Australian governments have been hesitant to adopt comprehensive drug decriminalisation despite the overwhelming evidence that it will protect the most vulnerable. While the vast majority of people use drugs recreationally with little to no to no harm, some people experience health and interpersonal problems as a result of drug use. Allowing for these people to access support without fear of criminal sanction is the most effective way of reducing the harms drugs can have on individuals, their families and communities.

The administrative burden of forms can stop people getting the services they need

Forms are innocuous, dry, and often boring pieces of bureaucratic technology that most people consider as an inconvenience. But despite their relatively innocuous nature, forms play a critical role in the collection of information and often represent a filtering mechanism in gaining access to programs or support in the modern welfare state.

Policy and governance, AccessibilityPower to Persuade4 August 2022public policy, social services

The power of information in medication use for people living with severe mental illness

Globally 5% of people live with severe mental illness which includes schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders and bipolar disorder. Antipsychotic medication is the main treatment option and whilst helpful in controlling psychotic symptoms, they can cause debilitating side-effects. This may lead individuals to abruptly stop medication, without the knowledge of clinicians, which for many increases the likelihood of relapsing.

Paving the way for innovation in adult social care in the UK

Innovation is at the heart of plans to reform adult social care across the four UK nations. In this blog, Nuffield Foundation POST Fellow, Katherine Davis explains that conversations with people who have experience of adult social care are vital to effective innovation.

We have an opportunity to hit refresh on refugee policy

It’s Refugee Week; Australia’s peak annual activity to raise awareness of the issues affecting refugees and to celebrate positive contributions made by refugees to Australian society, coinciding with World Refugee Day on June 20.

Jane McAdam, Scientia Professor of Law and Director of UNSW’s Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, reflects on the opportunity before the new federal government to reset Australia’s refugee policies. This opinion piece was originally published in The Age on 30 May 2022.

Who matters at the World Bank?

Dr Kim Moloney (@Global_Academic) of Hamad Bin Khalifa University shares a preview of her new book Who Matters at the World Bank: Bureaucrats, Policy Change, and Public Sector Governance, which tells the story of civil servant influence and the rise of public sector reform at the World Bank (read a sample chapter here).

Donor-conceived adults are speaking out about their experiences, but will governments listen?

Today’s post is from Giselle Newton (@newtonatron) from the Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, about her research into donor-conceived people’s experiences, views and support needs in a digital era. She reflects on strengthening policy and legislation in this fraught and quickly-evolving policy area.

It's time to put care at the centre of the Australian economy

Our care industries are vital to a healthy, functioning economy. In today’s analysis, Kristine Ziwica (@KZiwica), a journalist with 20 years experience working in Australia, the United States and the UK on human rights and gender equality campaigns, argues that we need to invest in our people and place care at the centre of the Australian economy.

Finance and economics, Gender, Policy and governance, PoliticsPower to Persuade19 May 2022economy, care work

GENDER, PARTIES AND THE VOTE

Gender equality and the treatment of women have been persistent political and policy issues throughout the 46th Australian Parliament. In today’s analysis, Associate Professor of International Relations Katrina Lee-Koo (@KateLeeKoo), from Monash University (@MonashUni), explores how gender equality and the treatment of women are likely to shape the vote at Saturday’s election.

Underlying issues: why language matters at election time

Policy and governancePower to Persuade3 May 2022COVID-19, care work, schools, Election, education, Government, politics and democracy

Governments love to talk about ‘shared responsibility’ in a disaster – but does anyone know what it means?

Today's post looks at what 'shared responsibility' means in the context of natural disasters.

Policy and governancePower to Persuade24 March 2022Disaster management, Governance

Coming Together or Coming Apart? A New Phase of International Cooperation on Migration

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, countries introduced border closures or restrictions that essentially paused most forms of mobility, with significant consequences for migrants, their countries of origin, and destination countries. A new report by the Migration Policy Institute explores the rationale for deeper international cooperation on migration, the obstacles impeding it, and ways forward.

Sexual violence and Covid-19: all silent on the home front

The lack of public acknowledgement of sexual violence against women and children during the first month of UK lockdown could have long-term implications not only for individuals but for the services put in place to support them, a group of UK experts have argued in an article published by the Journal of Gender-Based Violence.

Welfare cuts and growing charity aim to mould citizens to prevailing political ideals

This blog is based on the article “Poverty by Design: The Role of Charity and the Cultivated Ethical Citizen”, published in Social Policy and Society by Cameron Parsell (@cameronparsell), Andrew Clarke (@andrew_c4000) and Francisco Perales from the University of Queensland. It originally appeared on The Social Policy Blog.

Policy and governancePower to Persuade16 February 2022Social Welfare, Poverty, Wealth inequality

Holiday reading: Celebrating 10 years of Power to Persuade

As we close out another year, we celebrate 10 years of sharing the latest thinking and analysis on Australian policy! In 2021 the site hosted nearly 100 blogs, written by academics, policy specialists, and people with lived experience. We had nearly 65,000 visits representing 82,000 page views.

Finding work after prison: barriers and opportunities for former detainees in the ACT

Over half of the people in Australian prisons have been incarcerated before, which means that interventions to help people stay out of prisons are crucial. If people find employment after they are released, they are less likely to return to prison. Here Dr Caroline Doyle, Dr Sophie Yates, Professor Lorana Bartels, Dr Helen Taylor and Associate Professor Anthony Hopkins discuss their research into the employment experiences of people released from prison in the ACT.

WHAT WAS ACHIEVED AT COP26?

Issues, Policy and governancePower to Persuade15 November 2021climate change

The NDIS is letting women with disabilities down

New research reveals that women are underrepresented in Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme, and may be less likely to get the supports they need once they are on the scheme. In today’s post, three members of the research team - Sophie Yates, Gemma Carey and Jen Hargrave - present key findings from their study and call for further research and policy reform to address the gendered dimensions of inequality in the NDIS and other individualised funding models. This post was originally published on Broad Agenda and you can read the original article here.

Accessibility, Policy and governancePower to Persuade11 November 2021NDIS, Disability

The histories and politics of care: LGBTIQ+ communities, pandemics and health in Australia

Advocacy, Policy and governancePower to Persuade29 October 2021LGBTIQ+ issues, health, public health, Disadvantage, COVID-19

Ensuring Families aren't left behind in the COVID-19 recovery

New research shows households with young children are feeling the highest level of stress as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is highest for families in communities that experience moderate levels of poverty. Professor Abigail Payne from the University of Melbourne discusses what needs to happen to ensure families are not left behind as we look ahead to the COVID-19 economic recovery.

Advocacy, Finance and economics, Policy and governancePower to Persuade21 October 2021COVID-19, family, Poverty, Policy making

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