Alison Preston

Alison Preston is a Professor of Economics at the UWA Business School, The University of Western Australia. She holds leadership roles including Associate Editor of the Industrial Relations Journal and Vice-President of the WA Branch of the Economic Society of Australia. Her research focuses on gendered employment dynamics, wage structures, and financial literacy, with particular attention to policy implications. She has advised government bodies on labor market reforms and conducted high-profile reviews, including the 2022 Fair Work Amendment review.

Education: BA (Hons) from Strathclyde University, MBA from Curtin University, and PhD from the University of Western Australia.

Research Interests:

• Gender pay gap and labor market segmentation
• Economic security through financial literacy
• Public-private wage differentials
• Impact of policies on employment equity

Key Awards:

• 2023 Best Paper in Economic Papers for work on financial literacy and self-employment
• 2025 Nomination for Journal of Consumer Affairs Best Article Award

Advising & Grants: Lead researcher on multiple government-funded studies, including reviews of workplace reforms and submissions to parliamentary committees on cost-of-living pressures and superannuation equity. Her work frequently engages with UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly gender equality and decent work (SDGs 5 & 8).

Labs/Teams: Active in interdisciplinary teams at the UWA Business School, collaborating with institutions like the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA).