s economy', Dr Tim Robinson, The Conversation, 12 May 2015
• 'Budget explainer: what is a structural deficit and why does Australia have one?', Professor Guay Lim, The Conversation, 7 May 2015
• 'How being a gay man or lesbian impacts on your earning power', Professor Mark Wooden, The Conversation, 31 March 2015
• 'How likely are doctors to charge more due to the rebate freeze?', Professor Anthony Scott, The Conversation, 6 March 2015
• ‘Productivity Commission may be shooting in the dark on IR’, Professor Mark Wooden, Australian Financial Review, 28 January 2015, p. 39

2014

• 'How much bang for a buck? Working out the returns on government spending', Associate Professor Efrem Castelnuovo, The Conversation, 21 November 2014
• 'Explainer: too big to fail and the push for 'bail ins', Dr Sarantis Tsiaplias, The Conversation, 11 November 2014
• 'Employers playing crucial role in skilled migration screening', Dr Hielke Buddelmeyer, The Conversation, 20 October 2014
• 'Wage gap doesn't tell full story on gender bias', Professor Deborah Cobb-Clark, Australian Financial Review, 14 October 2014, p. 47
• 'Joe Hockey’s user pays plan for the ABS doesn’t add up', Associate Professor Roger Wilkins, The Conversation, 10 October 2014
• 'Don’t believe the unemployment rate? Here’s what’s happening', Dr Tim Robinson, The Conversation, 19 September 2014
• 'Putting a real cost on delaying the super guarantee rise', Associate Professor Roger Wilkins and Dr Carsten Murawski, The Conversation, 15 September 2014
• 'Let's spend more wisely on research in Australia', Professor Paul Jensen and Professor Elizabeth Webster, The Conversation, 22 July 2014
• 'Abbott Delivers a 'Kick in the Pants' to our Youth', Professor Deborah Cobb-Clark, The Australian, 30 June 2014, p. 10
• 'Safe seats are more likely to have a work for the dole pilot', Kyle Peyton, The Conversation, 27 June 2014
• ‘How the minimum wage rise has left the unemployed behind’, Professor Mark Wooden, Australian Financial Review, 6 June 2014, p. 39
• 'The majority of Australians are not saving enough for retirement', Associate Professor Roger Wilkins and Dr Carsten Murawski, The Conversation, 31 March 2014
• 'More education leads to a healthier lifestyle', Dr Jinhu Li, The Conversation, 3 February 2014

2013

• 'Explainer: the role of budget deficits', Professor Guay Lim, The Conversation, 6 September 2013
• 'Why it’s time to remove private health insurance rebates', Dr Terence Cheng, The Conversation, 31 July 2013
• 'Ten years on, Australians are a picture of wealth', Associate Professor Roger Wilkins, The Conversation, 12 June 2013
• 'Country practice: recruiting doctors to work in the bush', Professor Anthony Scott, The Conversation, 30 May 2013
• 'Nation facing uphill battle on rankings', by Professor Ross Williams, The Australian (Higher Education), 15 May 2013, p. 34
• 'Only fools would rush into disability insurance scheme', Professor Richard Burkhauser, Crikey.com, 13 May 2013
• 'ALP’s real budget balancing act is picking the winners and losers', Dr Francisco Azipitarte, The Conversation, 10 May 2013
• 'Phase out GP consultation fees for a better Medicare', Dr Peter Sivey, The Conversation, 1 May 2013
• 'Explainer: what is health rationing?', Professor Anthony Scott, The Conversation, 24 April 2013
• 'Is the national doctor shortage a myth?', Dr Peter Sivey and Professor Anthony Scott, The Conversation, 1 March 2013
• 'Forget the blame game, let's focus on making health dollars go further', Professor Anthony Scott, The Conversation, 15 February 2013
• 'We got fed a line but carbon tax compo wasn't 'swallowed' by pokies', Kyle Peyton, The Conversation, 5 February 2013

2012

• 'More facts needed on homelessness', by Dr Rosanna Scutella, The Australian, 23 October 2012, p. 14.
• 'Penalty rates in awards: do we really need them?', Professor Mark Wooden, The Conversation, 10 September 2012
• 'Caught in a longterm cycle: homelessness in Australia', Dr Rosanna Scutella, The Conversation, 13 August 2012
• 'The benign effects of the "Great Recession", Professor Mark Wooden, The Conversation, 10 July 2012
• 'Why the new way of funding public hospitals wont' work', Professor Anthony Scott and Associate Professor Jongsay Yong, The Conversation, 4 July 2012
• 'We know how happy we are. Thanks to Amanda', by Professor Judith Sloan, The Weekend Australian, 30 June 2012, p. 22
• 'More funding needed for students. R&D', by Professor Ross Williams, The Australian (Higher Education), 16 May 2012, p. 23
• 'Job insecurity 'crisis' a furphy', by Professor Mark Wooden, The Australian Financial Review, 24 April 2012, p. 55
• 'Cigarette packs: the plain facts', by Dr Russell Thomson and Professor Beth Webster, The Australian Financial Review, 19 April 2012, p. 63
• 'Private sector reforms don't spell the end of the NHS', Dr Terence Cheng and Dr Peter Sivey, The Conversation, 3 April 2012
• 'Flawed, unrealistic review scores an F', by Professor Moshe Justman and Associate Professor Chris Ryan, The Australian Financial Review, 22 February 2012, p. 55.
• 'So much for property rights', by Professor Beth Webster and Dr Paul Jensen, The Australian Financial Review, 23 January 2012, p. 47

