Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers will unveil his fourth budget on March 25, with cost-of-living, subsidised childcare, healthcare and renewable energy some of the topics expected to be on the agenda.
The Treasurer has confirmed he will hand down a budget deficit and warned the financial damage caused by Cyclone Alfred will run into the billions, putting upward pressure on inflation.
The University of Queensland has experts available for comment across a range of topics.
Economy
, , Faculty of Business, Economics and Law
Expertise: Professor Menezes can speak about economic policy, HECS indexation and student debt, energy transition, cost-of-living, defence, water, gambling, natural resources, energy bills, smart cities, banking, health, transport, and telecommunications.
Contact: f.menezes@uq.edu.au.
, , Faculty of Business, Economics and Law
Expertise: Professor Quiggin can speak about a broad range of Budget-related topics, including tax cuts, cost-of-living, unemployment benefits, HECS indexation and the long-term implications of the budget.
Contact: j.quiggin@uq.edu.au.
Housing
, , Faculty of Business, Economics and Law
Expertise: Professor Bond can discuss the economics of housing and the real estate market, as well as volatility in financial markets. He can also comment on regional resilience, including real estate markets and natural disasters.
Contact: s.bond@business.uq.edu.au.
Superannuation
, , Faculty of Business, Economics and Law
Expertise: Dr Peng is available to discuss broader superannuation and retirement policy issues and can comment on the link between cost-of-living pressures, housing affordability, and retirement savings, the role of superannuation in addressing inequality across generations, and the post-retirement annuity products and their role in financial security.
Contact: x.peng@business.uq.edu.au.
Small business and innovation
, Associate Dean (Research)
Expertise: Professor Verreynne is an expert in small business management and policy, as well as innovation policy and research translation.
Contact: m.verreynne@business.uq.edu.au.
Foreign policy
, , Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Expertise: Professor McDonald can speak about foreign and security policy and climate change policy.
Contact: matt.mcdonald@uq.edu.au.
Disadvantage
, , Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Expertise: Professor Reddel leads the Social Solutions Research Group at 国产探花 and can speak about public social policy in general, place-based disadvantage, and Indigenous development policies.
Contact: tim.reddel@uq.edu.au.
Education
, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Expertise: Associate Professor Hardy can speak about educational policy and politics in relation to schooling and Higher Education. He is undertaking research on data in schooling systems in national and international settings and can speak about teachers’ use of data and the role and use of national testing and international assessments.
Contact: ian.hardy@uq.edu.au.
Health
, , Faculty of Business, Economics and Law
Expertise: Professor Gannon specialises in health and ageing economics and economic evaluation of health care systems and policies. She can also discuss health/ageing issues, pensions, and health policies including Medicare, PBS, GP bulk billing, mental health, the care economy across the lifespan, including children and older people with cognitive decline and dementia.
Contact: brenda.gannon@uq.edu.au.
Environment and climate
, , Faculty of Business, Economics and Law
Expertise: Professor MacKenzie can speak about the economics of climate change, environmental policy and pollution regulation.
Contact: i.mackenzie@uq.edu.au.
