Supporting Entry and Growth of Australian Businesses via Tax and Transfers

Project opportunity

This Earmarked Scholarship project is aligned with a recently awarded Category 1 research grant. It offers you the opportunity to work with leading researchers and contribute to large projects of national significance.

This project aims to characterise the optimal tax treatment of business income for insurance and efficiency purposes. Using new data for Australia, the project expects to first identify key determinants of businesses creation, growth and exit, before and after COVID-19. In light of those determinants, the project expects to develop original macroeconomic models integrating firm dynamics into optimal taxation frameworks. Expected outcomes include formulating fiscal policies that provide adequate stimulus to businesses, by balancing public insurance and income inequality. This should deliver evidence-based inputs to promote Australia's post-pandemic recovery, through the design of a fairer and more efficient business tax and transfer system.

Scholarship value

As a scholarship recipient, you'll receive: 

  • living stipend of $32,192 per annum tax free (2023 rate), indexed annually
  • tuition fees covered
  • single Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

Supervisor

Professor Begona Dominguez, Dr Antonio Bellofatto

School of Economics

Email: b.dominguez@uq.edu.au

Preferred educational background

Your application will be assessed on a competitive basis.

We take into account your

  • previous academic record
  • publication record
  • honours and awards
  • employment history.

A working knowledge of macroeconomics and econometrics would be of benefit to someone working on this project.

The applicant will demonstrate academic achievement in the field(s) of macroeconomics and the potential for scholastic success.

A background or knowledge of computer programming (e.g., Matlab or Python), and econometrics software (e.g., Stata) is highly desirable.

Latest commencement date

If you are the successful candidate, you must commence by Research Quarter 1, 2023. You should apply at least 3 months prior to the research quarter commencement date.

If you are an international applicant, you may need to apply much earlier for visa requirements.

How to apply

You apply for this project as part of your PhD program application.

View application process