Policy and demographics are changing the character of Australia’s social safety net. Cash transfers like JobSeeker and Family Tax Benefit are shrinking. Meanwhile, ‘in-kind’ transfers like government-subsidised education, disability and health care are increasing quickly. This paper uses survey microdata to detail how rising in-kind transfers are changing who receives government support.

In June 2024, the Australian government banned the use of credit cards for online gambling. Using transaction data, this research note evaluates the policy’s effect. The focus is on its impact on online sports gambling. The note finds if policy is to reduce gambling harms, greater returns may come from targeting other forms of gambling.

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a major feature of the tax system in Australia. Australia’s GST is narrow, with around half of spending untaxed. This paper explores the horizontal equity consequences of these exclusions and discusses the winners and losers from expanding GST to tax all consumption items (broadening the base).

This paper explores the idea of halving the JobSeeker payment but doubling its frequency from a fortnightly to weekly payment. The paper documents JobSeeker recipient spending patterns and finds they face more financial stress, experience greater spending volatility and withdraw higher rates of cash than New Zealand recipients who receive weekly payments.

Australians hold some of the highest levels of mortgage debt in the world. This paper examines what is widely considered to be one of the strongest channels of monetary policy transmission into household spending – the effect of changes in mortgage payments when mortgage rates are linked to the short-term policy rate.