Veteran tobacco control researcher Professor David Hill paid homage at the recent 2015 Oceanic Tobacco Control conference in Perth to his former colleague Dr Nigel Gray, regarded by many as the 'father of tobacco control globally as well as in Australia".
Here are excerpts from his tribute speech - it's a #Longread but provides so many great insights into research and advocacy.
Dr Nigel Gray with former Labor Health Minister Nicola Roxon
Read MoreLeave entitlements for fathers can increase paternal involvement in housework and childcare but their longer-term impact on the gender division of labour in the home is contested. In this post, Pia Schober from the German Institute for Economic Research discusses policy movements concerning paternity leave in Europe and their outcomes in improving paternal involvement in household and care labour.
This item was originally posted on Policy Network.
Read MoreThe following is a summary of internal structural changes within government and key policy directions, part of a regular update series developed by The Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG). This update was developed in December 2014 and updated in early 2015. Thanks to Nicole Barling-Luke at ANZSOG for this contribution.
Read MoreParticipation in evaluation, actually participation in everything to do with social policy, is frequently seen as time-consuming and expensive. But does it have to be? Leslie Groves and Irene Guijt identify the common perceived barriers for the use of participatory methods in evaluation, and suggest that our resistance to participation in evaluation runs deeper than we think.
Read MoreHow do we determine who has a legitimate claim to income support - their 'deservingness'? And how can we reduce stereotyping while increasing workforce participation? In this post, social and economic policy analyst Peter Davidson looks to international research for some clues. This post originally appeared on Peter's Need to Know blog.
Read MoreIn this post, Alex Baumann, from University of Western Sydney, examines how programs aimed at 'empowering' or 'engaging' public housing tenants and other service users too often ignore the experience and perspective of the people they are intended to support, and how the failure of poorly designed or implemented programs is unfairly blamed on service users
Read MorePeople who are unemployed can be made to feel worthless, stigmatised, unwanted and lonely. Tracey Robbins discusses how we can seek to understand the loss of identity and loneliness people can feel as a result of being unemployed, and reset the way we work together as a community to help people find a way out of loneliness and possibly, find work too.
Read MoreDr Melissa Stoneham and her colleagues at the Public Health Advocacy Institute WA (PHAIWA) at Curtin University last year looked at the portrayal of Indigenous health in selected Australian media. Their findings were not just valuable for media outlets but for people and organisations working in research, policy development and advocacy.
Read MoreThe advocacy work undertaken by civil society bodies including environmental organisations to create benefit for the whole society has long been recognisedin the charitable status given for taxation purposes. However, this status is periodically contested and in the current era is potentially facing new threats from the Inquiry commissioned by the Minister for the Environment. St Vincent de Paul’s Research and Legal Officer Rik Sutherland outlines the debate, and argues for the continuation of charitable status for environmental advocacy organisations.
Read MoreToday's post is right in our sweet spot here at PTP - how to take practical steps towards better working relationships between sectors.
Donald P. Moynihan is Professor of Public Affairs at the La Follette School of Public Affairs, University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is a member of the National Academy of Administration, and the winner of theKershaw Award, provided every two years to one scholar under the age of 40 for outstanding contributions to public policy and management. He has presented his research to the OECD, the US Office of Management and Budget, and the World Bank. Follow him at @donmoyn. This post originally appeared on The Governance Blog.
Read MoreIn this article, Andrew Ryder outlines the thinking behind his new venture The Roma Research Exchange. This venture seeks to work with civil society and other community organisations to better identify priorities for research. Andrew outlines his thinking about emancipatory practice, knowledge construction, and the limitations of the traditional academic framework, all of which inform the development of this Exchange.
This article is a repost from the Policy and Politics Journal Blog.
Read MoreA new video series is helping to educate the public about human rights without putting them to sleep. Marius Smith from the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law at Monash University explains how and why
Read MoreLinda Tirado is the author of Hand to Mouth: The truth about being poor in a wealthy world. In this guest post she explores the vast gulf between the ultra-wealthy and the poor in the US and asks whether trickle-down economics has achieved anything other than deliver more wealth to those who are already wealthy.
Read MoreWith more conferences and events happening each year, deciding on where to share your practice and research findings and where to seek professional development is challenging. It can help to know more about key conferences and how they may inform your work or be a vehicle to share your insights. In this post, Sue Olney (@olney_sue) gives us an overview of the International Research Society of Public Management Conference, and provides some highlights as well as links to interesting sessions
Read MorePublic submissions to Parliamentary Inquiries are routine for many not-for-profit (NFP) organisations. These Inquiries provide an opportunity for NFPs to contribute to public life and to advocate for the communities they work with, however the impact of submissions and the efficacy of Inquiry processes are largely unknown. In this post, Jacqueline Williams examines these important issues and provides recommendations for improving interactions between NFPs and Parliamentary Inquiries.
Read MoreFor many women, part-time work offers a chance to combine child rearing with employment. Unfortunately, part-time work 'has become a ghetto of low-paid, low-skill, low-productivity employment'. In this post, Professor Silvia Walby argues that poor quality part-time work is not inevitable and shares solutions to the 'problem of women becoming trapped in low-paid, low-skill work after childbirth'.
This article originally appeared in Australian Policy Online @apooline @policynetwork
Read MoreWhat would it look like if policies were designed with gender equity and women's rights in mind? On a micro and macro level, would it help or hinder progress? A new report from UN Women calls for alternative policy and a human rights framework to support better outcomes for the whole of society, including the economy. @UN_Women @apoonline
Read MoreFor the uninitiated and even for those well established in the world of social policy, understanding the exact meaning of terms and how to use them precisely can stop you in your tracks and drive you to google.
Read MoreA new approach is needed to delivering justice in the growing outer urban areas. This article by Shorna Moore, Senior Policy Lawyer at Wyndham Legal Service Inc, challenges narrow definitions of justice and argues for a 'precinct model'. The Outer Sight, Out of Justice Project uses critical stakeholder engagement, innovative public-private funding models and thought-leadership to challenge current policy thinking and processes.
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