Nicki Hutley — Raising the bar

Sex, lies and economics: is the "dismal" science a force for good or evil?

Economics drives so many aspects of our lives, from the most obvious (the wage we earn, the cost of a mortgage, how much tax we pay) to the more subtle (should I eat this bar of chocolate today or tomorrow?) Yet many people think of economists as being all about money, and not much else. Nicki is passionate about the intersection of economics, society and environment and economics as a force for good.

In this talk, she'll look at how economics can improve social outcomes as well as the environment, and why governments often lie to us about the right pathways to address problems. Nicki will even show us how economics can help us to make better personal decisions in almost every aspect of our lives.

Bio

Nicki Hutley is a highly experienced economist, with broad- based expertise gained over three decades of practice in financial and investment markets and in economic consulting.

After many years in the corporate world, including most recently as a partner with Deloitte Access Economics, Nicki is now an independent economist and also consults with Social Outcomes, developing social impact programs and finance solutions. In 2020, Nicki was appointed as a Councillor for the Climate Council and admitted as an expert faculty member (economics) to Singularity University.

Nicki is particularly interested in the intersection of economy, society and environment. Her research covers both macroeconomics and microeconomic policy across a broad field of issues. Nicki is a council member for the Economics Society of Australia (NSW), a Board member for One Million Women and an advisor for the Financy Women’s Index.

Nicki is also a frequent commentator in the media and is a regular guest on both The Drum and The Project.