Staff Profile
Dr Michael Alexander
Principal Research Fellow
BEc(Hons) (Adelaide), PhD (Griffith)
Biography
Michael commenced with the Institute in July 2004 as the Principal Research Fellow for the Family and Society research program. More recently, he was Project Manager for the Institute’s Evaluation of the Family Law Reforms. He is currently the Executive Manager for Research Business Development and Accountability.
Michael completed a PhD in the Department of Employment Relations at Griffith University in 2009, titled Union Influence on the Activism of Workplace Delegates: A Tale of Two Surveys. His work experience includes more than 20 years in the public sector, having held several academic positions in the areas of economics and industrial relations, as well as policy and research positions within Commonwealth, Queensland and Victorian government departments.
His current research interests include the analysis of parental leave policies, the impacts of family-friendly work arrangements, work arrangements of parents with young children, the distribution and impact of low-wage work, and the quality of work. He is a member of the International Network on Leave Policies and Research and is the current Secretary of ACSPRI.
Specialist areas
- Employment conditions
- Industrial relations
- Work and family policy
Selected recent publications
- Alexander, M., Whitehouse, G. and Brennan, D. (2011). Australia - Country Note. (PDF 1.4 MB) in Moss, P. (Ed.) International Review of Leave Policies and Related Research 2011, International Network on Leave Policies and Research.
- Alexander, M., Whitehouse, G. and Brennan, D. (2010). Australia - Country note. (PDF 1.4 MB) in Moss, P. International Review of Leave Policies and Related Research 2010, Employment Relations Research Series No. 115, UK Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, London, pp. 42-51.
- Lodge, J., & Alexander, M. (2010). Views of adolescents in separated families: a study of adolescents' experiences after the 2006 reforms to the family law system (PDF 6.2MB) Commissioned by the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department (AGD) and the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA)
- Renda, J., Baxter, J. and Alexander, M. (2009). Exploring the work-family policies mothers say would help after the birth of a child. Australian Journal of Labour Economics, Vol 12, No. 1 2009, pp 65-87.
- Baxter, J. and Alexander, M. (2008). Mother’s work–family strain in single and couple parent families: The role of job characteristics and supports (PDF 472 KB). Australian Journal of Social Issues, 43(2), 195-214.
- Gray, M., Baxter, J. & Alexander, M. (2008). Parent-only care: a child care choice for working couple families? Family Matters, 79, 42-49.
- Baxter, J., Gray, M., Alexander, M., Strazdins, L. and Bittman, M. (2007). Mothers and fathers with young children: Paid employment, caring and wellbeing (PDF 858 KB) (Social Policy Research Paper No. 30). Canberra: Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
- Alexander, M. and Baxter, J. (2005). Impacts of work on family life among partnered parents of young children. Family Matters, 72, 18-25.
- Parker, R. and Alexander, M. (2004). Factors influencing men's and women's decisions about having children. Family Matters, 69, 24-31.