The hidden costs of electrification of transport: could we be doing environmentally better whilst striving for carbon neutrality?

The concept of carbon neutrality - a net zero release of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere - has circulated in our society over the last few decades [1]. The current levels of CO2 emissions have proven links to global warming and climate change. It is also well known that this phenomena is directly connected with the use of fossil fuels in industry, energy production, transportation, agriculture, construction and other human activities. The risk of climate change related natural disasters has seen governments, NGOs and institutions around the world to take actions towards mitigation. In this blog, Dr Fallas-Chinchilla reflects on the hidden environmental costs of transport electrification and asks – what are the environmental costs of the current strategy for offsetting carbon and could we be doing environmentally better whilst striving for carbon neutrality?

Issues, Policy and governancePower to Persuade18 July 2020environment, policy problem

Child protection and risks from Covid-19: Home visits and the challenges of social distancing

Since lockdown measures were introduced on 23rd March 2020 in the UK, while a minority of vulnerable children attend school, and school staff have worked hard to stay connected, social workers and family support workers have been some of the few safeguarding professionals visiting families in their homes and often the only ones to do so regularly. I this blog post, Professor Harry Ferguson asks - How, then, are social workers and families managing the risks from COVID-19 that home visits carry?

Affirmations and paradoxes of Coronavirus: People, Professionals, Politicians

In Australia, the story of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic so far has been largely a positive one. Leadership and speed of response to this point has been recognised as critical to containment and management of the pandemic (Tiffen 2020). If we were to award the gold medal, it should go to our public health community. But we have seen strength in many quarters and for that reason, Valerie Braithwaite argues that we sell everyone short by singling any one group out.

Advocacy, Issues, Policy and governancePower to Persuade16 July 2020COVID-19, Population health, public health

Payday Lenders: Trusted friends or debt traps?

If you have ever needed money in a hurry it may have been tempting to apply for a small loan to tide you over until your next pay packet. During Covid-19 and with increasing financial precarity, ‘payday’ loans may be how people resource short-term solutions as many people look online for financial help. Research from Dr Vivien Chen at Monash Business School’s Department of Business Law and Taxation shows the rise of digital platforms has significantly increased consumer access to payday loans. The financial risk posed by Covid-19 presents a key opportunity for governments to develop policy and mechanisms to protect people in financial distress. This article originally appeared in Monash Impact.

Many families must ‘dance’ their way through COVID-19 lockdowns

Marketing managers and academics have been studying how families plan ahead and make decisions about family care and family consumption for a long time. But what happens when planning ahead is not possible? A new study says that when consumers can’t plan ahead...they dance.

Let’s throw out the language of “vulnerability”

Jane Chen, independent researcher, writes that the language of vulnerability masks the structures that result in greater exposure to public health risks - as with the public housing towers in Melbourne and COVID-19.

Expensive, isolating, lonely: new report reveals experiences of people with disability during COVID-19

Australians with disability represent some of the most excluded of all Australians in relation to the impacts of coronavirus. At the same time, many people with disability are particularly at risk from COVID-19, because of barriers that exist to their inclusion, and their need for ongoing support. People with Disability Australia asked people with disability to tell them about their experiences over the last two months, and have released a report on those findings today.

Advocacy, Policy and governance, Service DeliveryPower to Persuade5 June 2020COVID-19, Disability, NDIS

Will COVID-19 kill the 'lifters and leaners’ welfare trope?

In today’s post, Sue Olney (@olney_sue) examines developments in Australia’s welfare-to-work system and rhetoric during the COVID-19 pandemic. She argues that the premise on which the system is built – that unemployment is an individual problem and that anyone the government deems capable of working can find a job if they’re pushed hard enough – has to change.

Policy and governancePower to Persuade5 June 2020COVID-19, welfare-to-work, employment

Performers and sole traders find it hard to get JobKeeper in part because they get behind on their paperwork

In today’s post, Dr Ann Kayis-Kumar, Professor Fiona Martin, Dr Jack Noone and Professor Michael Walpole from the University of New South Wales explain that many sole traders in Australia are experiencing financial hardship in the current pandemic because they are behind on their tax paperwork. Those helped by the UNSW Tax Clinic who were behind on their quarterly Business Activity Statements were, on average, seven years behind. Their financial vulnerability has long-term and widespread implications. This article was originally published in The Conversation.

