Emily Porter

Senior Research Fellow

Dr Emily Porter joined the Brotherhood of St. Laurence in September 2020 as the second recipient of the ANZ Tony Nicholson Fellowship. She is now a Senior Research Fellow in the Work and Economic Security team. 

She attained a PhD in sociology from the University of Melbourne in 2019. Her previous qualifications include a Master of Social Policy and a Bachelor of Economics.

Emily is passionate about using research to inform social policy and improve outcomes for disadvantaged communities. Prior to joining BSL she worked as a policy analyst in government and consulting and lectured in social policy at the University of Melbourne while completing her PhD.

Her research at BSL, notably in the Financial lives in uncertain times project , has focused on patterns of financial wellbeing among vulnerable groups of Australians. She is now working on financial stress as part of the broader SEED (Sustaining Empowerment and Economic Dignity) project.

Contact: emily.porter@bsl.org.au

Selected BSL publications

Porter et al 2024  Saver Plus at 21: building resilience that lasts

Bowman, D, Porter, E, Kabare, M 2024 Making ends meet: fostering security and dignity in tough times

Stewart, M, Porter, E, Bowman, D & Millane, E 2023 Growing pains: Family Tax Benefit issues and options for reform

Bryant, D, Porter, E, Rama, I & Sullivan, D 2022 Power pain: an investigation of energy stress in Australia

Porter, E & Bowman, D 2021, Losing traction: lessons in financial wellbeing from the COVID crisis

Porter, E & Bowman, D 2021, A brief reprieve? Financial wellbeing after the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns

Porter, E & Bowman, D 2021, Shocks and safety nets: financial wellbeing during the COVID-19 crisis

Porter, E, Bowman, D & Curry, M 2020, All in it together? Financial wellbeing before COVID-19