Policy Forum Pod

In this episode, we speak to the CEO of the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Professor Kristy Muir about care, connection and who decides in policymaking, especially around children.She discusses the life and death realities of social capital, the importance of a wellbeing framework and the challenges of a silo approach to making progress on societal issues. Professor Muir says we need to think long term to change society for the better.Professor Muir says we need to place greater importance on Indigenous knowledge, caring for Country and generational views and relationships. She also discusses what steps need to be taken now, after the Voice referendum, saying it is a long-term effort, and we need to keep doing the work. ___Professor Kristy Muir is the Chief Executive Officer of the Paul Ramsay Foundation, one of Australia's largest and most influential philanthropic foundations. She is also a Professor of Social Policy at UNSW Sydney Business School. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we speak to Dr Sophie Lewis, the ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment. She discusses the key takeaways from the 2023 ACT State of the Environment Report, and how both individuals, industries and governments can make a difference.Dr Lewis talks about how we all need to think about the things we never get back unless action is taken. She says we need to limit urban growth, set a limit on what we are willing to lose within our environment, and further everyone's understanding of Scope 3 emissions. She acknowledges the complexity and interconnectedness of issues around the environment and sustainability with broader climate change issues and the challenges this poses in making progress. __Dr Sophie Lewis is the ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment. Dr Lewis is a climate scientist, who was named ACT Scientist of the Year in 2019, in recognition of her research, particularly on weather extremes and how climate change contributes to events such as bushfires and droughts. She has also been a lead author of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, which are used worldwide to develop policies around climate change. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor David Lindenmayer joins the podcast to discuss the importance of forests, the threats they are facing, and the myths around the logging industry.In his latest book, The Forest Wars: The ugly truth about what's happening to our tall forests, Professor Lindenmayer unearths truths about what happens to forests that have been recently logged in a bushfire, how logging impacts native animals, and what happens to our native trees once they are logged. His research reveals uncomfortable truths about the profitability and employment outcomes of the forestry industry, and he says misinformation in these areas limits evidence-based policy reform.____ Professor David Lindenmayer AO is a world-leading expert in forest and woodland ecology, resource management, conservation science and biodiversity conservation. He is based at the Australian National University and is among the world's most productive and highly cited scholars, publishing more than 1440 scientific articles and 48 books. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ANU Vice-Chancellor, Distinguished Professor Genevive Bell joins us to discuss the power of stories, knowledge and a vision for our future. Distinguished Professor Genevieve Bell is the 13th Vice-Chancellor of ANU. She is also the University's first female Vice-Chancellor. She holds a PhD in cultural anthropology from Stanford University and is a renowned anthropologist, technologist, and futurist, having spent more than two decades in Silicon Valley helping guide Intel's product development and social science and design research capabilities.Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast we speak to Professor Sara Bice about the importance of building for social inclusion, co-design and community consultation as Australia spends $300 billion on infrastructure projects. Professor Bice co-founded the Institute for Infrastructure in Society to help better integrate social and community aspects. She says the best policy making occurs when there is a shared agreement on what the problem is, and the focus can then be on fixing that problem. ___Professor Sara Bice is co-founder and Director of the Institute for Infrastructure in Society (I2S) at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we pay tribute to Professor Susan Sell. Professor Sell died unexpectedly in December 2023. In re-releasing this conversation from August 2023 about 21st Century Capitalism, we honour her intellectual rigour and the enormous contribution of her research.Professor Sell's work was theoretically ground-breaking and an exemplary example of the careful research that contributes to our understanding of the nature of power and what this means for societies, for equity and for justice.Those who knew Susan remember her as full of life, full of generosity and someone who genuinely cared and was a wonderful friend and colleague.Professor Susan Sell was based at the School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet) at the Australian National University. She previously held positions at a number of universities, including George Washington University in the United States and published widely on the global political economy and on 21st century capitalism. In 2015-2016 she was appointed to the Expert Advisory Group for the United Nations Secretary General's High-level Panel on Public Health and Access to Medicines. