Paul is Professor of Social Policy at the University of Melbourne and from 2004-2013 was also General Manager of the Research & Policy Centre at the Brotherhood of St Laurence (BSL), Fitzroy, Australia.  Paul’s diverse career combines academic and social action experience. He was previously the Director of Social Policy in the School of Social Work and Social Policy at the University of Queensland. Prior to this he was senior researcher at Uniya, the Jesuit social research and action centre at Kings Cross, Sydney. A former Catholic priest, he also worked for 20 years in youth and family care.

Paul’s research areas include contemporary Australian social policy, local governance and social inclusion, and international perspectives on social and economic inclusion.  He is currently on the councils of the Australian Institute of Family Studies and the Australian Catholic Social Justice Commission. He is an External Thought Leader for The Wyatt Benevolent Institution Inc.

2017

Anti-Poverty Week 2017: Making history at the ACOSS Congress?

Voluntary Action – reflections on Volunteering Victoria’s conference: the ‘Power of Association’.

From Zombie Economics to the Public Interest: the challenge for the voluntary sector

2016

Social Service Futures Dialogue: From marketisation to inclusive governance: Victoria shows the way

Should academics be expected to change policy? A response to James Lloyd

Social Service Futures Dialogue: Toward an Inclusive Governance Reform Agenda (Part One)

Social Service Futures Dialogue: Towards an inclusive governance reform agenda (Part Two)

The marketisation of social and community services: Finest hour or poisoned chalice for the Productivity Commission?

Social Policy Whisperer: Taking Harper out of the Social Services and Community Sector

2015

Social Policy Whisperer: if merging charities is the answer, what is the problem?