Labour, health, urban and public policy

Research in labour economics and education evaluates educational and labour market outcomes such as employment and wage levels, and government policy options in labour and educational portfolios.

Health economics research includes the financing of healthcare and the prioritisation of health services within public health. Policy-related topics include comparative health systems, the financing and contracting of healthcare, and regulation of health information.

Research in public policy applies economic principles to the development of policy and analyses the outcomes of existing policies and alternatives. Policy-related topics include all activities of government and the design of taxation and welfare systems.

Department research includes:

• Demand for education - Schooling choices, determinants of academic achievement, and school-to-work transitions
• Education, earnings and educational governance - Private and public returns to investments in higher education, lessons from university fees and student loan policies
• Evaluation of labour market and education policies - Employment and wage effects
• Labour mobility - Earnings effects due to movement in the labour market, using employer-employee data
• Economic effects of immigration - Employment and wage effects of skilled immigration, and economic performance of immigrants
• Optimal contracting in health systems - For example, targeting and contracting for improving safety and quality of healthcare, ACC financing, tax and benefit reforms, and the theory of health insurance
• The economics of the family and child poverty - For example, the use of "in-work benefits" and tax credits.
• Pensions and savings issues relating to an ageing population - For example, the financing of long-term care, the treatment of overseas pensions in New Zealand, distributional effects of KiwiSaver, and household wealth and saving.
• House price determination and housing affordability
• The effects of land use regulations and upzoning on housing markets
• The economic impacts of public transportation  

• Dr Claire Dale
• Associate Professor Stephen Poletti
• Professor Timothy John Hazledine
• Professor Sholeh Maani
• Dr Sam Stemper
• Dr Haikun Zhan

For more information, please contact:

Email: r.mcgrevy@auckland.ac.nz
Phone: +64 9 923 7943