Percy Allan

I was an Economics Tutor, University of Sydney, 1998-1970, Visiting Professor, Macquarie University Graduate School of Management, 1996-2019 and have been a Visiting Professor at the Institute of Public Policy and Governance, University of Technology, Sydney since 2020.

I was Secretary, NSW Treasury, 1985-94 and Chair, Premier's Council on the Cost & Quality of Government, 1999-2007. My public policy research papers have been published by the AJPA, CEDA and CIS.

My opinion pieces have been published by the Sydney Morning Herald/Age, the Australian Financial Review, Pearls and Irritations and the Mandarin.

I have written two books, one on local government (Secession, 2002) and the other on financial markets (Crash Proof, 2018). Since 2019 I have published a weekly newsletter on economic and financial markets. I have undertaken major inquiries for governments on builders warranty insurance, NSW local government, NSW coal exploration, NSW Boxing Day trading and NSW government grants.

I founded and chair the Reform Club which meets quarterly to hear and question government ministers and senior officials on public policy reforms they are championing and driving. I also founded and chair the Evidence-Based Policy Research Project which has reviewed 80 federal and state bills on the Wiltshire criteria of good policy making. Its annual findings receive widespread media coverage and recently prompted the NSW Parliament to adopt a standing order for all future government bills to answer six basic questions to demonstrate they are evidence and consultation based.