BCEC Newsletter Edition #5 May 2018

We commenced 2018 with a strong focus on the ongoing issue of gender pay equity, with the Australian Gender Economics Workshop (AGEW) in February and launch of the third report in the BCEC|WGEA Gender Equity Insights Series in March.

AGEW 2018 was delivered in partnership with the Economics Society of Australia’s Women in Economics Network. The two-day workshop culminated in a policy symposium that brought together experts, including international guest speaker Associate Professor Betsey Stevenson, to discuss policy imperatives for this ongoing key social issue.

In March, I was pleased to hear that the Chinese government approved the release of an IMF report I co-authored on tax policy and employment creation in China. This marks the first time a report of this kind has been authorised for public release by the Chinese government, which is a tremendous achievement for the IMF Mission I took part in.

A recent highlight has also been the release of our report into the future of work in Australia. This report looked at how the nature of work is changing and what this means for our country and its people. As part of our research, we developed a composite index of precarious employment, finding that this type of employment is highest for Australian women, but men are experiencing a far more rapid rise of precarious employment.

We were delighted to have special guest Scott Guerini involved in the report launch. Scott is a Year 7 student and Telethon Ambassador, and addressed the audience on what he imagines the future of work will mean for him and his classmates. Scott spoke of the need for schools to develop career-ready graduates who are adaptive to change.

As a Centre that strives to deliver high quality research to make a real difference to lives of families, communities and businesses, Scott provided an important reminder of the impact these social and economic issues will have on young people in Australia, framing the discussion of the research findings.

I hope you enjoy reading about the Centre’s recent activities, research and achievements, and thank you for your continued support of BCEC in 2018.