MESSAGE FROM OUR DIRECTOR

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MESSAGE FROM OUR DIRECTOR

I am pleased to present the results of a highly productive 2021 for our team at the Monash Centre for Financial Studies – a year highlighted by ground-breaking new research initiatives and other projects that we were able to advance despite the many obstacles thrown up by COVID-19.

I am particularly proud of our ongoing research projects focusing on superannuation, modern slavery risks for Australian companies, global carbon pricing and other environment-related issues (mentioned in the Highlights sections and outlined in this report).

All of these, I believe, are creating valuable industry-relevant knowledge and real-world benefits for industry and society. Details of these projects are outlined in this 2021 annual report.

Our research also attracted widespread publicity in mainstream Australian and international media, with reports in high-profile outlets, including the Australian Financial Review, the Sydney Morning Herald, SBS, Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal.

In addition to their primary research work, MCFS team members participated in numerous webinars, forums and committees during 2021, exchanging knowledge and ideas with other researchers and industry partners. The pandemic has presented challenges for us –restricting face-to-face exchanges with finance industry professionals, regulators, policymakers, academics and others that normally underpin our practical, industry-relevant approach to research.

We were able to sustain wide engagement and collaboration with our industry research partners throughout 2021, supporting the completion of more high-value practical research into significant areas of public policy interest.

I thank all our researchers and administrative support team for their exceptional work in 2021. With several ongoing projects and several exciting new ones, now underway, I look forward to sharing their results in the coming months and years.

PROFESSOR DEEP KAPUR

Director, Monash Centre for Financial Studies Deputy Dean, External Engagement