Centre for Health Economics Policy Symposium 2025
Improving equity and value in the health and care economy
The health, disability, aged care, and welfare sectors now comprise more than 15% of Australia’s GDP, and account for our largest share of employment.
This symposium explores how to build more equitable, effective, and resilient health and care systems across these crucial sectors, and will identify the shared policy challenges and priorities across them.
Key sessions examine how to embed equity in deciding funding priorities, designing funding models to support efficiency, quality and fairness, and protect systems and equity against climate and global shocks.
We will explore and contrast different strategies across the sectors and highlight common policy and research priorities to advance equity and value across all care domains.
Event Host
Professor Anthony Scott, Director, Centre for Health Economics, Monash Business School
Prof Scott has built a distinguished career focused on influencing health policy through high-quality research. His research interests include the behaviour of physicians, health workforce dynamics, financial incentives, and the economics of primary care and hospitals.
He is particularly known for leading the Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life (MABEL) panel survey, which tracked the careers and work-life balance of over 10,000 physicians. Prof. Scott is an elected Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, a Past President of the Australian Health Economics Society, and was a Board Director of the International Health Economics Association. He has been an ARC Future Fellow and NHMRC Principal Research Fellow.
His research interests are in the health care labour markets, physician behaviour, and healthcare financing and incentives.
Key speakers
Dr Angela Jackson, Productivity Commission
Dr Angela Jackson has been appointed as full-time Commissioner (Social Policy) for a five-year term commencing 28 April 2025. She is an economist with experience across tax, fiscal and social policy, including as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Finance Minister during the Global Financial Crisis.
She has held roles with the Commonwealth Grants Commission, Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee, and Melbourne Health Board, and was part of the 2023 review of the COVID-19 response.
Dr Jackson is National Chair of the Women in Economics Network and Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Tasmania. She holds a Master’s from the London School of Economics and a PhD from Monash University.
Dr Elizabeth Deveny, Consumers Health Forum of Australia
Dr Deveny leads the CHFA, which is the national voice for health consumers. She has worked across digital health, primary care, and health funding, always with a focus on equity, access, and making sure policy reflects the voices of the people it affects — and while she’s not a health economist, she knows value for money when she sees it.
Prof Emily Lancsar, Chief Health Economist, Department of Health, Disability and Aging
Professor Emily Lancsar commenced as the Chief Health Economist in the department in April 2024. Prior to this, Prof Lancsar spent 25 years in academia, most recently as Head of the Department of Health Economics Wellbeing and Society at the Australian National University (ANU). She served as Associate Dean (Policy and Practice) in the College of Health and Medicine at the ANU from 2020–2022, where she remains a Professor.
Prof Lancsar has also held academic appointments at Monash University (where she remains an Adjunct Professor), the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in the United Kingdom, the University of Sydney and University of Technology, Sydney. Prof Lancsar holds PhD, Masters, and Bachelors degrees in Economics, a Postgrad Diploma in Health Economics and Evaluation, and a Bachelor of Arts (Asian Studies).
Dr Cassandra Goldie AO, CEO, Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS)
Dr Cassandra Goldie AO, CEO of ACOSS and Adjunct Professor with UNSW Sydney, has held senior roles in the NFP and public sectors, including with the Australian Human Rights Commission, where she worked on the inquiry into pay equity and paid parental leave, Darwin Community Legal Service, and Legal Aid in WA.
In 2023, Dr Goldie was awarded an AO for distinguished services to social justice through leadership and advocacy, promoting the rights of marginalised and disadvantaged people. Cassandra is Co-Chair of the ACOSS and UNSW Sydney Poverty and Inequality Partnership and a member of the Federal Government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee.
Chris Leahy, COO, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
Chris Leahy is the Chief Operating Officer of the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, a position he has held since October 2021. Prior to this, he held a variety of positions at the Commission, including Director, eHealth and Medication Safety and Director, Safety and Quality Improvement Systems. He has an in-depth understanding of the complex issues surrounding healthcare, and the implementation of standards and policies that improve safety and quality.
Speakers and Chairs
- A/Prof Terence Cheng, Centre for Health Economics
- Mr Matt Cowgill, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
- Adjunct Prof Bronwyn Croxson, New Zealand Ministry of Health
- Ms Hayley Dean, National Disability Services and CEO, Melba Support Services
- Ms Jennifer Doggett, Croakey.com
- Prof Kees van Gool, Leader Centre for Health Policy, Economics and Data, University of Sydney
- Prof David Johnston, Centre for Health Economics
- Ms Nadia Levin, Research Australia
- A/Prof Jing Jing Li, Centre for Health Economics
- Ms Anne Muldowney, Older Persons Advocacy Network
- Mr Stephen Murray, NSW Reconstruction Authority
- Prof Michael Pervan, Independent Hospital and Aged Care Pricing Authority
- Prof Dame Carol Propper, Centre for Health Economics and Imperial College London
- Mr Michael Reid, Michael Reid and Associates
- Ms Mary Sayers, National Disability Research Partnership
- Ms Penny Shakespeare, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- Mr Roald Versteeg, Ageing Australia
- Prof Simon Wilkie, Monash Business School
Event program
View the full program
View
Event contacts
Aryan Rohanian
E: che_support@monash.edu
Juliet Sagar
E: juliet.sagar@monash.edu
Event Details
- Date:
- 2 September 2025 at 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Venue:
- National Portrait Gallery, Canberra
- Categories:
- Alumni; CHE Seminar; CHE Workshop; General
Description
Improving equity and value in the health and care economy
The health, disability, aged care, and welfare sectors now comprise more than 15% of Australia’s GDP, and account for our largest share of employment.
