australian policy online

The future of employment services in Australia
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
This discussion paper is part of a federal government review of employment services, including the Job Network and Disability Employment Network. The paper is based on consultations with employment service providers, employer groups, welfare organisations and state and federal MPs under the review of employment services, and will be used as the basis for further consultation. Posted 16-05-2008

A primary care reform agenda for Australia
Lesley M. Russell / Menzies Centre for Health Policy
The term 'primary health care' is commonly used interchangeably with 'primary care'. But, strictly speaking, primary health care is a strategy of public health, while primary care is usually taken to mean the first point of entry into the health system, generally for someone who is sick and seeking treatment or assistance. It is a problem for health care reform in Australia that these two approaches are often run together. Posted 16-05-2008

National mental health and disability employment strategy
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
As a part of the Social Inclusion Agenda, the federal government is developing a National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy. The discussion paper outlines the background and purpose of the strategy and invites comment. Posted 16-05-2008

Mapping social cohesion: the 2007 Scanlon Foundation surveys
Andrew Markus and Arunachalam Dharmalingam / Monash Institute for the Study of Global Movements
This report provides insights into community attitudes to immigration, multiculturalism and social cohesion, based on findings from specially-commissioned national and local surveys. Posted 16-05-2008

Going for growth: the pros and cons of using community housing associations to increase housing supply
Kathleen Flanagan / Social Action and Research Centre
This policy paper looks at the 'growth provider' model as used in Australia and in the United Kingdom, and in particular at the impact on very low income households and people with complex needs. Posted 16-05-2008

The corporatisation of government agencies: does it work for public housing?
Kathleen Flanagan / Social Action and Research Centre
This policy paper explores the issues involved in corporatising public services and the possible consequences of using a corporatised model for the delivery of public housing in Tasmania and elsewhere. Posted 16-05-2008

Media literacy: concepts, research and regulatory issues
Robyn Penman and Sue Turnbull / Australian Communications and Media Authority
This report provides a historical overview of the academic literature surrounding media literacy in both traditional broadcast and digital media environments, and identifies educational and other organisations involved in promoting media literacy in Australia and overseas. Posted 15-05-2008

Banking fees in Australia
Reserve Bank of Australia
Since 1997 the Reserve Bank has conducted an annual survey of the fees that commercial banks earn from their Australian banking operations. This article summarises the results of the latest survey, relating to banks' 2007 financial year. Posted 15-05-2008

Regional economic performance
Ric Deverell and Gianni La Cava / Reserve Bank of Australia
The current economic expansion has been broadly-based across the states, according to this article, with unemployment around multi-decade lows in all states and territories. Posted 15-05-2008

Review of export policies and programs: key issues
Review of export policies and programs / Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
This paper provides information on Australia's overseas trade and foreign investment performance in recent years and to highlight issues relevant to Australia's export capacity, international competitiveness, trade policy and trade development programs and services which may be addressed in submissions to the Review. Posted 15-05-2008

Australia's forestry industry in the year 2020
URS Forestry / Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
This report outlines the major influences on development of the forestry and forest products industry in Australia from 1990 through to 2020. Posted 15-05-2008

Behavioural economics and public policy
Productivity Commission
This roundtable examined the policy implications of behavioural economics – a relatively new field that applies insights from psychology to economic issues and analysis. Participants discussed the contribution that behavioural economics can make to a broader understanding of people’s motivation and behaviour in markets and the implications for policy and regulatory approaches. Posted 15-05-2008

Beyond 2008 regional report: Australia and New Zealand
New Zealand Drug Foundation and the Australian National Council on Drugs
This report presents the findings from the consultations held in Australia and New Zealand as part of Beyond 2008, a project of the Vienna NGO Committee on Narcotic Drugs. Beyond 2008 is an opportunity for grassroots expertise to contribute to a global drug policy process. Posted 15-05-2008

2008-09 budget papers
Government of Australia
The budget papers, including portfolio statements and economic outlook reports, are available at the budget website. Posted 14-05-2008

A cry in the night
Margaret Simons / Griffith Review
Sometimes it seems that the problems of the nation – even the world – are rooted at one's own back door. Margaret Simons reflects on the night of 28 November 2007 when tensions between police and African youths flared up in Flemington. Posted 14-05-2008

Preschool education in Australia
Marilyn Harrington / Information and Research Services, Parliamentary Library
This background note presents some of the key research in the area of early childhood intervention and education that has informed Australian policy making. It also provides an overview of current preschool education provision in Australia and recent policy developments. Posted 12-05-2008

Commonwealth election 2007
Scott Bennett and Stephen Barber / Information and Research Services, Parliamentary Library
This research paper is in two parts. Part one is a narrative discussion of the election campaign and the election outcome. Part two comprises a comprehensive set of statistics, including vote summaries, electoral division details, two-party preferred figures and the party strengths in the new parliament. Posted 12-05-2008

Effective models of employment-based training
Sarojni Choy, Kaye Bowman, Stephen Billett, Louise Brooks and Sandra Haukka / National Centre for Vocational Education Research
This report explores current and emerging models of employment-based training to propose more effective models at higher VET qualifications that can maintain a balance between institution and work-based learning. Posted 12-05-2008

The role of vocational education and training in welfare to work
John Guenther, Ian Falk and Allan Arnott / National Centre for Vocational Education Research
This report investigates the role that vocational education and training (VET) can play in the transition from welfare to work. Case studies showed that VET can, and often does, help people move into paid work. However, target groups have varied needs and the study concludes that the VET sector has more to do in catering for these subgroups. Posted 12-05-2008

The case for change: a snapshot analysis of the Australian tax system
John Freebairn and Rosanna Scutella / Brotherhood of St Laurence
This report highlights key federal taxation areas requiring reform, with brief case studies illustrating the inequities, and presents a number of recommendations for a fairer system. The Brotherhood is urging the new federal government to examine options to create a fairer, simpler and a more efficient tax system that maximises economic and social participation. Posted 12-05-2008

2008 The arts, and the innovation agenda workshop
Council for Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
What implications does the new Government's innovation agenda have for people working in practice, in research and education, or in the cultural institutions? On March 31 CHASS ran a one-day workshop in Sydney to discuss how the Arts sector can respond to the new Government's innovation agenda Posted 12-05-2008

Developing "robust performance benchmarks" for the next Australian health care agreement
Stephen J Duckett and Michael Ward / Australia and New Zealand Health Policy
If the outcomes of the recent COAG meeting are implemented, Australia will have a new set of benchmarks for its health system within a few months. Choice of benchmarks will, explicitly or implicitly, reflect a framework about how the health system works, what is important or to be valued and how the benchmarks are to be used. Posted 12-05-2008

Emissions in the Platinum Age: The implications of rapid development for climate change mitigation
Ross Garnaut and others / Garnaut Climate Change Review
This background working paper estimates that rapid global economic growth, centred in Asia but now spread across the world, is driving rapid greenhouse gas emissions growth, making earlier projections unrealistic. Posted 12-05-2008

A national study of crime in the Australian fishing industry
Judy Putt and Katherine Anderson / Australian Institute of Criminology
The Australian aquaculture and fisheries industry is worth over $2 billion annually, and supports numerous communities across the country. This report presents the results of research that sought to investigate the extent of illegal activity in Australia's fishing industry and the threat posed by more organised criminal activity. Posted 12-05-2008

Key influences on health inequalities
VicHealth
This document presents some recent research related to health inequalities with a focus on the key influences on health, including access to work, education, housing and community infrastructure, how these influences impact on health and how access to these influences is inequitable. Posted 12-05-2008