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Wilson Center Awards Australian Scholarship to Chris Barrett

WASHINGTON--The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars today announced the appointment of Chris Barrett as a Wilson Center Australian Scholar. Barrett will spend four months in residence at the Wilson Center, beginning in January 2011, working on a research project examining the origins, design, and implementation of the Australian government's fiscal stimulus packages in response to the global financial crisis of 2008-09.

WASHINGTON--The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars today announced the appointment of Chris Barrett as a Wilson Center Australian Scholar. Barrett will spend four months in residence at the Wilson Center, beginning in January 2011, working on a research project examining the origins, design, and implementation of the Australian government's fiscal stimulus packages in response to the global financial crisis of 2008-09.

Until recently, Barrett was chief of staff to Wayne Swan, Member of Parliament and the Treasurer of Australia. From 2003 to 2007, he was a director and then deputy secretary in the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet. From 1996 to 2001, he served as a senior adviser to Kim Beazley, M.P., Leader of the Federal Opposition. From 1992 to 1996, he was a management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group in Melbourne. Barrett has a Masters in Public Policy from Princeton University, as well as Master of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, and Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Melbourne.

During his time at the Wilson Center, Barrett will review the events leading up to the global financial crisis from an Australian perspective. His research will also show how Australia's international engagement during this period, particularly with the International Monetary Fund, helped shape not just the timing but also the design of its fiscal stimulus. Finally, he will focus on the institutional factors explaining the relatively short lags in the implementation of this intervention.

The Australian Scholar program is the centerpoint of the Woodrow Wilson Center's activities relating to Australia and U.S.-Australian relations. Candidates must be currently pursuing research on key public policy issues facing Australia, including U.S.-Australian relations and East Asian political, security, and economic issues.

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is the national, living memorial honoring President Woodrow Wilson. In providing an essential link between the worlds of ideas and public policy, the Center addresses current and emerging challenges confronting the United States and the world. The Center promotes policy-relevant research and dialogue to increase understanding and enhance the capabilities and knowledge of leaders, citizens, and institutions worldwide. Created by an Act of Congress in 1968, the Center is a non-partisan institution headquartered in Washington, D.C. and supported by both public and private funds.

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