Warwick Smith

Wellbeing Economy Research Director

Expertise: Economics, ecology, public policy

Warwick Smith is an economist, ecologist, writer and policy analyst. He has worked across many areas of economic research including labour, environmental, gender, development and taxation economics.

Warwick is also an honorary fellow at the University of Melbourne’s School of Social and Political Sciences and co-founder and economist at the Castlemaine Institute. He has previously worked at Per Capita Australia, the University of Melbourne and for state and territory governments.

Warwick lives with his family in Castlemaine in central Victoria and has a strong interest in regional development and industry policy.

Publications

Submission on Tasmania’s 20-Year Preventive Health Strategy

CPD’s submission on Tasmania's draft 20-year preventive health strategy strongly supports the focus on economic

Submission to the Productivity Commission inquiry into Delivering quality care more efficiently

The Centre for Policy Development’s submission to the Productivity Commission’s inquiry on Delivering quality care

Avoidable Costs: Better outcomes and better value for public money

Avoidable Costs is a report from the Centre for Policy Development that illustrates the substantial

Budgeting for Natural Disasters: Transparency and accuracy in the fiscal treatment of disaster recovery

Budgeting for Natural Disasters is a briefing paper from the Centre for Policy Development that

Fifth Wellbeing Government Roundtable

The Fifth Wellbeing Government Roundtable brought together senior government officials from multiple departments across six

In the media

MEDIA RELEASE: CPD welcomes 2026-27 Budget as a vital step toward intergenerational equity and a green energy future

The 2026-27 Federal Budget marks a clear shift by the government toward addressing intergenerational and wealth inequality, prioritising a more resilient economy that benefits both current and future generations of Australians.

Warwick Smith: Is the capital gains tax discount an act of intergenerational ‘bastardry’?

If we want to avoid becoming a nation where the great divide is between those who own property and those who never will, we should jump at the chance for reform.

The Conversation
19 March 2026

Warwick Smith: The RBA’s policy deliberately creates unemployment. So why do we treat the jobless so badly?

The way we deal with rising inflation is highly problematic.

The Conversation
20 April 2026

Warwick Smith: ‘Doughnut economics’ shows how global growth is out of balance – and how we can fix it

A new update to an influential economic theory called “Doughnut Economics” shows a global economy on a collision course with nature.

The Conversation
13 October 2025

Avoidable costs in government

By spending on prevention and early intervention governments can achieve better outcomes and better value for public money, says the Centre for Policy Development.

Government News
8 July 2025