What's your background?
I have a double degree in Economics (Honours) and Arts, where I was able to learn more about my educational passions in Economics and Psychology at Monash University. I’ve always had a fascination of how humans act and think the way they do. I like to think of myself as a Behavioural Economist these days!
I am Geelong-based, where the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) head office is. Though I split my time with Melbourne, where the rest of my family is, as they are a big part of my life.
Outside of work, I have a few hobbies to keep me busy such as badminton, hiking and playing games (both boardgames and computer). My main hobby though is dodgeball where I’ve even travelled interstate and overseas to play! I use it as a good way to stay active, and an excuse to take holidays and travel.
What's your job about?
I’ve been Director of the Economics and Insights team since early 2023, setting up and leading the team in that time. The team examines a range of economic issues impacting the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and broader care and support sectors using economic frameworks, research, and modelling tools.
We aim to inform policy decisions, particularly for pricing and market interventions, by using economic analyses to promote better understanding of the state of the NDIS and care and support sectors. This includes the impact the NDIS has on the wider Australian economy and other sectors such as healthcare and aged care.
My branch (Economics and Pricing) is responsible for setting pricing arrangements and price limits for various supports accessed by NDIS participants. My team and I assist in the pricing reviews conducted through research and analysis to inform decision making. The most well-known review we’re involved in is the Annual Pricing Review.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
My role in the team is best suited to an Economist, however, those with finance, statistics or analytical backgrounds might also be able to fit into the role so it is quite a specialist.
Reviewing price controls and rules requires a certain mindset when considering them, while also requiring the ability to assess the impacts the options up for decision may make if chosen, on a range of stakeholders. This includes market sustainability, the types of providers, the participants who receive funding and also how this will impact the NDIS sustainability.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
I love interacting with others and learning from the perspectives and information offered from all angles. From within the Agency, participants, providers, and other Government departments. My role and branch have made this a necessary part of my job. Otherwise, it can be easy to forget that everybody can see the same thing in different ways.
What are the limitations of your job?
In my current role, there is a lot of responsibility that comes with the role. In the busy periods sometimes this means longer hours to be able to complete the work. I’ve had to work weekends and late nights before to meet certain deadlines, particularly for testing certain system changes that need to come into effect by a deadline.
The biggest limitation is the governance process around decisions of price controls. Price controls are major considerations for the Agency as they may have large impacts on both the market sustainability (supply of supports) and ensuring participants’ receive value for money (demand for supports), so is not be a decision that is to be rushed so needs to go through the correct process for changing them.
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