Equality is seldom the same as equity. In today’s post, Dr Peter Ninnes of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand analyses the New South Wales government’s data to refute their claims that the Gonski recommendations have been fully implemented through the Resource Allocation Model (RAM).
Read MoreIn today’s post, Summer May Finlay makes the case for a facilitative approach to policy influence and change for people whose voices are silenced. Specifically, she calls on the feminist movement in Australia to ally with rather than speak on behalf of Aboriginal women. A Yorta Yorta woman, Summer specialises in health policy, qualitative research and communications, and is a popular blogger with Croakey. She is speaking at Putting Women at the Centre: A Policy Forum on 16 August. You can follow Summer on Twitter @OnTopicAus
Read MoreMarket-based solutions to complex social problems can appear tantalising in their simplicity. In this post Lanie Stockman, Outcomes and Evaluation Specialist at Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand, questions how outcomes would be identified and measured if social services were funded based on ‘success’.
Read MoreIn the lead-up to Putting Women at the Centre: A Policy Forum on 16 August 2016, the Women’s Policy Action Tank has asked some of the day’s participants to publish articles reflecting how current policy differently impacts on women. In today’s post, Rob Hulls and Elena Campbell discuss the shortcomings of Australia’s criminal justice system. When a significant proportion of all offenders come into custody profoundly disadvantaged - and traumatised - in some way, does imprisonment offer the best chance at behavioural correction and rehabilitation? This article originally appeared in The Conversation.
Read MoreMany argue that austerity, rising demand for public services and the growing complexity of social problems, such as persistent inequality and chronic ill health, presents a “perfect storm” for recasting the relationship between citizens and the state – one that is built on a more equal partnership and a recognition of the assets of citizens. Political connectivity should be key to this.
The RSA’s recent report, ‘Changing the Narrative’ by Paul Buddery, Matthew Parsfield, and Atif Shafique, suggests that our current social settlement needs rethinking and should be different from the one we have today. The service-centric model, which assumes that needs can be met and challenges can be resolved simply through the efficient delivery of professionally managed services, is untenable. Here Atif Shafique gives a snapshot of the report.
Read MoreIn late 2014 Dr Gemma Carey from Australian National University, along with Dr Kathy Landvogt and Susan Maury, both of Good Shepherd Australia and New Zealand, examined the challenges posed by the increasing complexity of social policy development and outlined how Power to Persuade is an attempt to respond to these challenges by trying to create spaces for social creativity.
We’re republishing these two companion posts as one in the lead up to the Power To Persuade Symposium as they offer an insight into the intent and purpose of the symposium and this blog.
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Ben Spies-Butcher (this piece first appeared on The Conversation)
The NSW economy is in reasonable shape. But it is also increasingly centralised, leading to congestion and housing affordability problems...
Read MoreNew Zealand is reforming its approach to public spending. Its ‘social investment’ strategy is designed to save money in the long term by investing in vulnerable groups of people, informed by analysis of future costs and the effectiveness of different policy interventions. At a recent Institute for Government event, New Zealand Finance Minister Bill English outlined how this approach is working. George Miller highlights the main lessons, as the UK and – as of this week – Australia consider adopting the approach for their own domestic contexts.
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In today's post, Professor Paul Cairney reflects on the connections between policy theory and 'consultation', broadly construed. If consultation has many guises, how should we understand it? And, crucially, where does it fit in a complex, messy, and uncertain policy world?
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Some have suggested that vocational education and training in Australia provides an exemplar for the further marketisation they urge within health, community and educational services. But is a reality check in order?
David Freeman has worked on Australian skill reform resources and research since 1993. He is currently completing a history of its three decades to 2016.
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What impact does competition have on the social services sector? Does it help or hinder our ability to serve the needs of Australia's most vulnerable? Today’s contribution comes from Professor Robyn Keast, who is the Chair of Collaborative Research Network Policy and Planning for Regional Sustainability, and located at the Southern Cross University.
Read MoreIn partnership with Curtin University, ANZSOG (Australia and New Zealand School of Government) Research has recently funded a number of case studies that look at joint efforts of public, not-for-profit (NFP) and business sector actors working together on public policy problems. This letter below is a call out for examples of recent and ongoing policy/service delivery initiatives that rely upon coordination and cooperation between public sector entities and not-for-profits.
Read MoreAmid all the concerns about the future of Medicare, incredibly the Productivity Commission’s inquiry into introducing competition, contestability and user choice into human services barely rated a mention during the recent federal election campaign.
It did however in a welcome and comprehensive panel discussion hosted last Sunday on the ABC's Sunday Nights with John Cleary program which declared the inquiry "a foundational issue for the whole shape and future of Australia society".
Read MoreThe latest data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) has been released. HILDA Deputy Director (Research) Professor Roger Wilkins outlines its main findings and policy implications in the article below, which was originally published at The Conversation.
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Today's post comes from Nives Dolsak and Aseem Prakash and was first published on the Governance Blog and is worth reflecting on with regard to recent happenings in Australian Politics. It asks what do the Brexit vote, the rise of Trump and Sanders, and apathy towards climate change mitigation have in common? The perils of relying on technocratism to justify policy choices.
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Platform Trust New Zealand is a collaboration of community organisations that provideservices to individuals, families and communities where mental health and addictions are an issue.
The group decided it had had enough of ‘business as usual’ approaches to complex health and social issues which didn’t resolve problems.
In the article below, written for the upcoming edition of VICSERV's newparadigm journal, its CEO Marion Blake outlines how Platform Trust changed the way it worked and some of the lessons that emerged.
Read MoreBrexit is prompting a lot of discussion within the United Kingdom's aid community right now. But while the focus is understandably on EC funding and exchange rates, there’s a less visible and potentially more dangerous funding threat to deal with, argues Michael O’Donnell of Bond (the network of UK development non government organisations (NGOs)).
His article, originally published on Duncan Green's From Poverty to Power blog and republished here with permission, has much of relevance for Australian development agencies and community service organisations that are also under funding and program pressure.
Read MoreThe National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) began its national rollout on July 1, after being trialled at various sites across the country over the past three years. While there is much to rejoice about this landmark change, it is posing particular issues in mental health.
Simon Viereck, Executive Officer of the Mental Health Community Coalition ACT, has a unique perspective on those issues, with the Australian Capital Terrritory being the only whole-of-jurisdiction, whole-of-population trial.
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