BCEC Newsletter Edition #4 January 2018

AuthorsJoanne Peckitt, Kelly Pohatu
PublishedFebruary 2018
PublisherBankwest Curtin Economics Centre
Number of Pages16
Edition4

As 2017 came to an end, we had many reasons to celebrate. Last year was the Centre’s most successful yet, as evidenced by a suite of award wins for our research activities and the impact they have had. My warmest congratulations to Rebecca Cassells, Rachel Ong ViforJ, Mike Dockery and Richard Seymour for their award successes. These awards stand alongside BCEC’s strong commitment to the effective communication and engagement of our research activities, which will remain a core focus of the Centre in 2018.

Another terrific achievement for the Centre was launching our first book, which delves into the complex topic of infill housing. This truly collaborative book included authors from across Curtin University, with substantial engagement with industry and government. My congratulations to the three book editors and numerous authors for delivering such an insightful look into Perth’s housing future.

This form of collaboration is embedded in all of BCEC’s research activities, and was something we drew upon for our After the Siren report, launched in September. With support from the Western Australian Football Commission, BCEC produced invaluable research into the community benefits of Indigenous participation in Australian Rules Football, which found compelling evidence of the benefits that sport, and AFL in particular, bring to the health and education outcomes of Indigenous communities.

In December 2017, BCEC also launched its first WA Quarterly Economic Commentary and a comprehensive report on the Cost of Living in WA. As we look to the year ahead and the economic challenges and opportunities that face Western Australia, these research outputs will serve to support the strong evidence-base needed to inform good public policy. We look forward to continuing this work over the coming year and producing influential research that will contribute to the wellbeing of West Australian families, businesses and communities.