This symposium explores how to build more equitable, effective, and resilient health and care systems across these crucial sectors, and will identify the shared policy challenges and priorities across them.
Key sessions examine how to embed equity in deciding funding priorities, designing funding models to support efficiency, quality and fairness, and protect systems and equity against climate and global shocks.
We will explore and contrast different strategies across the sectors and highlight common policy and research priorities to advance equity and value across all care domains.
Event Host
Professor Anthony Scott, Director, Centre for Health Economics, Monash Business School
Prof Scott has built a distinguished career focused on influencing health policy through high-quality research. His research interests include the behaviour of physicians, health workforce dynamics, financial incentives, and the economics of primary care and hospitals.
He is particularly known for leading the Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life (MABEL) panel survey, which tracked the careers and work-life balance of over 10,000 physicians. Prof. Scott is an elected Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, a Past President of the Australian Health Economics Society, and was a Board Director of the International Health Economics Association. He has been an ARC Future Fellow and NHMRC Principal Research Fellow.
His research interests are in the health care labour markets, physician behaviour, and healthcare financing and incentives.
Key speakers
Dr Angela Jackson, Productivity Commission
Dr Angela Jackson has been appointed as full-time Commissioner (Social Policy) for a five-year term commencing 28 April 2025. She is an economist with experience across tax, fiscal and social policy, including as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Finance Minister during the Global Financial Crisis.
She has held roles with the Commonwealth Grants Commission, Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee, and Melbourne Health Board, and was part of the 2023 review of the COVID-19 response.
Dr Jackson is National Chair of the Women in Economics Network and Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Tasmania. She holds a Master’s from the London School of Economics and a PhD from Monash University.
Dr Elizabeth Deveny, Consumers Health Forum of Australia
Dr Deveny leads the CHFA, which is the national voice for health consumers. She has worked across digital health, primary care, and health funding, always with a focus on equity, access, and making sure policy reflects the voices of the people it affects — and while she’s not a health economist, she knows value for money when she sees it.
Prof Emily Lancsar, Chief Health Economist, Department of Health, Disability and Aging
Professor Emily Lancsar commenced as the Chief Health Economist in the department in April 2024. Prior to this, Prof Lancsar spent 25 years in academia, most recently as Head of the Department of Health Economics Wellbeing and Society at the Australian National University (ANU). She served as Associate Dean (Policy and Practice) in the College of Health and Medicine at the ANU from 2020–2022, where she remains a Professor.
Prof Lancsar has also held academic appointments at Monash University (where she remains an Adjunct Professor), the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in the United Kingdom, the University of Sydney and University of Technology, Sydney. Prof Lancsar holds PhD, Masters, and Bachelors degrees in Economics, a Postgrad Diploma in Health Economics and Evaluation, and a Bachelor of Arts (Asian Studies).
Dr Cassandra Goldie AO, CEO, Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS)
Dr Cassandra Goldie AO, CEO of ACOSS and Adjunct Professor with UNSW Sydney, has held senior roles in the NFP and public sectors, including with the Australian Human Rights Commission, where she worked on the inquiry into pay equity and paid parental leave, Darwin Community Legal Service, and Legal Aid in WA.
In 2023, Dr Goldie was awarded an AO for distinguished services to social justice through leadership and advocacy, promoting the rights of marginalised and disadvantaged people. Cassandra is Co-Chair of the ACOSS and UNSW Sydney Poverty and Inequality Partnership and a member of the Federal Government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee.
Chris Leahy, COO, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
Chris Leahy is the Chief Operating Officer of the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, a position he has held since October 2021. Prior to this, he held a variety of positions at the Commission, including Director, eHealth and Medication Safety and Director, Safety and Quality Improvement Systems. He has an in-depth understanding of the complex issues surrounding healthcare, and the implementation of standards and policies that improve safety and quality.
Speakers and Chairs
- A/Prof Terence Cheng, Centre for Health Economics
- Mr Matt Cowgill, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
- Adjunct Prof Bronwyn Croxson, New Zealand Ministry of Health
- Ms Hayley Dean, National Disability Services and CEO, Melba Support Services
- Ms Jennifer Doggett, Croakey.com
- Prof Kees van Gool, Leader Centre for Health Policy, Economics and Data, University of Sydney
- Prof David Johnston, Centre for Health Economics
- Ms Nadia Levin, Research Australia
- A/Prof Jing Jing Li, Centre for Health Economics
- Ms Anne Muldowney, Older Persons Advocacy Network
- Mr Stephen Murray, NSW Reconstruction Authority
- Prof Michael Pervan, Independent Hospital and Aged Care Pricing Authority
- Prof Dame Carol Propper, Centre for Health Economics and Imperial College London
- Mr Michael Reid, Michael Reid and Associates
- Ms Mary Sayers, National Disability Research Partnership
- Ms Penny Shakespeare, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- Mr Roald Versteeg, Ageing Australia
- Prof Simon Wilkie, Monash Business School
Event program
View the full program
View
Event contacts
Aryan Rohanian
E: che_support@monash.edu
Juliet Sagar
E: juliet.sagar@monash.edu