The following UTS experts are available for comment on the 2025 federal election. Please contact the UTS Media Office for further advice and information.
Politics, economics, and international relations
Professor Andrew Jakubowicz
Emeritus Professor of Sociology at UTS
Professor Jakubowicz is a political sociologist and is available to comment on the politics of multicultural Australia.
Andrew.Jakubowicz@uts.edu.au
Professor Michelle Baddeley
Professor in Economics at UTS Business School
Behavioural economist Professor Baddeley is available to discuss behavioural economic perspectives on stimulus measures, and broader macroeconomic insights.
Michelle.Baddeley@uts.edu.au
Professor Tim Harcourt
Industry Professor and Chief Economist at UTS Institute for Public Policy and Governance
Professor Harcourt can comment on international trade, immigration policy, defence strategies (e.g., China, Russia and Ukraine), industrial relations, wages policy, and the business of sport.
Tim.Harcourt@uts.edu.au
Professor James Laurenceson
Director of the UTS Australia-China Relations Institute
Professor Laurenceson is an expert on the Australia-China relationship, encompassing economic, political and strategic elements. He is available to comment on how this relationship will form part of the domestic election campaign, as well as how the election result might impact the Australia-China relationship, which is currently at a historic low point.
James.Laurenceson@uts.edu.au
Professor Peter Siminski
Professor of Economics at UTS Business School
Professor Siminski is available to discuss program impact evaluation, economic inequality and social mobility.
Peter.Siminski@uts.edu.au
Professor Carl Rhodes
Dean of UTS Business School
Professor Rhodes is available to discuss topics related to the role of business in liberal democracy, business ethics and society, the political influence of corporations, masculinity in business and politics, the neoliberal state in Australia, business and progressive politics, and public debates over ‘woke capitalism’.
Carl.Rhodes@uts.edu.au
Consumer behaviour and cost of living
Professor Ross Gordon
UTS Business School, Director of Change for Good @ UTS
Professor Gordon's expertise includes consumer resilience during cost-of-living crises, gambling harm reduction strategies, energy transitions (e.g., electric vehicles), public health behaviour change initiatives (e.g., violence prevention), and policymaking processes.
Ross.Gordon@uts.edu.au
Housing, urban development, and sustainability
Dr Song Shi
Associate Professor of Property Economics at the School of Built Environment
Dr Shi is an expert in housing market dynamics, sustainable real estate, and urban development. He can comment on housing affordability, urban sustainability, and property market trends.
Song.Shi@uts.edu.au
Professor Jua Cilliers
Head of the School of Built Environment, and Professor of Urban Planning
Professor Cilliers has expertise in urban planning, green infrastructure, and youth participation in decision-making. She can provide insights into sustainable cities, climate resilience, infrastructure investment, and civic engagement.
Jua.Cilliers@uts.edu.au
Professor Alan Morris
Professor, Institute for Public Policy and Governance
Professor Morris is an expert in housing equity, social policy, and urban studies. His most recent book is titled ‘The Private Rental Sector in Australia: Living with Uncertainty’.
Alan.Morris@uts.edu.au
Associate Professor Phillippa Carnemolla
School of Built Environment
Associate Professor Carnemolla leads research at the intersection of social sustainability, inclusive design and the built environment. Her expertise spans housing, disability and aged care focusing on how the built environment impacts social inclusion and community care.
Phillippa.Carnemolla@uts.edu.au
Professor Leena Thomas
Professor, School of Architecture
Professor Thomas specialises in sustainable architecture and design practices addressing climate change and health and wellbeing. Her expertise includes energy efficiency, urban heat mitigation, and social outcomes within the built environment.
Leena.Thomas@uts.edu.au
Professor Damien Giurco
Professor of Resource Futures at the Institute for Sustainable Futures
Professor Giurco’s expertise covers sustainability and circular economy across the resources, energy, built environment and waste sectors.
Damien.Giurco@uts.edu.au
Climate change, energy policy, and resilience
Dr Chris Briggs
Research Director at the UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures
Dr Briggs is an expert on climate and energy policy, clean energy jobs, coal transition, offshore wind energy, and renewable business strategies.
Chris.Briggs@uts.edu.au
Professor Martina Linnenluecke
Director of the Centre for Climate Risk and Resilience at UTS
Professor Linnenluecke has expertise across climate change, energy and the environment. She can comment on the role of government policy in shaping private sector responses to climate change, investor expectations, and broader economic resilience.
Martina.Linnenluecke@uts.edu.au
Professor Elizabeth Mossop
Professor of Landscape Architecture and former Dean of Design, Architecture and Building
Professor Mossop is available to discuss infrastructure planning and resourcing, disaster mitigation and recovery, urban revitalisation, and the role of planning and landscape design in building resilient communities in the face of climate change.
Elizabeth.Mossop@uts.edu.au
Dr Elizabeth Humphrys
Head Of Discipline, Social And Political Sciences
Dr Humphrys is available to discuss labour, wages, and industrial relations. She has particular expertise in the impact of climate change on workers and industry.
