Australian journal hits note with world economics

In June 2000, a new editorial team, headed by Paul Flatau of Murdoch University’s School of Economics, was appointed to the Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE).

Since that time, the new editorial team has lifted the profile and academic prestige of the AJLE in the Australian and international labour research community.

“The Australian Journal of Labour Economics has quickly become a significant voice in international labour market research circles and among Australian policy-makers” said Managing Editor, Paul Flatau.

Entirely produced at Murdoch University, most of Australia’s major labour economics researchers sit on the journal’s editorial board.

One of the stand-out features of the journal is the special issues on specific areas of policy relevant research.

In June 2001, an entire issue was devoted to Indigenous labour market issues and was guest edited by Professor Jon Altman from ANU’s Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research. As Altman noted in his editorial, this was “the very first issue ever of a mainstream economics journal to be dedicated entirely to Indigenous issues”.

The next edition of the journal will address Australia’s unemployment problem and policies. It will publish the edited proceedings from a specially convened conference in Canberra attended by many of Australia’s leading labour market researchers and key policy makers from the Treasury and the Reserve Bank of Australia.