Behind the day to day tussles over specific reform agendas, there is always a deeper and more fundamental struggle, where every debate about solutions to long-term unemployment is also a debate about human nature; every debate about poverty alleviation is also a debate about what constitutes an acceptable level of inequality; and every debate about the level of social spending is also a debate about whether there is such a thing as society, and, if so, what a good one would look like. The discussion paper, Reclaiming our Common Wealth makes a case for reconnecting public policies to shared values and openly stated principles. Future papers and articles will present brief, accessible summaries of the principles neglected in current government policies, and explain their implications for policy makers.

Why A Sustainable Australia Needs Multiculturalism

The debate about a sustainable population for Australia only makes sense if it involves all Australians – as citizens, as producers, and as consumers. So the debate has to make sure everyone feels they have a stake and their input is respected; not only the middle aged, middle class, male and generally, writes Andrew Jakubowicz The white people who dominated Dick Smith’s “population puzzle” video broadcast on the ABC last recently were barely leavened in … more

Changing The Conversation

All parties have in common a failure to frame climate change as a “wicked problem”. Fostering an emotion of hope is the only way to truly move forward, writes Ray Ison Many Australians go into this election disillusioned with what is on offer. Staring them in the face is the systemic failure of governance that I alluded to in my chapter of More Than Luck, “Governance That Works: why public service reform needs systems thinking.’ For … more

Where Are The Policies For Women?

We’ve heard a lot in this election about paid parental leave — but how well do the policies of the Australian Labor Party, the Coalition, and the Greens meet the broader needs of women? While there has been progress, there is still much work to be done, writes Emma Davidson Violence against women continues to be a real problem for women from all socio-economic groups and cultural backgrounds. While the Government’s National Action Plan to Reduce … more

 

Shock Tactics

Are the ads made by John Singleton attacking the ALP’s health record telling the whole story? Jennifer Doggett tunes in Along with the ghosts of Labor leaders past, Julia Gillard now has to contend with ex-Labor supporter and adman John Singleton’s foray into the election campaign. Singleton’s agency Banjo has developed a series of advertisements attacking Labor’s health record on behalf of corporate medical outfit Primary Health Care. The ads feature a woman dying of … more

Health Care Affordability Needs A Makeover

There’s a big difference between having a bad hair day and getting sick, writes Jennifer Doggett, and that’s why we need more action on health care affordability Former health minister Kay Patterson was fond of asking people who complained about the cost of health care how much they paid their hairdresser. Her not very subtle point was that if someone could afford $60 for a cut-and-blowwave then they shouldn’t complain about a similar expense to … more

Human Rights in the Asia Pacific

The next Australian government should develop a comprehensive policy on human rights in the Asia-Pacific. In the first of two posts on Australia and the region, Phil Lynch maps out the priorities A recent report of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (JCFADT) identified the Asia-Pacific region as ‘diverse and complex’ with a ‘mosaic of human rights challenges’.  The Committee highlighted gender discrimination and violence, human trafficking, capital punishment, restrictions on freedom … more

 

What is Australia’s Role in the World?

Human rights, foreign policy and Australia’s national identity: why aren’t we talking more about Australian values and identity this election campaign, asks Phil Lynch Of the myriad issues inadequately covered in the election campaign thus far,  Australian values and identity — and the question of how these values shape the way we understand our role and responsibility in the world — rank high.  In the leaders’ debate, for example, the only discussion of Australian foreign policy and … more

What comes after neoliberalism? Reframing markets

As the world bounces back from the Great Recession more quickly and after less suffering than expected, progressives will need to adjust their strategies. The opportunities for a paradigm shift away from neo-liberalism are still there, but it will be a less dramatic rejection of the status quo than initially thought. As we come together to consider our options, it is my view that we could benefit from taking a leaf out of the neo-liberals’ … more

Thinking about a new progressive vision

I’d like to begin by recalling the words on the invitation to this seminar, in which we describe the aspirations of many people for a better society — and also the way Australian society falls short of these aspirations. Then we added the following: ‘…underlying these concerns is something else that is rarely discussed: it is the crisis of ideas and values which express alternatives. In spite of the current economic crisis, the rise of … more