2011

• 'Time after time: the myth that Australians work longer hours than anyone else', by Professor Mark Wooden, The Conversation, 1 December 2011
• 'Pay gap is not all about gender', by Professor Deborah Cobb-Clark in The Australian Financial Review, 21 November 2011, p. 55
• 'Should dcotors be paid to keep patients healthy?', by Dr Peter Sivey, The Conversation, 12 October 2011
• 'World-leading industry takes patience', by Professor Beth Webster in The Australian Financial Review, 12 September 2011, p. 55
• 'Should penalty rates for weekend work be scrapped?', by Professor Mark Wooden in The Sydney Morning Herald, 27 August 2011, p. 12
• Consumer surveys provide early, noisy warnings', by Professor Guay Lim in The Weekend Australian Financial Review, 9 July 2011, p. 63 Original Article
• 'Done well, NBN can boost economy', by Professor Beth Webster and Associate Professor Kerry Hinton in The Australian Financial Review, 5 July 2011, p. 55
• 'Women back at work earlier, but feeling the stress', by Diana Warren, The Conversation, 29 June 2011
• 'Back to the future in wage regulation', by Professor Judith Sloan in The Australian, 28 June 2011, p.32
• 'Despite our patchwork economy, all states are sharing in the boom', by Professor Ross Williams, The Conversation, 23 June 2011
• 'The after-school job is the comeback kid', by Professor Mark Wooden, The Conversation, 21 June 2011
• 'Why pay decision is retrograde step', by Professor Mark Wooden in The Australian Financial Review, 8 June 2011, p. 63
• Women are paid the same as men for equal work', by Judith Sloan and Mark Wooden in The Australian, 20 May 2011, p. 12
• 'Steps to cutting welfare bills', by Dr Duncan McVicar and Dr Roger Wilkins in The Australian Financial Review, 16 May 2011, p. 55
• 'Does $150,000 make me effluent, mum, or would I just be doing OK?', by Professor Mark Wooden, The Conversation, 12 May 2011
• 'Abbott's plan should be put to a work test', by Professor Mark Wooden in The Weekend Australian Financial Review, 2-3 April 2011, p. 63
• 'Carbon Tax Must be All Inclusive' by Professor Beth Webster and Dr Russell Thomson in The Australian Financial Review, 3 March 2011, p. 63
• Don't look to disabled pensioners for workers' by Dr Duncan McVicar and Dr Roger Wilkins in The Australian Financial Review, 17 February 2011, p. 71

2010

• Op-Ed: 'Gender equity case could backfire on women' by Professor Deborah Cobb-Clark in The Australian Financial Review, 19 November 2010, p.67
  The recent well publicised sexual harassment case involving retailer David Jones has opened discussion on the roadblocks women face in the workforce. There can be no debate that more opportunities need to be made available to women, however it is debatable whether the pay equity case being scrutinised by Fair Work Australia will achieve any notable outcome. The case, backed by the Australian Services Union and the federal government, is calling for significant wage increases for approximately 200,000 social and community services sector workers.
• Op-Ed: 'Union's Casual Approach Puts Economy In Jeopardy' as published in The Australian 4 November 2010, p14. By Judith Sloan and Mark Wooden.
• Health shake-up needed, not just cash' by Tony Scott. Published in The Australian Financial Review, 11 August 2010, p63.
  There should be consequences for hospitals that don't perform well. 
• Op-Ed: 'Jobs Forgotten in Policy Free Campaign' by Mark Wooden (The Australian Financial Review, 5 August 2010, p 53).
  Labors new Fair Work legislation is geared to protecting and enhancing worker entitlements and rights however it will hurt jobs growth through its impact of Award Modernisation on labour costs, especially for small businesses.

• 'Black spots on Libs' blueprint', The Australian 22 July 2010.
  By Judith Sloan
  

  Tony Abbott's poor grasp of the real principles of economic reform is worrying.

• Kookaburra damages award case sounds like bad economics.
  By Assoc Prof Beth Webster and Assoc Prof Paul Jensen. Published in the Fortnightly Review online journal, 15 July 2010. Yesterdays decision of Larrikin Music Publishing Pty Ltd v EMI Songs Australia Pty Ltd (No. 2 2010) granting damages to Larrikin Music, heralds a new chapter in bad economics.
  

