Posts Tagged Demographics
Tim Hatton on Height and Health in Britain 1880-1950
Professor Tim Hatton of the Economics Program at the Research School of Social Sciences (ANU) spoke to us about his research on health and height (stature) in turn-of-the-century Britain. What is interesting about his work, is that his data set comes from the 1937 study by Sir John Boyd Orr of working class children in 16 locations in England and Scotland and allows the study of the famous `quality, quantity tradeoff’. The interview begins by asking Tim to explain exactly what this means.
The IMF says 1.4% Contraction for Australia in 2009: Can we afford it?
It seems to me that the recent discussion and alarm about the world economic recession has somehow got itself unhinged from the basic importance of the matter. For instance, take this plot:
From the BBC’s report, ‘Deeper’ recession ahead says IMF’. The text around the figure goes like this:
Whilst this is all interesting stuff, it actually gives us only half the story on global economic activity. From this report, there is no way that you can determine what is happening on the ground in these countries, or for that matter, on the lovely planet called Earth.
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Reporting on Closing the Gap - Should we Already Expect Progress?
Posted by sangus in Development, Health, Podcast, Poverty on 24 March, 2009
For those Australians who think that Development issues are something to do with Sub-Suharan Africa, think again. There is all the terrible and tragic action happening right on our doorstep.
The recent first report card speech delivered by the PM to parliament went for 40min and by some accounts and responses, didn’t deliver a great deal.
In my opinion though, we should give the PM a break, for now at least.
When you consider the situation, to think that substantial progress would have been made in 12 months on the ‘gaps’ in health and education between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians is fanciful. These are long-run statistics that capture generational change, not intra-generational progress.
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