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this special episode of Policy Forum Pod the Rt Hon Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and former UNDP Administrator, joins Professor Sharon Friel and Professor Bina d'Costa to discuss policy, politics and governing human future.This event was hosted by ANU College of Health and Medicine with the Australian Global Health Alliance. It was recorded live at The Australian National University and the conversation was facilitated by Dr Arnagretta Hunter.If this episode captured your interest, The Rt Hon Helen Clark will address the World Health Summit 2024 Regional Meeting 22-24 April, on Geopolitics and Health: Achieving Equity in a divided world. If you'd like to hear more on the intersection of health and geopolitics, visit www.whsmelbourne2024.com___Rt Hon Helen Clark is a respected global leader in sustainable development, gender equality and international co-operation, and served nine years as the first female Prime Minister of New Zealand. While in government, she led policy debate on a wide range of economic, social, environmental, and cultural issues, including sustainability and climate change. Sharon Friel is a Professor of Health Equity and an ARC Laureate Fellow in Planetary Health Equity at the ANU School of Regulation and Global Governance. Her research is focused on the intersection of social, commercial, political and environmental factors that contribute to health inequities and what changes policy and governance can make. Bina D'Costa is a Professor at the Department of International Relations, at ANU Coral Bell School of Asia-Pacific Affairs. Her research interests span migration and forced displacement; children and global protection systems; gender-based violence in conflicts; and human rights and impunity. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Janine O'Flynn joins us for the first episode of Policy Forum Pod for 2024! In conversation, the Director of the Crawford School of Public Policy talks about the obligation and position of the school, and other universities, to exercise a ‘convening power' and bring together a range of different actors and views in our complex public policy systems. Professor O'Flynn also talks about the catalytic power of government and the opportunity to reimagine the story of the state through a framework of public value. Janine also speaks about the idea of humility and humble government, which listens to lived experience and equally valid expertise that exists outside of the system.___Professor Janine O'Flynn is the Director of the Crawford School of Public Policy. Her research interests are in public management, especially reform and relationships. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final episode for 2023 we speak to John Falzon and Thomas Mayo about the year that was. We reflect on the challenges that we have faced from the cost of living, the Voice to Parliament referendum, and discuss the latest industrial relations bill.---John Falzon is a sociologist, poet and social justice advocate and is a senior fellow at Per Capita and a visiting fellow at RegNet here at the ANU. He was CEO of the St Vincent de Paul Society from 2006 to 2018 and in 2015 received an Order of Australia Medal for services to the community through social welfare organisations. Thomas Mayo is a Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man. He is the Assistant National Secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia. Thomas is a signatory of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and has been a leading advocate since its inception in May 2017. He is the author of six books, including the very beautiful Finding the Heart of the Nation and The Voice to Parliament Handbook, co-authored with Kerry O'Brien. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we speak to Professor Carolyn Hendriks about democracy, representation, political trust and decision making and what's happening in local communities. Democracy is under strain as the legitimacy of representatives is questioned and public trust declines. The rise of populism is changing the way many think about democracy and democratic representation, while new forms of leadership emerge. ---Professor Carolyn Hendriks is one of the leading thinkers on democracy and governance, including participatory democracy, public deliberation, and representation. Her most recent book is Mending Democracy: democratic repair in disconnected times. Recently, she was awarded a very prestigious Australian Research Council Future Fellowship to continue her work on representative democracy. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australia is facing another tough summer. Natural disasters are occurring more frequently than ever, so this week on the Podcast, we talk about what care looks like in times of crisis.We speak to Dr Millie Rooney from Australia ReMADE and Amanda Kelly, the CEO of Women's Health Goulburn North East, about a joint project called ‘Care through Disaster' that looks at what would happen if we put care at the centre of disaster decision making. People want to be seen, be safe, and be supported, with people in the community best placed to know how that looks. Amanda Kelly says if you know one regional town, you know one regional town. What works in one place might not work elsewhere.Disasters will no longer be unprecedented. They will be expected. Therefore, we need to start the work now, and this episode outlines exactly what that could look like.---Dr Millie Rooney is the Co-Director for Australia ReMADE, an independent, non-profit leadership network where Australian civil society leaders can collaborate with one another and engage in long-term proactive agenda-setting. Dr Rooney has a research background with expertise in local community and social norms around neighbourhood sharing and community building. Amanda Kelly is the CEO of Women's Health Goulburn North East. Amanda works within a community context because when everyone participates, the best outcomes are achieved. Engaging stakeholders, identifying objectives, assessing the risks involved, working out a strategy, and then planning and managing the process are Amanda's interest areas. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final episode of our mini-series on housing, we speak to Emeritus Professor Barbara Norman about planning issues and, particularly, the way we need to rethink housing, land use and urban policy in the context of climate emergency and extreme weather events.