Robert George GREGORY

Background

Gregory, Robert George was born on September 25, 1939 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Son of George Thomas Gregory and Dorothy May (Moore) Webb.

Education

Bachelor in Commerce, University Melbourne, 1961. Doctor of Philosophy, London School of Economics, 1967.

Career

First convenor Masters Degree by Coursework Australian National University, Canberra, 1969-1973. Senior research fellow, senior fellow department economics Research School Social Sciences, Australian National University, 1969-1978, professorial fellow department economics, 1981, deputy director Center for Economic Policy Research, 1981, director Center for Economic Policy Research, 1987-1992, head economics program, since 1987, head division Division Economics and Politics, 1990-1999. First assistant commissioner Australian Industries Assistance Commission, 1973-1975.

Chair Australian studies Harvard University, 1983-1984. Consultant Administrative Staff College, London, 1966-1967, Commonwealth Bureau Rds., Melbourne, 1970-1971, Tariff Board, Canberra, 1971-1972, Department Labour and National Service, Melbourne, 1972, Royal Commission on Australian Government Administration, 1975, Study Group on Structural Adjustment, 1978, Industries Assistance Commission, 1979, Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service, 1989, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Proposal for the Inter-agency Techno-Economics Assessment Project, 1989. President Canberra branch Economic Society Australia and New Zealand, 1973.

Visiting associate professor Northwestern University, 1976. Visiting scholar Board Governors Federal Reserve Systems, Washington, 1977. Member advisory board Institute Applied Economic and Social Research, University Melbourne, 1980-1984.

Advisory council Bureau Labour Market Research, 1982-1984, acting chairman advisory council, 1985-1987. Member board Reserve Bank Australia, 1985-1995. Member Australian Sciences and Technology Council, 1986-1992, Australian Council Employment and Training, 1987-1988, Commonwealth Committee on Higher Education Funding, 1988.

Member cabinet sub-committee Long Term Economic Growth, 1985. Member board management Australian Institute Family Studies, 1989-1998. Principal consultant Aged Care Review and Nursing Home Funding Review, 1990-1993.

Chairman nominating committee Australian studies Harvard University, 1986-1992. Member Task Force on Employment Opportunities, 1993. Visiting professor University Chicago, 1994.

Achievements

• Robert George Gregory has been listed as a noteworthy Economics professor by Marquis Who's Who.

Views

I was influenced greatly by the positivist methodology that was popular at London School of Economies and Political Science, London, United Kingdom during the 1960s, although I now believe that as an ideal methodology it imputes too much status to existing theory. I now favour a much more pragmatic approach. A major influence on my writing was the experience associated with two years in the Australian public service during 1973-1975, preparing public reports on proposed tariff reform.

Since then I have focussed more on Australian problems and writing for a wider audience than the usual readership of an economic journal. My paper that I like best and learned most from is concerned with equal pay for women (Number. 6 above). lieutenant taught me the importance of sexual discrimination and segregation in the labour market and how institutions can matter. My most widely quoted paper — professionally and in the public sphere — is concerned with the structural change implications of a booming mineral export sector in Australia (Number.

4 above). lieutenant was a forerunner of the ‘Dutch Disease’ literature. Recently I have been interested in macroeconomics viewed from a labour-market perspective.

Membership

Fellow Academy Social Sciences in Australia. Member Economic Society Australia (vice president Canberra branch 1985, president 1997), Order of Australia (officer), 1996.

Interests

• 420 Commercial Policy. 430 Balance of Payments. 820 Labour Markets.

Connections

Married Annette Margaret McIntosh, May 1962 (deceased March 1997). Married Meng Xin, October 1999. Children: Christopher, Martin, David, Fiona.

Father:

George T. Gregory

Mother:

Dorothy M. Webb

Spouse:

Meng Xin

Spouse:

Annette Margaret McIntosh

child:

Christopher Gregory

child:

Fiona Gregory

child:

David Gregory

child:

Martin Gregory