The HILDA Survey provides researchers and policy-makers with a tool for assessing economic, demographic, and social policy issues. Its impact is far-reaching.
The problem
Evidenced based policy needs reliable data, and especially data that tracks individuals and households over time. This is essential for understanding economic and social change, its consequences over the life course, and how outcomes are transmitted across generations.
The research
The HILDA (Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia) Survey was designed with the broad objective of providing researchers and policy-makers with a tool for assessing economic, demographic, and social policy issues, including: incidence and dynamics of poverty; asset allocation, wealth accumulation, and income changes; physical and mental health; household formation and dissolution; social capital; and wellbeing.
The impact
Thanks to innovative survey design and extraordinary sample retention, HILDA data underpins many economic and social research projects, nationally and internationally. Research outcomes have had substantial impact on Australian policy development, including: tax changes proposed by the Henry Review; the 2011 Paid Parental Leave policy; minimum wage decisions; and monetary policy settings. It also underpins over 1700 research papers to date.
Department: Melbourne Institute
Area: Microeconomics and institutional development
Researchers
Sustainable Development Goals
We align our research activity with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).