4.1 Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research – CEPAR
As reported in our
2019 SIP report (
section 4.2 ),
CEPAR is producing world-class research to address one of the major economic and social challenges of the twenty first century : population ageing . Leading researchers drawn from actuarial science , demography , economics , epidemiology , psychology , industrial relations , organisational behaviour and sociology , undertake multidisciplinary research to help governments , businesses and consumers prepare for and make better decisions for an ageing world , with consequent social and economic benefits for families and communities expected to flow to Australia , the Asian region and the world .
The need to save for and draw down in retirement and for quality aged care has been a recent focus in Australia and many other demographically ageing countries . CEPAR has had significant input to and influence on various reviews and public policy development initiatives on this issue :
> In 2020 , Senior Research Fellow Rafal Chomik , Scientia Professor John Piggott and Professor Michael Sherris made three written
submissions to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality & Safety ’ s consultation on Financing Aged Care . Professors Piggott and Sherris also provided expert evidence at the Sydney Hearings , based on CEPAR economic and actuarial research . The Royal Commission final report references CEPAR research and personnel over 130 times .
> CEPAR ’ s submission to the Australian Government ’ s
Retirement Income Review in February 2020 included major contributions from academic staff Professors Hazel Bateman , Michael Keane , John Piggott , Michael Sherris , and Alan Woodland , Senior Research Fellows George Kudrna and Rafal Chomik , and Marc de Cure . The Final Review Report , published in November 2020 by the Treasury , mentions CEPAR over 30 times and includes references to 20 publications authored by CEPAR personnel .
Regionally , CEPAR remained strongly committed to expanding its linkages . In 2020 CEPAR was awarded major funding for population ageing research in emerging countries . Researchers Dr George Kudrna and Professors John Piggott and Peter McDonald , in collaboration with the World Bank and the Indonesian Planning Authority , secured over $ 200,000 funding under the Australian Research Council ( ARC ) Linkage Projects Scheme , along with $ 150,000 in partner funding . The project will break new ground by developing a cuttingedge economic policy model reflecting salient features of ageing in emerging economies , taking into account the wider implications for education , employment , formalisation , growth , and retirement .
In 2020 , CEPAR researchers undertook more than thirty research initiatives to materially contribute to the knowledge base around the impacts of COVID-19 and the policy response .
Publications and COVID-relevant research which directly aligned with the CEPAR mission included :
> CEPAR Chief Investigators John Piggott and Warwick McKibbin and PhD Student Nicole Ee were invited to join the taskforce ‘’ convened by the Group of Eight ( Go8 ) – Australia ’ s top research universities . The expert taskforce developed an independent , evidence-based report titled “
Roadmap to Recovery : A Report for the Nation ”, which was presented to the Australian Government and other key decision-makers in April 2020 .
A new CEPAR fact sheet ( see Figure 6 on page 39 ), prepared by Rafal Chomik .
38 | UNSW PRME SIP Report 2021