My research and teaching interests have focused on public sector and retirement policy issues, including decumulation of savings and annuity issues, tax and poverty issues, and applied macroeconomics. My doctoral research focused on the retirement of middle-income baby-boomers and integrated reforms to managing the risks of longevity. My Masters thesis was on the cost allocation of Accident Compensation New Zealand.
Areas of interest include taxation of saving, pensions, long-term care insurance, levies and experience rating in accident compensation, family law and economics, economics of the welfare state, and income support. I have developed various local, national, and international forums for policy debates in welfare, accident compensation, and retirement incomes.
I was co-director of the University of Auckland Retirement Policy and Research Centre, now I am the interim leader of Pensions and Intergenerational Equity hub, Economics Policy Centre – The University of Auckland
Current projects include an analysis of suitable decumulation products for New Zealand, the family tax credit system, overseas pensions and their treatment in New Zealand, child poverty in New Zealand and family income assistance, income and asset testing for long-term care, the welfare state and targeting, the role of home equity release and, international pension systems, the economic implications of New Zealand’s Accident Compensation, and tax reforms.
- Hon leader of Pensions and Intergenerational Equity – The University of Auckland
- Full-time teaching in the Economics Department 1981-2011. Teaching part-time public policy and politics 2012-2015.
- Member of the Expert Advisory Board to the Retirement Commissioner’s review, 2019-
- Voluntary Economics advisor to Child Poverty Action Group Inc, an interdisciplinary group which advocates for better policies for children,1994- see http://www.cpag.org.nz/.
- Member of ACC futures, 2008-Wellington.
- Member of Tax Justice Aotearoa
- Member of the External Panel Long Term Fiscal Statement 2011-2013.
- Masters thesis ‘Cost Allocation in the New Zealand Accident Compensation Scheme’ 1979. Chapters, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, Appendix 1, Appendix 2.
- Doctoral thesis 2004 Managing the risks of ageing: the role of private pensions and annuities within a comprehensive retirement policy for New Zealand examines the retirement of middle income baby-boomers and analyses integrated reforms to managing the risks of longevity. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.