Quality education for all: state aid is still the issue

The fundamental measure of education in all spheres is its contribution to a democratic society. To ensure that the Australian education system creates what Benjamin Barber calls ‘an aristocracy of everyone’, we need grand spending plans. We also need to embark on a mission to rescue the public education system, which has been sidelined during our years of transferring funds to private schools. [adsense:234x60:1:1] The public realm and the importance of education within it was … more

Costello in for a crude awakening

When the G20 met in Melbourne last week its current Chairman Peter Costello placed oil security at the top of the agenda. But while he paid lip service to the need for Australia to reduce its reliance on oil, his main focus was on finding ways to increase supply. Costello’s calls for an ‘energy super freeway’ and his criticism of oil cartels completely failed to engage with the real threats to Australia’s energy security: climate … more

Fertility and the other workforce crisis

Kellie Tranter in 'Womenomics' (22 September 06) makes the argument that the Australian government is falling behind internationally in its support for the children's services that women rely on to take up work. Tranter is one of many Australians who point out that the new ‘choice oriented' industrial relations framework makes managing the tension between work and family life more difficult. There are also strong connections between low government support for childcare and poor legislative … more

 

The patient journey: unravelling the maze

From the patient’s point of view, Australia’s health system should be seamless. It should be designed around patients’ needs, free of the legacies of historical divisions. Instead, the patient requires great skill in navigating the plethora of disconnected programs. The design of our health arrangements is structured around provider interests and funding sources. While governments have rhetorically abandoned input-based funding, in health care it still reigns supreme. [adsense:234x60:1:1] Transforming our health system to focus on … more

The ex-premiers’ club: hold the gravy train

The publication on Monday of details of the extravagant expense claims of former NSW politicians should be another nail in the coffin of an era of taxpayer largess that has no place in this country or in this age. At a time when the State government is crying poor to justify funding cuts in areas such as education, infrastructure spending and public health – all areas of critical concern to the citizens of NSW – … more

Enriching uranium could impoverish regional security

Analysts have pointed out that nuclear power in Australia is uneconomical in the absence of a carbon tax. Whatever the Government’s committee of nuclear inquiry recommends in its forthcoming report, and regardless of any other legislative changes that may occur, the Government’s decision to rule out such a tax means that power utilities will not go nuclear unless they are directly subsidised to do so. Leaks from the inquiry suggest that the nuclear option may … more

 

What kind of Australia do we want?

Just over a decade ago I delivered my Boyer lectures on how Australia could become a ‘truly civil society’. In 2006 it is probably more realistic to look at how we could achieve more civility. How can Australian society become more equitable, hospitable and generous? How can we become the kind of society prepared to share resources, respect different views and recognise that we don’t have all the answers? To answer these questions, we need … more

The fine art of environment policy

Designing the right policy mix for any given situation is an art, not a science. Our failure to master this art may be partly due to the way we view policy. Obviously there are many choices to be made about the right mix of policy mechanisms to apply over different scales or to different issues. The current policy maker’s dilemma is how to make these decisions using the best theoretical and practical information available. Policy … more

Sustainability Reporting: How far have we come?

Over the last fifteen years, much effort has gone into the preparation of sustainability reports. These are reports that provide information on social and environmental as well as economic matters. This has been done in the name of improved decision making, accountability and transparency. It has also been motivated by a desire to promote ecologically sustainable development. [adsense:234x60:1:1] Advertisement The main rationale for sustainability reporting is simply that poor decision making is at least partly … more