Finance and economics, Policy and governancePower to Persuade27 May 2020COVID-19, employment

COVID-19 fuels global health tensions

In this post, Dr Belinda Townsend from ANU (@BelTownsend) says Australia can play a greater role in supporting mechanisms for affordable access to new treatments and vaccines for COVID-19. This piece was originally published on the East Asia Forum as part of its special feature series on the novel coronavirus crisis and its impact, prior to the 73rd World Health Assembly.

Policy and governance, IssuesPower to Persuade26 May 2020COVID-19, health

The role of social enterprises in a full employment policy agenda

In today’s post, Dr Andrew Joyce, Dr Perri Campbell, and Aurora Elmes from the Centre for Social Impact Swinburne argue that a social enterprise focused Job Guarantee could be an important part of a suite of policies to address imbalance in the labour market in the wake of COVID-19.

Is COVID-19 pushing carers to breaking point?

One in ten Australians provide care for a loved one, sustaining families and saving governments huge sums on care services. Associate Professor Myra Hamilton explains why COVID-19 has increased the pressure for Australia’s many unpaid carers and the impact this is having.

Policy and governance, Service DeliveryPower to Persuade7 May 2020care work, COVID-19

Why self-determination is vital for Indigenous communities to beat coronavirus

Historically, epidemics have brought a double threat: first to Indigenous health, then to Indigenous self-determination. Here Aileen Marwung Walsh and Laura Rademaker explain why Indigenous self-determination is vital to beat COVID-19.

Policy and governance, Service DeliveryPower to Persuade7 May 2020Indigenous issues, COVID-19

The psychology of lockdown suggest that sticking to rules gets harder the longer it continues

Human psychology plays a key role in how we respond to pandemics.

Victoria University of Wellington’s Dougal Sutherland unpacks the factors that determine our behaviour during lockdown.

Creating using evidence, Policy and governancePower to Persuade9 April 2020COVID-19

As use of digital platforms surges, we’ll need stronger global efforts to protect human rights online

While the use of digital platforms has kept us socially connected during times of physical isolation, there are concerns that online safety measures are not enough to deal with potential surges in harassment and abuse, including cyber violence against women.

Auckland University of Technology’s Cassandra Mudgway and Kate Jones are calling for governments to establish an international charter on digital human rights to protect digital citizens from online harassment and abuse.

Policy and governance, IssuesPower to Persuade9 April 2020human rights, COVID-19

Why temporary migrants need JobKeeper

Last week, Abigail Lewis flagged unanswered questions about Australia’s temporary visa system in the current health crisis, the essential work being done by temporary visa holders in response to COVID-19, and the need for policy flexibility and care for people in limbo during a pandemic that crosses borders.

This week, the University of Melbourne’s Joo-Cheong Tham argues that the Australian Government should give temporary migrants access to JobKeeper.

Advocacy, Issues, Policy and governancePower to Persuade8 April 2020migration, public health, COVID-19

More Australians are worried about a recession and an increasingly selfish society than about coronavirus itself

What are Australians thinking about during the COVID-19 pandemic? Alexander Saeri, Emily Grundy, Liam Smith, Michael Noetel and Peter Slattery delve into the psyche of Australians to see what they’re worried about in the hopes of supporting evidence-informed policy responses that help encourage people to protect each other.

Policy and governance, IssuesPower to Persuade7 April 2020public health, policy research, COVID-19

Coronavirus is a wake-up call: our war with the environment is leading to pandemics

COVID-19 is not only a health, social and economic problem - it is an environmental problem.

Fiona Armstrong (Climate and Health Alliance), Anthony Capon (Monash Sustainable Development Institute) and Ro McFarlane (University of Canberra) explain why biodiversity conservation and mitigating climate change are crucial to preventing future pandemics.

Issues, Policy and governancePower to Persuade6 April 2020climate change, COVID-19, environment

1 in 10 children affected by bushfires is Indigenous. We’ve been ignoring them for too long

Australian National University’s Bhiamie Williamson and Francis Markham, as well as Western Sydney University’s Jessica Weir argue, that Aboriginal people, particularly those aged less than 15 years old, are disproportionately affected by Australian bushfires and should therefore have a much stronger presence in all bushfire inquiries going forward.

Advocacy, Policy and governancePower to Persuade6 April 2020Aboriginal issues, Disadvantage

Debt can be a powerful tool for control over women

Research by Evgenia Bourova, Professor Ian Ramsay and Professor Paul Ali at Melbourne Law School highlights the challenges that financial counsellors and other consumer advocates face in assisting women with debt problems resulting from economic abuse — an often ‘hidden’ form of family violence. The risk of this type of abuse escalating during and in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic is high. This article was originally published on Broad Agenda.

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