---Barbara Norman is Emeritus Professor of Urban & Regional Planning at the University of Canberra and an Honorary Professor at the Australian National University. Barbara is also the Director of the Urban Climate Change Research Network Oceania Hub (Columbia University, USA) and co-chair of Planners for Climate Action (UN Habitat). She was recently appointed Chair of the Urban Policy Forum.Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode in our housing mini-series Professor Nicole Gurran talks about reimagining the role of urban planning in creating sustainable and inclusive communities.Professor Gurran notes that there is no substitute for housing, and unless there is some better planning now, the crisis we are facing will only escalate. She also adds that the language used around housing is often misleading, with housing needs driven by an increase in population. In contrast, housing demand is how much people are willing to pay for properties themselves. --- Nicole Gurran is Professor of Urban and Regional Planning and Director of the Henry Halloran Research Trust at the University of Sydney. Nicole has authored and co-authored numerous publications and books on urban policy, housing, sustainability and planning. Her research focuses on comparative urban planning systems and approaches to housing and ecological sustainability. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australia has seriously neglected social housing, a crisis everyone is now paying the price for. Social housing was once seen as an essential part of the welfare state. It has now become a last resort or, often, an impossible dream.In this episode, we speak with Professor Alan Morris about what we can do to fix the social housing crisis, as well as the decline in homeownership across Australia. Having stable housing brings a significant cost benefits, ranging from improvements in mental health and reduced hospitalisation time to enhanced growth and development in young children. Professor Morris argues it is a human right, one we have been neglecting. This is the second podcast in our housing miniseries, following the first episode with Dr Nicholas Frank. Stay tuned for next week!---- Professor Alan Morris is an urban and housing studies scholar. He is a professor at the Institute for Public Policy and Governance at the University of Technology Sydney, and is the author of many books, including The Private Rental Sector in Australia: Living with Uncertainty co-authored with Hal Pawson and Kath Hulse and published in 2021. He currently has Australian Research Council funded projects on eviction and on social housing waiting lists.Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australia's housing crisis: Housing is one of the biggest drivers of our economy, but it is also at the core of the biggest financial hardships people are facing. Dr Nicholas Frank lays out why house prices skyrocketed in the 1980s and how the availability of credit became vital for families to survive with rising costs of living. The consumption aspect of the economy currently depends on the wealth generated by increasing house prices. While this has led to wealth inequality, it has also contributed to rising income inequality. Additionally, it poses environmental concerns, as there is often insufficient regulation in place for emissions in the construction of homes, which further exacerbates the problem.This episode is the first in a miniseries on Australia's housing crisis, so stay tuned!---- Dr Nicholas Frank is a Research Fellow in the Planetary Health Equity Hothouse in the School of Regulation and Global Governance here at the Australian National University. He has worked with the World Trade Organisation and the OECD. His research focuses on the political economy of trade and investment governance. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of the pod, we discuss the importance of music and creativity. Professor Kim Cunio and Professor Lane Gabora talk about why the creative arts are more important now than ever before, how music makes you feel seen. They also discuss how artificial intelligence is changing, and threatening, creativity. Professor Liane Gabora is an Interdisciplinary cognitive scientist at the University of British Columbia and is currently a visiting scholar at the ANU School of Music. She has more than 200 scholarly publications in diverse journals that span psychology, cognitive science, biology, computer science, physics, mathematics, anthropology, archaeology, and interdisciplinary research, as well as literary journals. Liane is also a published fiction writer, and composes music. Professor Kim Cunio is the outgoing head of the School of Music at the Australian National University. He's an activist, composer and scholar interested in old and new music and the role of intercultural music in making sense of our larger world. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, the Director of the Crawford School of Public Policy, Professor Janine O'Flynn, takes stock of the Voice to Parliament referendum result. She, along with Sharon Bessell and Arnagretta Hunter make some initial reflections and begin to work through where we now need to go as a nation.---Professor Janine O'Flynn is the Director of the Crawford School of Public Policy. Her research interests are in public management, especially reform and relationships. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, historian and Professor Frank Bongiorno talks us through Australia's constitutional history and explains why the upcoming referendum has the potential to reshape our ability to change as a nation.Professor Frank Bongiorno, AM, is a Professor of History, at the ANU's College of Arts and Social Sciences. He has held positions in Australia and the UK, and has written widely on Australia's political history. He is the author of four books, including the recently published Dreamers and Schemers. