Brief Bio

Dr Michael Kortt is a Senior Lecturer in the Southern Cross Business School at Southern Cross University (SCU). He holds a PhD in economics from the University of New England, an MS in public health from the University of Arizona, and an honours degree in economics from La Trobe University. Prior to joining SCU, Michael spent 10 years working in the government sector as a Research Manager for the Department of Veterans' Affairs, the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Health and Ageing.

Dr Kortt has extensive experience in conducting research and his recent publications have appeared in Administration & Society, Applied Economics Letters, Australian Journal of Political Science, Australian Journal of Public Administration, Economic Papers, Economic Record, and the International Journal of Public Administration. Dr Kortt has also published the following books through Federation Press with Professor Brian Dollery and Dr Bligh Grant at the University of New England: Councils in Cooperation: Shared Services and Australian Local Government (2012) and Funding the Future: Financial Sustainability and Infrastructure Finance in Australian Local Government (2013).

His principal research interests fall squarely on local government economics, public administration and public policy.