Economist researching cities, transport, housing, & energy. I focus on New Zealand & Australia, with European dalliances. And some chaff.https://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.social/post/3lq7jityqxk2s⭐ New Zealand polling update⭐ As we wait on new polling data following the recent budget here in New Zealand, I thought I'd crank the handle on my model that aggregates political polling data and infers the "average" levels of support for individual parties.28 May 2025 05:58 +0000at://did:plc:hyhypzmfk2s2pvibql5prxdf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lq7jityqxk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.social/post/3loyyj6ej622lAfter a ten-year hiatus from blogging, the hard-working people at @greaterauckland.bsky.social (Greater Auckland) have kindly agreed to publish some of my rando musings as a guest blog post titled, "Why it takes a city to save a village, and vice versa." https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2025/05/13/why-it-takes-a-city-to-save-a-village-and-vice-versa/12 May 2025 22:12 +0000at://did:plc:hyhypzmfk2s2pvibql5prxdf/app.bsky.feed.post/3loyyj6ej622lhttps://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.social/post/3lo4ylngclk2dDo you have: ❓ a passion for research ❓ a PhD (or, are close to getting one) ❓ the desire to live + work in New Zealand If you answered ✅ ✅ ✅, then you might want to consider applying for Research Fellow or Senior Fellow positions with us at Motu Research. More deets: https://www.motu.nz/about-us/working-at-motu/research-fellow-and-senior-fellow01 May 2025 18:59 +0000at://did:plc:hyhypzmfk2s2pvibql5prxdf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lo4ylngclk2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.social/post/3ljqip2f5fk2fTo my dear friends in my beloved Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, New Zealand -- I'm pleased to be visiting your verdant shores on *2 April* for two public events that some of you might be interested in coming along to. Find links to details + register below.06 Mar 2025 22:02 +0000at://did:plc:hyhypzmfk2s2pvibql5prxdf/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljqip2f5fk2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.social/post/3lhyz4nqjjk2u🚨 urban economics research siren 🚨 In this recently published (open access) paper in "Land Use Policy", my co-author (Matthew Maltman) and I review critiques of the economic evidence on the effects of upzoning in Auckland. We find these critiques have little to no merit. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2025.10749812 Feb 2025 20:27 +0000at://did:plc:hyhypzmfk2s2pvibql5prxdf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhyz4nqjjk2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.social/post/3lggvmj6w522hHi fwiends, I'm pleased to be contributing to a discussion on housing and infrastructure policy that is being organised by the Law and Economics of New Zealand and hosted by KPMG Wellington on 13 February. Deets and register (in person or online) here: https://eventbrite.co.nz/e/pipe-dreams-enabling-and-funding-housing-growth-in-new-zealand-tickets-121980427040923 Jan 2025 22:11 +0000at://did:plc:hyhypzmfk2s2pvibql5prxdf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lggvmj6w522hhttps://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.social/post/3lg5x3m7tpc2i🚨urban economics research siren 🚨 A new (open access) paper considers the effects of upzonings in Lower Hutt, New Zealand. tldr - housing permits ⬆️ by ~10-18% - rents ⬇️by ~21% vs counterfactual These effects are for the metropolitan region. https://sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S105113772400051220 Jan 2025 08:44 +0000at://did:plc:hyhypzmfk2s2pvibql5prxdf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lg5x3m7tpc2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.social/post/3lfyrgeaop222One of my final fun projects as a consultant in Australia was to contribute to a project that sought to incorporate the benefits of bus priority into a macroscopic ("strategic", or four step) transport model. You can read more about the process here. https://veitchlister.com/bus-priority-benefits-in-strategic-modelling/18 Jan 2025 07:19 +0000at://did:plc:hyhypzmfk2s2pvibql5prxdf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lfyrgeaop222https://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.social/post/3lf5bpsdbuk2mDoes housing affordability and security affects fertility? According to this study the answer is "yes": When people aged 20-25 years are given social housing (via lottery), then they are 32% more likely to have a child and end up having 33% more children in total. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=504657107 Jan 2025 08:56 +0000at://did:plc:hyhypzmfk2s2pvibql5prxdf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lf5bpsdbuk2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.social/post/3lerpftypzk2oKia ora from Island Bay, Wellington, New Zealand, where the clouds are doing something a little special.02 Jan 2025 18:29 +0000at://did:plc:hyhypzmfk2s2pvibql5prxdf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lerpftypzk2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.social/post/3lepkzb3bac2x"Impacts on the value of adjoining properties are not a matter for consideration under the planning scheme ... The development contributes to Brisbane's housing in that it is diverse in type and form, offering choice to different household types and income levels ..." https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-01/st-lucia-apartment-plans-approved-jerdanefield-towers-object/10477382601 Jan 2025 22:05 +0000at://did:plc:hyhypzmfk2s2pvibql5prxdf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lepkzb3bac2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.social/post/3legbnzeuws2ePleased to confirm that we have absolutely, positively arrived in Wellington, New Zealand. And it was "on a good day", as they say. In a few weeks, I'll get busy trying to help make this place into a shining city on a hill. But for now, bring on the summer holidays.29 Dec 2024 05:24 +0000at://did:plc:hyhypzmfk2s2pvibql5prxdf/app.bsky.feed.post/3legbnzeuws2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.social/post/3ldrzwmpids2uI really don't think it's a good idea for local councils to impose their own noise standards. This should be something that is set / managed nationally via building codes. [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Dec 2024 04:12 +0000at://did:plc:hyhypzmfk2s2pvibql5prxdf/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldrzwmpids2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.social/post/3ldrakp6fjk2u🚨urban economics research siren🚨 This new paper analyses the effects of upzoning in Auckland by first specifying and second estimating an urban economic model. The results imply upzoning led to: - a 24% increase in floorspace; and - a 15 to 27% fall in house prices. Paper here: t.co/VhlUfIgsTD20 Dec 2024 20:38 +0000at://did:plc:hyhypzmfk2s2pvibql5prxdf/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldrakp6fjk2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.social/post/3lcvwkiy4xs2uOver on LinkedIn, I've fired shots at some erroneous economic reasoning on the effects of planning regulations. This sounds nerdy, and it is, but it's also important because we need to understand when and how our planning policies can do harm. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/stuartdonovan_reality-check-activity-7272032903163707392-g7TW?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android09 Dec 2024 23:57 +0000at://did:plc:hyhypzmfk2s2pvibql5prxdf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcvwkiy4xs2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.social/post/3lcooliu7pk2rFYI I'm very excited to move back to New Zealand in just under 3 weeks. Prepare yourself for increasingly enthused tweeting.07 Dec 2024 02:46 +0000at://did:plc:hyhypzmfk2s2pvibql5prxdf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcooliu7pk2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.social/post/3lcly7wsg3c2vtoday, I caught the train into Brisbane city centre for my skin check-up. Did I look at the timetable to plan my return journey? No, because our train services run frequently, I could run my errands relaxed in the knowledge that -- whenever I turned up at Central Station -- I'd be able to get home.06 Dec 2024 01:00 +0000at://did:plc:hyhypzmfk2s2pvibql5prxdf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcly7wsg3c2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/studonovan.bsky.social/post/3lclpyplc722bToday I'm off to get my regular (every 9-months) skin cancer check up. And a reminder for all of us who live in Australia and New Zealand that regular check ups are a relatively effective and low-cost preventative measure.05 Dec 2024 22:33 +0000at://did:plc:hyhypzmfk2s2pvibql5prxdf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lclpyplc722b