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The narrative and origin story of the Voice to Parliament are key to understanding how Australian's will vote in the referendum, says Rebecca Huntley. She talks about soft-yes and soft-no voters, people who do not feel strongly about the Voice to Parliament, their level of engagement and what is important to them. Dr Huntley says her research shows that the majority of Indigenous Australians understand what is at stake in the referendum, and that is not a broader understanding by the rest of the community. Dr Rebecca Huntly is one of Australia's leading social researchers and has written extensively on social trends and attitudes, including around the Voice. She holds degrees in law, film studies and a PhD in Gender Studies from the University of Sydney, and is director of research at 89 Degrees East. She is a long time member of the Australian Labor Party.Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we speak to Professor Peter Yu about what the First Nations Voice to Parliament means for our past, our present, and our future as a nation and the vital role universities play in teaching people to bridge relationship gaps. Professor Yu says current indigenous policy is a cost-benefit failure, and taxpayers should want better for their money, and the Voice will make that happen. ---Professor Peter Yu is a Yawuru man from Broome in the Kimberley. He is currently the inaugural Vice-President, First Nations Portfolio here at the Australian National University - and we are so privileged to have Peter as a colleague and a leader here at the ANU. Peter has over 40 years' experience in Indigenous development and advocacy in the Kimberley, and at the state, national and international levels. He was Executive Director of the Kimberley Land Council, and a member of the national leadership team negotiating the Federal Government's response to the 1992 Mabo High Court judgement. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of Policy Forum Pod, Thomas Mayo joins Sharon Bessell and Arnagretta Hunter to discuss the importance of the Voice to Parliament.Thomas Mayo explains how the Voice will create unity and a stronger future. We are a Nation divided, but Constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples gives us a way of coming together and leaving a legacy of collective hope and justice for our children.---Thomas Mayo is a Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man. He is the Assistant National Secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia. Thomas is a signatory of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and has been a leading advocate since its inception in May 2017. He is the author of six books, including the very beautiful Finding the Heart of the Nation and The Voice to Parliament Handbook, co-authored with Kerry O'Brien.Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account.Producer: Hannah ScottBackground research: Alex Jackson and Darcy Brumpton Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast delves into the complex world of balancing the need for energy through fossil fuels and protecting the environment and human health. Energy is central to so much human activity today and the politics are complex, weighing up local and global needs for energy, the ‘needs of the economy' against the resultant environmental and climate impacts. Guests Professor Melissa Haswell and Professor Hillary Bambrick discuss how in the centre of this balance is human health and wellbeing which is dependent on energy, but adversely impacted by fossil fuel extraction, processing and by climate change.Oil and gas extraction impacts the environment through pollution and habitat destruction from which recovery and restoration is complex. These industries often operate on Indigenous lands, leading to harmful land rights conflicts. The fossil fuel industry is also a major driver of greenhouse gas emissions and resultant climate change.We need to be good ancestors and we need to put people first, put health first, put children first, says Professor Haswell.--- Melissa Haswell is Professor of Practice (Environmental Wellbeing) in the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy and Services) Portfolio and Honorary Professor in the School of Geosciences at the University of Sydney. She is also a Professor and former Discipline Lead of Health, Safety and Environment in the School of Public Health at Queensland University of Technology.Hilary Bambrick is Professor and Director of the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health at the Australian National University. Hilary is an environmental epidemiologist and bioanthropologist researching the health impacts of climate change, especially on more vulnerable populations, and carries expertise in the development, implementation and evaluation of adaptation strategies. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Podcast delves into the Intergenerational Report, looking at both the challenges and opportunities it highlights.Dr Liz Allen and Professor Paul Burke discuss the key takeaways of the latest IGR that in 2062 Australia will be bigger, slower growing, and more diverse, with living standards at risk of going backwards.Liz says we are “heading into the greatest demographic headwinds of our time,” and we need to spend more time imagining the whole picture, with a particular focus on inequality. We must “discuss the need for earnest and substantive change to actually take control and not assume demographic destiny,” she says.Professor Paul Burke highlights there are a lot of assumptions in the report and discusses our need for specific reforms particularly around superannuation and stamp duty, with additional information also needed in subsequent intergenerational reports. ---Dr Liz Allen is a demographer at the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods, and has deep experience across the public and university sectors. In 2018, she was appointed an inaugural ABC Top 5 Humanities and Social Science Researcher. And she is the author of the truly wonderful book The Future of Us. Professor Paul Burke is Head of the Arndt-Corden Department of Economics and Deputy Director of the Crawford School of Public Policy, at the Australian National University. He is a researcher in the Zero-Carbon Energy for the Asia-Pacific research initiative at ANU. