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Professor Bob Breunig

Bringing academics and policymakers together

22 November 2022

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Robert Breunig is a Professor at Crawford School of Public Policy in the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific. Robert is also Director of Crawford School’s International Development and Economics Program. He teaches Economics for Government POGO8081 and regularly teaches in Crawford School’s Executive Education program.

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A leading ANU public policy researcher has pledged to use a prestigious fellowship to continue his mission bringing academics and policymakers together. 

Professor Robert Breunig has been made a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, an honour reserved for leading academics, policymakers and practitioners in the social sciences. 

“I am very honoured and grateful to be elected to the Academy,” Bob said.  

The Fellowship is in recognition of an individual’s contribution to the advancement of social science knowledge and the impact they have made. 

With a resumé second to none, Bob is more than a worthy recipient.  

As Director of the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute at the Crawford School of Public Policy, Bob is one of Australia’s leading public policy economists. Bob also served as Director of the Crawford School from 2015 to 2016. 

Through his research, Bob has made a significant policy impact through several research projects: the relationship between childcare and women’s labour supply, the effect of immigration to Australia on the labour market prospects of Australians and the effect of switching to cash from food stamps in the U.S. food stamp program. 

His work is published in more than 50 international academic journals in economics and public policy. 

Bob’s expertise has also led to many prestigious partnerships with government agencies in Australia and overseas. He works regularly with the Australian Treasury, the Department of Employment, the Department of Industry, the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, the Productivity Commission, the Australian Bureau of Statistics as well as many others. 

What is perhaps most impressive of all is Bob’s drive to improve Australians’ wellbeing through government policy.  

“A lot of my work has been training people in the public service on how to use economic insights to form policy,” Bob said.  

In fostering the all-important link between academic and policy, Bob has an extensive track record in helping the Australian public service build research capacity.  

Most recently, Bob is working on policy solutions around tax reform grounded in empirical evidence and cutting-edge economic theory that will help Australia’s post-pandemic economic growth.  

With a clear vision for his future research, Bob is looking forward to his new appointment as a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences.   

“I think the Academy is a useful organisation in bringing together academics and policymakers - and this matches well with what I love to do.”

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Updated:  28 March 2024/Responsible Officer:  Crawford Engagement/Page Contact:  CAP Web Team