Levon Ellen Blue – The Conversation

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September 17, 2026

What major tests like PISA and NAPLAN get wrong about Indigenous students

Peter Anderson, University of New England; Angela Baeza Pena, The University of Queensland; Bronwyn Fredericks, The University of Queensland, and Levon Ellen Blue, The University of Queensland

The numbers that show Indigenous students ‘behind’ their non-Indigenous peers are accurate. But they only tell part of the story.

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September 7, 2025

Too many Indigenous Australians die before getting to claim the age pension. We need to make retirement fairer

Levon Ellen Blue, The University of Queensland; Kerry Bodle, Griffith University, and Peter Anderson, University of New England

Indigenous Australians’ median age at death is still just 63. That’s four years short of the age pension – let alone being able to enjoy a long retirement.

Velishchuk Yevhen/Shutterstock

July 30, 2024

Think you’re immune to crypto scams? You might be more at risk than you realise

Levon Ellen Blue, The University of Queensland; Congcong Xing, Queensland University of Technology, and Thu D Pham, Griffith University

Our research looked at who was most vulnerable to cryptocurrency investment scams. One of the groups most at risk? Socioeconomically advantaged, financially literate Australians.

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March 3, 2024

Universities Accord: there’s a push to increase Indigenous students and voices in higher education. But we need more detail and funding

Peter Anderson, Griffith University; Angela Baeza Pena, Queensland University of Technology; Levon Ellen Blue, The University of Queensland; Melanie Saward, Queensland University of Technology, and Thu D Pham, Griffith University

The accord calls for meaningful steps to increase the numbers of Indigenous graduates and Indigenous leaders in higher education. In a post-referendum Australia, this is more important than ever.

Life insurer Let’s Insure trained its staff to use customers’ fear of loss to drive sales. AAP

July 5, 2018

Royal commission scandals the result of poor regulation, not literacy

Levon Ellen Blue, Queensland University of Technology

We are seeing widespread financial exploitation because of cultural, economic and political factors that haven’t been addressed. Regulators should do more.

There is a strong relationship between a low socioeconomic background and low financial literacy. AAP

March 20, 2018

Consumers need critical thinking to fend off banks’ bad behaviour

Carly Sawatzki, University of Canberra and Levon Ellen Blue, Queensland University of Technology

Financial literacy is more than numeracy, it requires a healthy scepticism of financial institutions and confidence in making financial decisions.

Being financially literate is not as simple as applying a set of skills. Shutterstock

October 24, 2017

There are serious problems with the concept of ‘financial literacy’

Levon Ellen Blue, Griffith University

The federal government is trying to make Australians more financially literate, but it’s using a definition that ignores many political, economic and cultural factors.

Australian schoolchildren are being taught financial literacy through programs often run by big banks. from www.shutterstock.com

October 31, 2016

Should banks play a role in teaching kids about how to manage money effectively?

Carly Sawatzki, Monash University and Levon Ellen Blue, Griffith University

The government has heavily invested in initiatives intended to help children understand finance. But should this be taught by school teachers instead who are sensitive to kid’s backgrounds?

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