2023 Freebairn Public Lecture presented by Danielle Wood, CEO of the Grattan Institute

Join the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Business and Economics for the 2023 Freebairn Public Lecture presented by Danielle Wood, CEO of the Grattan Institute.

The lecture will be delivered in-person. Join us for pre-lecture drinks from 5.30pm to 6.30pm. The lecture will commence at 6.30pm.

Tax reform in Australia: an impossible dream?

Many spruik the benefits of tax reform for productivity, budget sustainability and fairness but governments have long been shy of pursing major tax changes. Danielle will explore the major blockers to reform and chart a way forward.

About the speaker

Danielle Wood is CEO of the Grattan Institute where she heads a team of leading policy thinkers, researching and advocating policy to improve the lives of Australians.

Danielle also leads Grattan’s Budgets and Government Program and has published extensively on economic reform priorities, budgets, tax reform, women’s workforce participation, generational inequality and reforming political institutions. She is a sought-after media commentator and speaker on policy issues.

Danielle was previously Principal Economist and Director of Merger investigations at the ACCC, a Senior Economist at NERA Economic Consulting and Senior Research Economist the Productivity Commission. She holds an Honours degree in Economics from the University of Adelaide and two Masters degrees, one in Economics and one in Competition Law, from the University of Melbourne.

She is a member of the Australian Government’s Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce, the Parliamentary Budget Office Expert Advisory Committee and the Commonwealth Bank CEO Advisory Council.

Danielle is an Honorary Fellow and former President of the Economic Society of Australia and a Research Fellow of the Women’s Leadership Institute. She is a passionate advocate for women in economics and was the co-founder and first Chair of the Women in Economics Network.

Event Details

Date: Tuesday 31 October 

Time: 6.30pm - 7.30pm, pre-lecture drinks from 5.30pm

Venue: Copland Theatre (B01), The Spot (110), The University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC 3052

Cost: Free. Register for your ticket here. 

Freebairn Lecture series

The Freebairn Lecture series is named after Professor John Freebairn, Richie Chair in Economics, in recognition of the many significant contributions he has made to Economics and Public Policy.