Last Monday I was lucky enough to get along to the John Freebairn Lecture in Public Policy at the University of Melbourne delivered this year by John Quiggin. On ‘Economic Policy for the 21st Century’ it was a great primer on current thinking about economic growth and provided an excellent preparation for making sense of the budget speeches later in the week.
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 MoreSharing power is imperative to achieving shared responsibility in emergency management, according to an important recent report examining the aftermath of Victoria's catastrophic 2009 bushfires. Bridget Tehan, emergency management policy analyst at VCOSS, explores the implications for local communities and the services and government agencies that support them.
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 MoreHow will the latest Victorian government budget support the daily lives of its more vulnerable constituents? Denis Fitzgerald (@FitzgeraldDenis) from Catholic Social Services Victoria highlights promising funding changes in the new Labor budget and calls for community input to enhance the equity of future budgets.
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 MoreSubtle policy changes, such as changes to indexation rules, competition, and payments to providers, can be similar to direct attacks on public provision. Dr Ben Spies-Butcher (@SensibleBSB) looks at the example of the 'unwinding' of Australia's universal health system.
Read MoreThe transport and planning policies routinely touted by politicians won’t equip Australian cities to cope with projected growth. In this post, Dr Alan Davies (@MelbUrbanist) argues that much more fundamental, but politically difficult, actions are needed.
This article was first posted on Crikey's Urbanist blog on April 1, 2015.
Read MoreAusterity measures implemented across the OECD have led to substantial cuts to overseas aid and development budgets. In this post, Dr David Lansley discusses the opportunity this presents for international NGOs (INGOs) to rethink how they do development, by providing evidence of what works, contributing to national policies, and seeking innovative ways of combining public and private sector investment.
Read MoreThe Australian Council of Social Service is one ofthe few regular community sector voices in the tax debate in Australia. Dominated by tax experts and hip pocket commentary, those who know much about the social consequences of tax and spending, the communtiy sector, often don't speak up. This post from the Council to Homeless Persons @CHPvic, makes the case for other social policy experts to enter into the rhelm of taxation.
Read MoreIn the latest Evidence Base journal of the The Australian and New Zealand School of Government Professor Jeff Boreland investigates the effectiveness of active labour market programs, like Work for the Dole.
Read MoreLast week, the Australian Financial Review reported that the Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas will head up a new national taskforce on housing affordability. There’s little detail on the taskforce, other than that it will focus on housing supply as the cure to Australia’s housing affordability problems. So it’s timely to revisit this post by Associate Professor Nicole Gurran and Peter Phibbs, Chair of Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Sydney from The Conversation on why houses are not like bananas (although this post from Matt Cowgill suggests they’re a bit like potatoes)
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.
Read MoreDefining collaborative working and partnerships is a challenge, and was a central topic for discussion at the recent International Research Society for Public Management (IRSPM) Conference held in Birmingham on 30 March 2014. In this post, Paula Karlsson from Glasgow Caledonian University shares her reflections on understanding collaboration and what it means in practice. While it is a challenge, it is one that many across sectors are grappling with.
Read MoreThere is plenty of debate about outcomes in the social services sector at the moment: how to identify them, how to measure them, how to use them for continuous improvement, and how to report back on them. Recently, Susan Maury, Policy & Research Specialist with Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand @GoodAdvocacy @SusanMaury, presented on an unusual approach to developing outcomes. Here she expands on the possibilities.
Read MoreI have been working in the field of evaluation for the past eight years and I think what I have learnt most about evaluation in this time is that it is a crowded market. A lot of people are involved in the practice of evaluation. And while I have never conducted a scientific study, I have found it truly shocking how many practising evaluators know little to nothing about evaluation theory. Or know a lot about applied research methods and consider this an acceptable substitute for knowledge about evaluation.
Read MoreFollowing on from our latest Social Policy Whisperer piece, below Colin Crouch asks why social investment ideas haven't gain greater traction in political debates regarding social policy. While Colin writes about the UK context, his musing are just as relevant here in Australia and pick up on many of the themes Paul Symth raises on our blog. Colin Crouch is an emeritus professor of the University of Warwick. His latest book, Governing Social Risks in Post-Crisis Europe, has just been published by Edward Elgar. This piece originally appeared on the Politics and Policy Journal Blog.
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