This paper seeks to identify the effect of consumer sentiment on consumption. Using Australian consumer sentiment data, which is unique in asking individuals about their political preferences, we show that consumers report substantially higher levels of sentiment when their self-identified...

We estimate the causal effect of pandemic school closures on standardized test scores in Australia using variation in the length of school closures across states. States independently implemented school closures as part of Australia’s successful COVID elimination strategy. School closures in...

What is the effect of COVID-19 related school closures on student achievement? We provide causal evidence using variation in the duration of school closures across and within Australian states. School closures ranged from 4 to 112 days. We measure student achievement using test scores from a...