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Fiscal Stimulus and Households' Non-Durable Consumption Expenditures: Evidence from the 2009 Australian Nation Building and Jobs Plan

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Listed:
  • Emma Aisbett
  • Markus Brueckner
  • Ralf Steinhauser
  • Rhett Wilcox

Abstract

In 2009 the Australian government delivered approximately $8 billion in direct payments to households. These payments were preannounced and randomly allocated to households based on postal codes over a 5-week period. We exploit this random allocation to estimate the causal response of households' non-durable consumption expenditures to a transitory, anticipated income increase. Our main findings are that: (i) non-durable consumption expenditures did not react significantly during or after the one-time, pre-announced transfer; (ii) there is a small, albeit statistically significant increase in non-durable consumption expenditures at the time of the announcement of the fiscal stimulus.

Suggested Citation

  • Emma Aisbett & Markus Brueckner & Ralf Steinhauser & Rhett Wilcox, 2013. "Fiscal Stimulus and Households' Non-Durable Consumption Expenditures: Evidence from the 2009 Australian Nation Building and Jobs Plan," CEPR Discussion Papers 689, Centre for Economic Policy Research, Research School of Economics, Australian National University.
  • Handle: RePEc:auu:dpaper:689
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    File URL: https://www.cbe.anu.edu.au/researchpapers/CEPR/DP689.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Cho, Yunho & Morley, James & Singh, Aarti, 2019. "Marginal propensities to consume before and after the Great Recession," Working Papers 2019-11, University of Sydney, School of Economics, revised Sep 2021.
    2. Sinclair Davidson & Ashton de Silva, 2013. "Stimulating Savings: An Analysis of Cash Handouts in Australia and the United States," Agenda - A Journal of Policy Analysis and Reform, Australian National University, College of Business and Economics, School of Economics, vol. 20(2), pages 39-60.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fiscal Stimulus; Randomization; Transitory Income; Anticipation; Excess Sensitivity; Rational Expectations Permanent Income;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • H31 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Household
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making

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