ANU experts on the 2026-27 Budget

With the 2026-27 Federal Budget to be handed down on Tuesday 12 May, 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 7.30-8.50am AEST on Thursday 14 May. The Breakfast will feature analysis from leading experts and economists, including Dr Andrew Leigh MP (Assistant for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury), Allegra Spender MP, Chris Richardson (Independent Economist), and Associate Professor Ben Phillips.

Media can register for this free event via Eventbrite.  

Politics, economics and social policy

Professor Robert Breunig 
Tax and Transfer Policy Institute 
Expertise: Childcare, tax, welfare and income support, economic inclusion, migration 
E: robert.breunig@anu.edu.au 

Professor Nicholas Biddle  
Head, School of Politics and International Relations 
Expertise: Australian politics, behavioural economics, demography and population, economics 
E: nicholas.biddle@anu.edu.au 

Dr Christian Eva 
POLIS: The Centre for Social Policy Research 
Expertise: Indigenous employment, Indigenous procurement, Indigenous business sector, Indigenous economic and social policy, economics, business, climate change, employment policy, energy policy, energy transition, environmental policy 
E: christian.eva@anu.edu.au 

Dr Andrew Hughes 
Research School of Management 
Expertise: Australian government and politics, political marketing and communications, digital and social media, brand and marketing strategy 
E: andrew.hughes@anu.edu.au 

Professor Mark Kenny 
Director, Australian Studies Institute 
Expertise: National politics, democracy, populism, elections 
E: mark.kenny@anu.edu.au 

Associate Professor Elise Klein 
Crawford School of Public Policy 
Expertise: Social policy, JobSeeker, parenting payments, women’s economic security, compulsory income management 
E: elise.klein@anu.edu.au 

David Leaney 
Research School of Management 
Expertise: Business, international trade and finance, supply chain, trade and investment 
E: david.leaney@anu.edu.au 

Huw McKay (unavailable Budget night) 
Crawford School of Public Policy 
Expertise: Economic forecasts, commodity prices, world economy 
E: huw.mckay@anu.edu.au 

Dr Liz Allen 
POLIS: The Centre for Social Policy Research 
Expertise: Population, immigration, demography, housing, births, social trends, intergenerational inequality.  
E: liz.allen@anu.edu.au 

Dr Robert McMahon 
Research School of Social Sciences 
Expertise: Public service and government, public and political leadership, public policy, social policy, NDIS and disability policy, aged care policy 
E: robert.mcmahon@anu.edu.au 

Associate Professor Jill Sheppard 
School of Politics and International Relations 
Expertise: Australian government and politics, comparative government and politics 
E: jill.sheppard@anu.edu.au 

Emeritus Professor John Wanna 
School of Politics and International Relations 
Expertise: Australian politics, budget, public finances, public policy 
E: john.wanna@anu.edu.au 

Professor Peter Whiteford 
Crawford School of Public Policy 
Expertise: Social security and welfare 
E: peter.whiteford@anu.edu.au 

Dr Pandanus Petter  
School of Politics and International Relations 
Expertise: Housing policy, Australian values, inequality, electoral politics and public opinion  
E: pandanus.petter@anu.edu.au 

Associate Professor Timo Henckel 
Research School of Economics 
Expertise: Monetary policy, central banking, financial crises, international finance, macroeconomics 
E: timo.henckel@anu.edu.au 

Energy, environment and climate

Associate Professor Emma Aisbett 
ANU Law School 
Expertise: Trade-related climate policy, green industrial policy, investment treaties and investor-state dispute settlement, Future Made in Australia, International Green Economy Collaborations, decarbonisation deals, Guarantee of Origin Scheme, green procurement, sustainable investment, green products and certification 
E: emma.aisbett@anu.edu.au  

Professor Sara Bice 
Crawford School of Public Policy 
Expertise: Social and community aspects of infrastructure, mining, renewables and energy (major engineering projects) including social risk management, social and socio-environmental impacts, ESG, social licence to operate, socio-economic inclusion, resilience and wellbeing 
E: sara.bice@anu.edu.au 

Professor Paul Burke 
Deputy Director, Crawford School of Public Policy 
Expertise: energy economics, energy exports, energy politics, energy transition, environment economics, environmental policy 
E: paul.j.burke@anu.edu.au 

Emeritus Professor Mark Howden AC 
National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science 
Expertise: Climate change, climate risk, science -policy, agriculture and food security, energy transition 
E: mark.howden@anu.edu.au 

Honorary Associate Professor Arnagretta Hunter 
Crawford School of Public Policy 
Expertise: Health policy, disaster preparation, climate change and health 
E: arnagretta.hunter@anu.edu.au 

Professor Frank Jotzo 
Crawford School of Public Policy 
Expertise: Climate change policy, energy policy, greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonisation and energy 
E: frank.jotzo@anu.edu.au 

Professor Budy Resosudarmo 
Crawford School of Public Policy 
Expertise: Indonesia and Southeast Asian economics of development and environment, urban and regional economics, climate change, agricultural economics 
E: budy.resosudarmo@anu.edu.au 

Dr Ralf Steinhauser 
POLIS: The Centre for Social Policy Research 
Expertise: Behavioural economics, carbon emissions, climate change, environment economics, environmental policy 
E: ralf.steinhauser@anu.edu.au