• 'Enriched by Kids, Tax-Wise', Judith Sloan and Hielke Buddelmeyer, The Australian, 9 July 2010, p.12.
  People without dependent children lose out.
• 'Mind the pay gap', Judith Sloan, The Australian, 17 June 2010
  

• 'A hole in the safety net', Mark Wooden, The Australian Financial Review, 9 June 2010, p. 62.
  

  Fair Work Australia has been anything but fair to the nations unemployed, writes Professor Mark Wooden, Deputy Director, at the Melbourne Institute.

• 'Jobless fall no reason to raise rates', Mark Wooden, The Australian Financial Review, 21 January 2010, p. 47

2009

• Obama Accord a good thing amid Copenhagen fiasco
• 'Minimum-wage freeze will keep people in jobs', Mark Wooden, The Australian Financial Review, 27 March 2009, p. 59
• 'Planning for surprising times', Stephen Sedgwick, The Age, 7 March 2009, p. 10

2008

• 'Robbing Peter to pay Paul not the answer', Hielke Buddelmeyer, Guyonne Kalb and Stephen Sedgwick,The Weekend Australian, 4-5 October 2008, p. 22
• 'Necessity: mother of innovation', Paul Jensen and Elizabeth Webster, The Australian Financial Review, 25 August 2008, p. 63
• 'Time to review health insurance policy', Jongsay Yong, The Weekend Australian, 19-20 July 2008, p. 16 (Weekend Professional Health)
• 'On-off doctor supply no real answer', Anthony Scott, The Australian, 31 May 2008, p. 15
• 'National OHS push may need shove', Stephen Sedgwick, The Australian Financial Review, 29 May 2008, p. 79
• 'Now is the chance for change, so leap at it', Anthony Scott, The Australian, 19 April 2008, p. 15 (Weekend Health)
• 'Governments still fail at education 101', Stephen Sedgwick, The Australian Financial Review, 14 April 2008, p. 71
• 'Solution to housing affordability 'crisis' is to help the market work better', Stephen Sedgwick, The Australian, 13 March 2008, p. 30
• 'Governments Can't Close the Gender Wage Gap', Mark Wooden, The Australian, 7 March 2008, p. 12
• 'Five fundamentals for effective reform', Stephen Sedgwick, The Australian Financial Review, 22 January 2008, p. 55

2007

• 'Wage pressure danger lurks on both roads', Mark Wooden, The Australian, 13 November 2007, p. 14
• 'Tax Changes the Work Equation', Hielke Buddelmeyer and Guyonne Kalb, The Australian Financial Review, 18 October 2007, p. 79
• 'New welfare rules won't work for all', Guay Lim and Michael Chua, Australian Financial Review, 11 September 2007 , p. 63
• Bring It On Were Not Such Fragile Blossoms After All, Mark Wooden, The Weekend Australian Financial Review, 23-24 June 2007, p. 63
• Zero-Pay Statistics a Misguided Effort, Mark Wooden, The Australian, 31 May 2007, p. 10
• 'Making a measure for all innovation', Paul Jensen and Elizabeth Webster, The Age, 9 May 2007, p. 14
• Most Australians Still Picking Up an Honest Wage, Mark Wooden, The Weekend Australian Financial Review, 5-6 May 2007, p. 63
• Renewed Push to Regulate Overtime is Overkill, Mark Wooden, The Australian, 13 March 2007, p. 14
• How are Young People Faring?, Mark Wooden, Professional Educator, 6 March 2007, p. 5

2006

• Pay statistics tell the true story, The Australian Financial Review, Mark Wooden, 16 November 2006, p. 63
• Pay Ruling Hardly Helpful, The Australian Financial Review, Mark Wooden, 28 October 2006, p. 82
• Statistics Show Theyre Hiring, Not Firing, The Australian Financial Review, Mark Wooden, 7 September 2006, p. 63
• 'The problem with patents', The Australian R&D Review, Paul Jensen and Elizabeth Webster, September 2006
• 'Bright ideas needed to harness creativity', The Australian Financial Review, Paul Jensen and Elizabeth Webster 10 August 2006, p. 63
• 'Health insurance rebate is very poor medicine', The Australian Financial Review, Jongsay Yong, 28 April, 2006, p.83

2005

• Work Changes Will Do Only Half the Job, Sydney Morning Herald, Mark Wooden, 5 October 2005, p. 15
• When Is a Reform Not a Reform? When it lacks ideological nerve, The Age, Mark Wooden, 28 September 2005, p. 5 Business section
• Poverty Relatively Transient, The Weekend Australian, Bruce Headey and Mark Wooden, 19-20 February 2005, p. 30 Weekend Inquirer section
• Its Time for Workplace Reform, The Australian Financial Review, Mark Wooden, 13 January 2005, p. 47