Elizabeth.Humphrys@uts.edu
Professor Behzad Fatahi
Professor of Civil Engineering in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Professor Fatahi’s research focuses on design, construction and maintenance of major infrastructure such as energy infrastructure, roads and railways. He is available to comment on priority areas for infrastructure investment particularly LNG infrastructure, wind farm, transport infrastructure and building more resilient and sustainable Australia.
Behzad.Fatahi@uts.edu.au
Education
Dr Jane Hunter
Associate Professor in the School of International Studies and Education
Dr Hunter is an expert in teacher education, focusing on the latest school infrastructure developments, technology integration, and teacher professional development. She is well-versed in addressing critical education issues such as teacher shortages, especially in rural and remote schools. With Don Carter, she co-hosts the podcast Talking Teachers.
Jane.Hunter@uts.edu.au
Professor Rachel Wilson
Associate Head of School, Teaching and Learning and Professor of Social Impact, UTS Business School
Professor Wilson researches the impact of education policy and funding models on student outcomes and teacher experiences. She can comment on evidence-based education policy, equitable access to education, the social impact of educational reforms, and the implications of the new school funding agreement.
Rachel.Wilson@uts.edu.au
Dr Don Carter
Associate Professor in the School of International Studies and Education
Dr Carter specialises in school-based curriculum development, literacy enhancement, and the teaching of literature and writing. He is available to comment on education reforms, including curriculum updates, assessment and literacy improvement. With Jane Hunter, he co-hosts the podcast Talking Teachers.
Don.Carter@uts.edu.au
Social justice, equity and inclusion
Amy Persson
Interim Pro Vice-Chancellor (Social Justice and Inclusion)
Amy Persson is a public policy expert with extensive experience across private, public, and not-for-profit sectors. She is well-positioned to comment on election policies related to social inclusion, public service reform, and community engagement. She can also speak to higher education's role in advancing social equity and universities as public purpose institutions.
Amy.Persson@uts.edu.au
Sonal Singh
Executive Manager, Student Access and Equity, Centre for Social Justice and Inclusion
Sonal Singh has over 15 years of experience in student equity, higher education policy, and pathways into post-secondary education. As Vice President of Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Australasia (EPHEA) and a Board Member of the World Access to Higher Education Network (WAHEN), Sonal has deep expertise in student equity. Sonal's work focuses on widening participation, inclusive access, and the role of pathways in supporting diverse student cohorts.
Sonal.Singh@uts.edu.au
Danielle Keenan
Student Equity Research Specialist, Australian Centre for Student Equity Success Fellow
Danielle Keenan is a researcher and practitioner specialising in regional higher education access and policy. Her expertise includes Regional University Study Hubs, place-based student support models, and addressing the structural barriers affecting higher education participation in regional, rural, and remote communities.
Danielle.Keenan@uts.edu.au
Lisa Aitken
Executive Manager, Community Engagement and Impact, UTS Centre for Social Justice and Inclusion
Lisa Aitken is available to discuss universities' role as public purpose institutions, in particular how they engage with the community sector. She is an expert in engaging with vulnerable communities, elevating community voice and using participatory approaches.
lisa.aitken@uts.edu.au
Health policy
Distinguished Professor Jane Hall
Distinguished Professor of Health Economics at UTS Business School
Professor Hall is the former president of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia. She is available to comment on health policy, Medicare, research policy.
Jane.Hall@uts.edu.au
Dr Nathan Kettlewell
Senior Lecturer in Economics
Dr Kettlewell is an applied health economist with experience in healthcare financing, especially the role of private health insurance.
Nathan.Kettlewell@uts.edu.au
Disability and social participation
Professor Simon Darcy
Professor of Social Inclusion, UTS Business School
Professor Darcy is a researcher in the area of disability, diversity and inclusion. He has current programs examining the NDIS, employment and social participation as indicators of disability citizenship. Simon is an insider as a power wheelchair user himself.
Simon.Darcy@uts.edu.au
Innovation and not-for-profit sector
Emeritus Professor Roy Green
Special Innovation Advisor at UTS
Professor Green is an expert on innovation policy, entrepreneurship ecosystems, R&D strategy development, industry policy reforms, and management practices.
Roy.Green@uts.edu.au
Professor Bronwen Dalton
Head, Department of Management, UTS Business School
Professor Dalton is available to discuss funding challenges within the not-for-profit sector.
Bronwen.Dalton@uts.edu.au
Workplace relations, labour law and industrial relations
Dr Giuseppe Carabetta
Associate Professor of employment law, UTS Business School
Dr Carabetta is an expert in workplace relations and employment law, well-positioned to comment on election policies related to workplace flexibility, the future of work, discrimination in the workplace, and Australian Federal Police employment conditions.
Giuseppe.Carabetta@uts.edu.au
Dr Eugene Scholfield-Georgeson
Senior Lecturer at UTS Faculty of Law
Dr Schofield-Georgeson is available to discuss labour law and industrial relations policy. His expertise covers the regulation of precarious employment such as casualisation, independent contracting (the gig economy) and labour hire, as well as wage theft, sham contracting, the role of trade unions, collective and industry bargaining, wages policy and the common law employment relationship.
Eugene.Schofield-Georgeson@uts.edu.au