Bio

Dr Ben Spies-Butcher lectures in economic and political sociology at Macquarie University. He has a PhD in Economics from the University of Sydney. His research focuses on the economics and politics of social policy, and on political participation. He previously worked as Senior Researcher at the Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education on issues of human rights. Ben is active in a number of non-government organizations and social movements, particularly around Indigenous rights and housing.

Ben Spies-Butcher's contributions:

Flat tax champions dodge the hard issues

Ben Spies-Butcher questions claims that the Liberals' flat tax proposals are either simpler or fairer.

• 1 comment
• Read more

• Thinking Points

• tax reform
• sustainable economy

Superannuation savings a small drop in the ocean: Ben Spies-Butcher

Labor's proposed changes to superannuation are a small step in the right direction, explains CPD fellow Ben Spies-Butcher.

• 1 comment
• Read more
• by bbutcher

• Thinking Points

• tax
• budget
• Super
• tax cuts

Reforming Australia's hidden welfare state: Tax expenditures as welfare for the rich

As Australia heads into a recession and our budget heads into deficit, one of Australia's least fair and least effective forms of public investment is still growing like topsy. In this paper for the Centre for Policy Development Dr Ben Spies-Butcher and Adam Stebbing uncover Australia's hidden welfare state. Using the superannuation tax concessions as a case study, they explore options for transforming tax expenditures to make Commonwealth spending fairer and more transparent.

• Login or register to post comments
• Read more
• 1 attachment

• Real world economics
• Welfare Policy

• Occasional Papers

• welfare
• tax
• spending
• deficit
• budget

Deportees' fate shows there's no solution in the Pacific

'They were targeted for precisely the reasons that had led them to seek asylum in Australia in the first place. One had married for love across religious lines. The other was associated with the pre-Taliban government. But their claims were not believed by Australian officials and so they were sent home. Now their children are dead.' Anna Samson, Ben Spies-Butcher and Phil Glendenning show why the battle to reform our refugee policies is far from over.

• Read more
• by asamson

• Human Rights

Using the resources boom to fund the future

Ben Spies-Butcher and Tom Keily look overseas for some direction about alternative ways to use this one-off revenue to achieve real ‘reform’ and properly ‘future proof’ Australia. The 'Alaska Permanent Fund' and the Norwegian State Petroleum Fund provide examples

• Read more

• Real world economics