After years of privatising and commodifying public assets and services, many governments are starting to look like they've shrunk in the wash (and faded in the spin cycle). The Policy Portal is dedicated to exploring ways of renewing the role of governments through meaningful policy change – learning from the failures of the past and finding new ways to grow and sustain our common wealth.
Monthly Archives:: January 2007
DISCUSSION PAPER: Do unions have a future?
In this discussion paper Max Ogden outlines the valuable role unions can play in improving business management and productivity, and argues that any strategy for reviving Australia’s union movement needs to include plans to expand and strengthen this role. more
Lessons from the golden state
Longtime climate campaigner Danny Kennedy is moving home to California to join the renewable energy boom. He describes the lessons Australia can learn from a state that isn't afraid to back winners in the clean energy generation industries.
Knowers and sayers need to get it together
The 2004 Tsunami exposed a deep rift between our scientists and our communicators, writes Leonard McDonnell. We need to find new ways of getting information out of the journals and into the broadsheets if we are to reap the benefits of 'expert' knowledge and prevent more avoidable tragedies. more
Nuclear costs low-balled to keep it in energy debate
Dr Ben McNeil argues that if likely blow-outs in construction costs are taken into account, the Switowski report's figures on nuclear power no longer stack up. more
Do unions have a future?
The Howard Government justifed its industrial relations legislation by arguing that it would improve productivity and create more jobs. Given that the main focus of WorkChoices was on de-unionising Australia’s workforce, the assumption behind this argument is that unionised workforces inhibit productivity and job creation. The union movement must not let this assumption go unchallenged. There is little evidence that … more
Climate change policy: the ‘joined-up community’ approach
For any policy directed at climate change to be both successful and equitable, we will need to radically rethink how to involve citizens in the policy-making process, writes Dr Janette Hartz-Karp
Rudd lets industry policy out of the closet
Whether orthodox economists like it or not, Australia will always have an industry policy, writes Evan Jones. We need politicians who are willing to admit that fact in public.
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