Latest News
We can and should keep unemployment below 4%, says our survey of top economists

Poll 60
Australia’s leading economists believe Australia can sustain an unemployment rate as low as 3.75% – much lower than the latest Reserve Bank estimate of 4.25% and the Treasury’s latest estimate of 4.5%.
STEM professionals in schools

The ESA Central Council and the heads of Economics departments at various Australian universities have had a number of discussions about declining enrolments in Economics and the lack of diversity in enrolments. There are low enrolments of women, but there are also low enrolments of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. This is largely due to the decline in the number of high schools that offer Economics as a subject. High schools in disadvantaged areas are particularly unlikely to offer Economics.
Budget 2023

Poll 59
Our panellists were asked the following 2023 budget question: "On May 9, the government delivered a budget designed, in the Treasurer's words, to strike a balance between relief, repair and restraint'. What grade would you give the budget, given that objective: A, B, C, D, E or F?"
Wes Mountain/The Conversation, CC BY-ND - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/
Australian Conference of Economists 2023

The Australian Conference of Economists (ACE) 2023 was held from the 9 - 12 July 2023 in Brisbane, Queensland.
The aim was to organise a conference with interest to all economists, both academic and professional. Only by a balanced approach of practice and theory can we solve the problems our society faces.
Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study - Fellowship and Short-term Research Stays

Located in the Botanic Garden in Uppsala, the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (scas) is a
national institute for advanced study. For the academic year 2024-25 the Collegium offers residential
fellowships for senior and early-career scholars from all countries. The Collegium is also offers short-term research stays (approximately two weeks to two months) to scholars from all countries.
How economists would raise $20 billion per year

Poll 58
When panellests were asked to find an extra A$20 billion per year to fund government priorities like building nuclear submarines and responding to climate change, Australia’s top economists overwhelmingly back land tax, increased resource taxes, an attack on negative gearing and extending the scope of the goods and services tax.
Photo credit by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash
Responses (59)Leading economists back Federal Government action to curb rising gas and electricity prices

Poll 57
Australia’s top economists have overwhelmingly endorsed intervention to restrain gas and electricity prices, with only three of the 47 leading economists surveyed believing the best thing the government can do is to leave things to the market.
Photo credit: Wes Mountain/The Conversation, CC BY-ND
Responses (47)Unreserved - RBA's latest release of digitised archival records

The Reserve Bank has been releasing a large volume of digitised archival records to the public through our digital archive (called Unreserved). These records span nearly 200 years of Australia’s economic, financial and social history. The latest release includes records about the work and influence of Dr HC Coombs along with additional records from the Bank’s Research Department, with much of the new information covering the period from the Bank’s ‘separation’ from the original Commonwealth Bank in 1960 through to the early 1970s.
ACE 2022

Australian Conference of Economists (ACE) 2022 was held from 10 to 13 July 2022 in Hobart, Tasmania as an in-person event. Our theme, Economics in the New Normal, sought to address the challenges that a post-pandemic world faces.
Awards 2023

A number of prestigious awards were bestowed upon worthy economists at ACE2023, held in Brisbane. Read on to find out who won the 2023 ESA National Awards.
Follow us on Twitter

We are delighted to announce the launch of ESA's Twitter account. Keep up to date with economics-related topics and be part of the conversation.
ACE2021

The Australian Conference of Economists (ACE) 2021 was held from 12 to 14 July 2021 as a fully virtual event.
ACE 2021 celebrated over 100 years of welfare economics and brought together like-minded individuals to explore concepts of allocation, utilisation and distribution of our resources as they relate to the wealth and wellbeing of individuals and our society.
Where permission has been granted, we have uploaded presenations.
Events
Economics of Housing Solutions - Housing Workshop
Event Type: ESA Event
Date: Friday Sep 29, 2023, 9:30 am
The Economics Society of SA, Stretton Institute and University of Adelaide invite you to participate in an “Economics of Housing Solutions” workshop.
View ...Panel Discussion: Gas Price Caps - ONLINE ONLY
Event Type: ESA Event
Date: Thursday Oct 5, 2023, 5:30 pm
Gas Price Caps: Are they meeting their short-term goal of reducing gas prices? Are they hindering longer-term goals such as achieving net zero?
View ...WEN professional development workshop: Communicating economics - ONLINE ONLY
Event Type: ESA Event
Date: Monday Oct 9, 2023, 12:00 pm
Do you wish you had more opportunities to share your ideas about economics? Is there research you’ve done, a blog you’re about to write, or just a general observation about the world that could be promoted and shared to a public audience or via social media?
View ...Australian Gender Economics Workshop 2024
Event Type: ESA Event
Date: Thursday Feb 1, 2024, 9:00 am
The 7th annual Australian Gender Economics Workshop (AGEW2024), hosted by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) will be held in person at the UTS campus, on the 1 – 2 February 2024. Registration will open later in the month. Paper or extended abstract submissions are currently open and will close on Sunday 17th September 2023 at 11:59 pm (AEST). For more information please visit: https://sites.google.com/uts.edu.au/agew-2024/home.
Call for Papers - deadline is now extended to Monday October 2nd, 2023 at 11:59 pm (AEST).
68th Annual Conference of AARES
Event Type: Partner Event
Date: Tuesday Feb 6, 2024, 12:00 am
The 68th Annual Conference of AARES will be held in Canberra, Australia from 6 to 9 February 2024.
The AARES 2024 Annual Conference will explore the grand challenges that are facing the Australasian region and beyond, such as biosecurity, climate change, environmental degradation, energy system transitions, and food security. The conference will provide a forum for our Society to explore new opportunities for research and development, and policy practice that can address these grand challenges in securing efficient, effective, and equitable outcomes. Distinguished researchers and professionals will present keynote presentations to inspire and stimulate discussion.
View ...Welcome
The aims of the South Australia Branch of the society are:
- To encourage the teaching and study of economics and its application in Australia
- To encourage research and public debate of economic questions
- To publish and distribute journals and other matters of interest which advance the objectives of the Society
- To encourage the employment of economists and promote the standing of the profession in the community.