Rate My Professor Leo Dobes

Leo Dobes is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University. Holding a DPhil in East European economics from the University of Oxford, he brings extensive public sector experience to his academic role. Dobes served nearly 30 years in the Australian Public Service, much of it as a Senior Executive Service officer. His positions included the diplomatic service, intelligence assessment at the Office of National Assessments, Defence industry policy, microeconomic reform at the Australian Treasury, telecommunications reforms in 1990-91, transport and regional programs, and a secondment to Ernst & Young. In 1992, he founded the Environment Branch at the Australian Bureau of Transport Economics, overseeing reports on greenhouse emission mitigation costs and benefits in transport. Appointed to the Australian Research Council's College of Experts shortly before retiring in 2007, he transitioned to academia.

At the Crawford School, Dobes teaches the Master's course IDEC8001 in Cost-Benefit Analysis and leads workshops for ANZSOG. His expertise spans cost-benefit analysis, transport economics, government procurement, and climate change adaptation. Research focuses on 'real options' applications in adaptation policy, Sir Sidney Kidman as an early adapter to climatic uncertainty, funding for slow-onset coastal erosion, and historical cost-benefit analyses such as Australia's railway gauge standardization (1900-1950) and post-cyclone emergency services. Notable publications include: "Social Cost-Benefit Analysis in Australia and New Zealand: The State of Current Practice and What Needs to be Done" (ANU Press, 2016, co-authored with G. Argyrous and J. Leung); "Multi-Criteria Analysis: 'Good Enough' for Government Work?" (Agenda, 2009, with J. Bennett); "Getting Real about Adapting to Climate Change: Using 'Real Options' to Address the Uncertainties" (Agenda, 2008); "The Economics of Global Climate Change: A Historical Literature Review" (Review of Economics, 2014, with F. Jotzo and D. Stern); "Increased Livestock Weight Gain from Improved Water Quality in Farm Dams: A Cost-Benefit Analysis" (PLoS ONE, 2021, with M. Crane et al.); and "Wider Economic Impacts in Transport Infrastructure Cost-Benefit Analysis – A Bridge Too Far?" (Agenda, 2015, with J. Leung). Dobes has advised the World Bank and Australian government departments, contributing to policy on climate change and fiscal matters.