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Editor's note
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In the debate mischaracterised as one between social distancing measures and the economy, Australia’s leading economists have come down overwhelmingly on the side of social distancing.
The question asked in the first monthly poll conducted by the Economic Society of Australia and The Conversation and published here this morning was whether the benefits from maintaining social distancing measures sufficient to shrink the spread of COVID-19 were likely to exceed the costs.
And 34 of the 47 leading economists surveyed said they were.
The survey provides a greater insight into the thinking of Australian economists than the open letters previously published.
Most of the economists surveyed have set out reasons for their opinions in responses that have been published in full in drop-down menus.
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Peter Martin
Section Editor, Business and Economy
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Top story
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Wes Mountain/The Conversation
Peter Martin, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
The economists who support the use of social distancing measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 are not only in the majority, they are also more certain of their opinions than those who do not.
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Environment + Energy
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Michael Grose, CSIRO; Julie Arblaster, Monash University
The new values are a worrying outcome that no one wants, but one we must still grapple with.
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David Hall, Auckland University of Technology
This 2020 budget is not the pivot to a green rebuild many had hoped for. But its short-term focus on caring for people's health leaves the door open to stronger climate action down the track.
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Business + Economy
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Matthew Gray, Australian National University; Nicholas Biddle, Australian National University
More than eight out of 10 self-employed Australians have taken a significant financial hit from COVID-19, new ANUpoll data shows.
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Richard Holden, UNSW; Bruce Preston, University of Melbourne
A realistic estimate of the economic costs of a two-year lockdown amounts to $90 billion. The benefit in lives saved amounts to at $1.1 trillion.
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Cities
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Kurt Iveson, University of Sydney
The COVIDSafe app hasn't come out of nowhere. The promises of 'smart city' data collection may be seductive, but we must always weigh up what we're being asked to give up in return.
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Health + Medicine
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Gary Sacks, Deakin University; Adrian Cameron, Deakin University; Lily Grigsby-Duffy, Deakin University; Sally Schultz, Deakin University
We surveyed over 100 Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and independent stores around Australia and found supermarkets are promoting unhealthy food much more often, and more prominently, than healthier products.
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Martin Hensher, Deakin University; Bodil Rasmussen, Deakin University; Maxine Duke, Deakin University
Research out today is a timely reminder of the importance and potential of hospital in the home. This is what the model looks like – and why it's role may become even more valuable post-coronavirus.
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Anthony Jorm, University of Melbourne
New funding aims to fend off a wave of mental ill-health in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We don't know how severe that wave will be, but we do know financial hardship is a huge risk factor.
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Paul Komesaroff, Monash University; Ian Kerridge, University of Sydney; Ross Upshur, University of Toronto
The US and its allies are demanding answers over how COVID-19 became a pandemic. But instead of pointing fingers at China, the inquiry should focus on scientific clues to help us thwart future disasters.
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Jennifer MacLachlan, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity; Benjamin Cowie, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity
As we start to test people without symptoms for COVID-19, the likelihood of generating false positive tests goes up. Here's why that's a problem.
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Politics + Society
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Andrea Carson, La Trobe University; Leah Ruppanner, University of Melbourne; Shaun Ratcliff, University of Sydney
While trust in media has risen in both the US and Australia, a sharp partisan divide is apparent in Americans' trust in media.
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Richard Shaw, Massey University
The coronavirus crisis has given experts and specialists worldwide a lot of power. As countries like New Zealand begin to recover, we need to question that power more than ever.
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
Michelle Grattan talks with Assistant Professor Caroline Fisher (remotely) about the week in politics.
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Tim Breitbarth, Swinburne University of Technology; Adam Karg, Swinburne University of Technology; Emma Sherry, Swinburne University of Technology; Kasey Symons, Swinburne University of Technology
In the absence of live sport, curated lists have abounded- but they have been mostly by men, featuring men's sports.
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Science + Technology
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Dr Kath O'Brien, Queensland University of Technology
The two-referee system was introduced to improve the flow of the game. So where's the evidence to say dropping one ref would be any better for the game?
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Simon J Dennis, University of Melbourne; Amy Perfors, UCLA School of Medicine; Daniel R. Little, University of Melbourne; Joshua P. White, University of Melbourne; Lewis Mitchell, University of Adelaide; Nic Geard, University of Melbourne; Paul M. Garrett, University of Melbourne; Stephan Lewandowsky, University of Bristol
Only 51% of survey participants said they supported linking the number of COVIDSafe app downloads with an easing of lockdown restrictions.
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Fred Watson, Australian Astronomical Observatory
When the outlook is dark, astronomy can help us take the long view and build for the future.
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Arts + Culture
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Narelle Yeo, University of Sydney
Around the world, choirs have been linked to coronavirus super-spreader events. Online choirs can provide many of the same benefits, while protecting our health.
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Education
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Jess Harris, University of Newcastle; Kathleen Smithers, University of Newcastle; Nerida Spina, Queensland University of Technology
Hundreds of casual academics have lost work in the COVID-19 crisis. They make up the majority of the teaching workforce at universities but they don't quality for any government assistance.
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Featured Events & Courses
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Level 21, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, New South Wales, 2007, Australia — University of Technology Sydney
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Level 21, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, New South Wales, 2007, Australia — University of Technology Sydney
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Online Webinar, Hobart, Tasmania, 7000, Australia — University of Tasmania
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