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Rob Nicholls

Dr Rob Nicholls is a lecturer in business law at the UNSW Business School.

He was previously a research fellow at Swinburne University of Technology where he worked on spectrum policy matters and a research fellow at the Centre for International Finance and Regulation where he researched the intersection of competition law with financial services regulations. His research applies system and network analysis techniques, commonly used in networked industries, to examine error amplification. Rob is the Independent Telecommunications Adjudicator in a regime established to deal with wholesale disputes arising over both legacy services and migration to the NBN. He has had a thirty-year career concentrating on regulations and governance, particularly in networked industries. He has worked for Webb Henderson, the ACCC and Gilbert + Tobin.

If scandals don't make us switch banks, financial technology might

Feb 07, 2017 04:06 am UTC| Fintech

An efficient market relies on rational customers being willing to change suppliers when theres good reason to do so. But what happens when customers stay put regardless? This issue is particularly acute in the banking...

Simpler account switching would help keep our banks honest

Oct 04, 2016 09:22 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

When the chiefs of Australias largest banks appear before the Standing Committee on Economics this week its likely theyll be asked about the current level of competition in retail banking. One of the objectives of...

Your risk, my reward: is the sharing economy becoming less selfish?

Mar 04, 2016 00:08 am UTC| Insights & Views Law

In the early days of the sharing economy, players like Uber and Airbnb provided a platform for their services, but no such protection on the risks that came with them. They shifted the risk instead to the buyers side or...

Economy

Digital trade protocol for Africa: why it matters, what’s in it and what’s still missing

In February 2024, African heads of states adopted a draft protocol to regulate digital trade within the continent. This significant yet challenging course for Africas digital economy fits into the broader trade agreement,...

Industry shutdowns are messy and painful: 4 lessons Australia’s coal sector can learn from car-makers about bowing out

Shifting Australias electricity sector to low-carbon technologies and closing coal plants is vital to tackling climate change. But such transitions are easier said than done. People and economies are often deeply...

Food prices will climb everywhere as temperatures rise due to climate change – new research

Climate change, and specifically rising temperatures, may cause food prices to increase by 3.2% per year, according to a new study by researchers in Germany. As climate change continues to worsen, this price inflation will...

Industrialisation is still vital to economic development but some countries are struggling to reap its benefits

Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the US, wrote a wealth of reports that served as building blocks for the countrys economic system. In 1791, during his time as secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton...

This is how President Ramaphosa got to the 25% figure of progress in land reform in South Africa

Nearly three decades into democracy, land reform remains central to South Africas transformation policies and agricultural policy. We have over the years pointed out that the progress on land reform has been incorrectly...

Politics

Nvidia RTX 4090D Embroiled in US-China Tech Rivalry; South Korea Navigates Chip Export Dilemma

The U.S. government has tightened export restrictions on high-performance semiconductor chips to China, including the Nvidia RTX 4090D, and is urging South Korea to enforce similar curbs, marking a significant escalation...

US and Japan Boost AI, Semiconductor Alliance; EU Eyes Reduction in China Dependence

Japan and the United States are poised to deepen ties in the high-tech sector, signaling a strategic move to enhance their global partnership with a focus on artificial intelligence and semiconductor...

US Finalizes Ban List for Chinese Chipmakers; Boosts Mexico Semiconductor Ties

The United States is finalizing a list of Chinese chip factories banned from receiving vital technology, aiming to curb Beijings tech advancements amid national security concerns. Concurrently, a US-Mexico semiconductor...

China's Commerce Minister to Advocate EV Sector in Europe Amid Subsidy, Tariff Probe

Chinas Commerce Minister Wang Wentao is set to visit Europe in April to address concerns and advocate for the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) industry amid a European Commission investigation into alleged unfair...

South Africa’s electricity crisis: what political parties say in their election manifestos about solving it

South Africa is in the middle of a deep electricity crisis. In 2023 the public, many of whom are voters, experienced the worst loadshedding to date, losing power for an average of five hours a day. The power shortages...

Science

Exploding stars are rare but emit torrents of radiation − if one happened close enough to Earth, it could threaten life on the planet

Stars like the Sun are remarkably constant. They vary in brightness by only 0.1% over years and decades, thanks to the fusion of hydrogen into helium that powers them. This process will keep the Sun shining steadily for...

An eclipse for everyone – how visually impaired students can ‘get a feel for’ eclipses

Many people in the U.S. will have an opportunity to witness nearly four minutes of a total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024, as it moves from southern Texas to Maine. But in the U.S., over 7 million people are blind...

How do airplanes fly? An aerospace engineer explains the physics of flight

Airplane flight is one of the most significant technological achievements of the 20th century. The invention of the airplane allows people to travel from one side of the planet to the other in less than a day, compared...

The mystery of consciousness shows there may be a limit to what science alone can achieve

The progress of science in the last 400 years is mind-blowing. Who would have thought wed be able to trace the history of our universe to its origins 14 billion years ago? Science has increased the length and the quality...

What is minoxidil, the anti-balding hair growth treatment? Here’s what the science says

Hair loss (also known as alopecia) often affects the scalp but can occur anywhere on the body. Its very common and usually nothing to worry about; about half of Australian men show signs of visible baldness at age 50 and...

Technology

Tesla Halts $25,000 Model NV9, Redirects Focus Despite Musk's Earlier Promises

Despite Elon Musks prior claims, Tesla has shelved its anticipated $25,000 electric car, codenamed NV9, prioritizing other technological advancements. The projects delay contradicts earlier projections of a cheaper,...

Adobe Unveils Acrobat AI Assistant Tool for Acrobat and Reader Users

Adobe Inc., formerly known as Adobe Systems Incorporated, announced it has made its artificial intelligence (AI) assistant tool available to users of Acrobat and Readers. The computer software firm said that starting...

Analyst Predicts Bitcoin Could Reach $650K with New Hong Kong ETFs

As Hong Kong licenses new Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, top analyst Willy Woo forecasts a potential Bitcoin price spike to $650,000, inspired by robust ETF investments and favorable market conditions. Analyst Willy Woo...

China's New ETFs Set to Boost Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP Prices

As China approves new cryptocurrency ETFs, expectations rise for a significant price surge in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP. These developments amidst fierce competition between Hong Kong and U.S. markets for cryptocurrency...

Fiji Central Bank Cautions on Crypto Use, Dashing Bitcoin Integration Hopes

In a surprising move, the Reserve Bank of Fiji has warned against using cryptocurrencies for payments or investments, reversing earlier expectations stirred by the Prime Ministers pro-Bitcoin stance. This advisory comes...