ANU experts on the 2025-26 Budget

With the 2025-26 federal budget to be handed down on Tuesday 25 March, The Australian National University (ANU) has experts who can comment on a range of topics. You can contact our experts via the details listed below. Alternatively, please reach out to the ANU Media team on our hotline +61 2 6125 7979 or by emailing media@anu.edu.au.

POLIS: The Centre for Social Policy Research is hosting the ANU Budget Breakfast at Parliament House from 7.15-9am AEDT on Thursday 27 March. The breakfast will feature analysis from leading experts and economists, including Mr Angus Taylor MP (Shadow Treasurer), Dr Andrew Leigh MP (Member for Fenner), Chris Richardson, Associate Professor Ben Phillips, Professor Matthew Gray and Professor Miranda Stewart.

Media can register for this free event via Eventbrite. Please register by COB Monday 24 March.

Ahead of the federal election, The Australian National University (ANU) is producing a series of succinct expert explainer videos unpacking key election topics and issues facing voters as they prepare to head to the polls. Explainer videos will be released pre- and post-election.

In the latest ANU expert explainer video, Professor Nick Biddle discusses how Australians are faced with record high financial stress.

ECONOMICS

Professor Robert Breunig 
School: ANU Crawford School of Public Policy 
Expertise: Childcare, tax, welfare and income support, economic inclusion, migration 
E: Robert.Breunig@anu.edu.au

NATIONAL SECURITY AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Emeritus Professor Paul Dibb 
School: ANU Strategic and Defence Studies Centre 
Expertise: Defence policy and the defence budget 
E: Paul.Dibb@anu.edu.au

SOCIAL POLICY

Professor Peter Whiteford   
School: ANU Crawford School of Public Policy 
Expertise: Social security and welfare (Member of Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee) 
E: Peter.Whiteford@anu.edu.au

Dr Liz Allen   
School: ANU Centre for Social Policy Research 
Expertise: Population, immigration, demography, inequality, social policy, housing, social trends 
E: Liz.Allen@anu.edu.au

Professor Sharon Bessell
ANU Crawford School of Public Policy 
Expertise: Child policy, social welfare/benefits
E: Sharon.Bessell@anu.edu.au 

Associate Professor Ben Phillips  
School: POLIS: The Centre for Social Policy Research 
Expertise: Tax and welfare policy, housing, social policy  
E: Ben.Phillips@anu.edu.au

Dr Robert McMahon 
School: ANU Research School of Social Sciences 
Expertise: Public service issues, public leadership, public policy, social policy, disability policy 
E: Robert.McMahon@anu.edu.au

Associate Professor Elise Klein 
School: ANU Crawford School of Public Policy 
Expertise: Social policy, welfare/social security, remote employment policy/remote development policy 
E: Elise.Klein@anu.edu.au

ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE

Professor Ken Baldwin
ANU Research School of Physics, ANU Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions
Expertise: Energy policy, research and development
M: +61 432 987 251
E: Kenneth.Baldwin@anu.edu.au

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Tom Worthington 
School: School of Computing 
Expertise: Computing, education, defence technology (inspected the JORN Over the Horizon Radar at ADF HQ) 
E: Tom.Worthington@anu.edu.au