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode discusses the connections between planetary health and human health. Sharon Friel and Fran Baun look at the challenges of health inequality, over-consumption and how we move toward a better future. To have healthy people we need to have a healthy planet, and in order to do that we need to be prioritising the health and wellbeing lens as a powerful tool for policy shifts. "It can't be biomedical, it's about social. It can't be economic, it's about social. It can't be colonisation, it's about social," Sharon Friel says.---Professor Sharon Friel is the Director of the Planetary Health Equity Hothouse, and the Australian Research Centre for Health Equity at the School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet), here at the Australian National University. She is also the Director of the Menzies Centre for Health Governance. Professor Fran Baum, AO, is a public health social scientist, and a professor of health equity at the Stretton Institute, at the University of Adelaide. She has a special interest in creating healthy, equitable and sustainable societies. Fran received an Office of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2016 for her service to public health. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This National Child Protection Week we ask the question: What part can we as individuals play in protecting children and creating a culture of care?The theme for this year's National Child Protection Week is ‘Where we start matters' building on the essence that ‘every child in every community needs a fair go'. In this episode, we speak to researcher Tim Moore, and NAPCAN Deputy-CEO Rani Kumar about what needs to happen, not just this week, but every day of the year. They discuss the structural problems that need to be addressed in the policy sphere to protect all children, including poverty. Stressors need to be taken off families to help prevent abuse and neglect. Rani Kumar says we need to reframe the conversation to remove shame from parents who are seeking support. The questions being asked need to change from focusing on the parents, and society as a whole. For instance, why is society not providing families the support and safety nets and why as a community do we think it is okay for a child to live in this situation?Sharon raises the importance of having conversations with children and listening to children in all stages of policymaking, rather than just a one-off consultation and assuming we then understand the complexity of children's lives. Tim Moore says that children's opinions and views need to be taken more seriously as they bring a lot of value to society. ---Tim Moore is an Associate Professor and Deputy Director at the Institute of Child Protection Studies at The Australian Catholic University, where he leads the Institute's work to strengthen services and systems and make them more responsive to children and young people. Tim is an internationally recognised child and youth researcher and children's rights advocate. He has provided advice to several inquiries and Commissions, including the national Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Rani Kumar is the Deputy CEO of the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect and was previously the head of policy, research and campaign strategy. NAPCAN has been running National Child Protection Week for the past 30 years. Rani has worked as an early education policy officer with UNICEF in Bangladesh, and in the UK as a social policy officer with Catch 22, an organisation that supports young people leaving out-of-home care. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Rob Hopkins discusses why we need imagination as a core component to create the future we want. We need to make time to listen to the bird song and allow our minds time to come up with solutions to tough problems. “At a time when we fundamentally have to reimagine everything, we've created the worst possible conditions for the human imagination,” Hopkins said. Without imagination and big-picture thinking, we are unable to create a longing for our future that will spark hard work to get there. Rob Hopkins, the founder of the Transition Network, says we need to break down the silos of policy and understand how interconnected we all are. If we are to make a better future and protect the world from climate change, we need to have regional government, local government and communities working together.Most of all, we need to ask ‘What if?' ---Rob Hopkins is a cofounder of Transition Town Totnes and Transition Network. He has authored a number of books, including From What Is to What If: unleashing the power of imagination to create the future we want. Rob holds a doctorate degree from the University of Plymouth and has received two honorary doctorates from the University of the West of England and the University of Namur. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Rebecca Colvin talks about Australia's new Net Zero Authority, and the challenges some regional communities are facing as we move towards a decarbonised future. She expands on the role of both local and political leadership, and how identity influences the way in which our politics work. People's love for and connection to place is often overlooked or outright ignored, as is local knowledge. Place-based community approaches are an integral part of climate adaptation.Hosts Sharon and Arnagretta also discuss Bec's latest work ‘Contextualizing coal communities for Australia's new Net Zero Authority' and discuss how an attack on coal is often felt as an attack on coal workers and communities. They talk about how in order to create common ground and progress, clear and specific communication is important.---Dr Rebecca Colvin is a researcher and senior lecturer here at the Crawford School at ANU. She researches the social and political dimensions of contentious issues associated with climate policy and energy transition. Bec's work is particularly focused on understanding the complexity of how different people and groups engage with social, policy, and political conflict about climate and energy issues and on the importance of identity. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Professor Susan Sell talks about 21st century capitalism and how it undermines health outcomes, social goals and equity. She discusses the connection between the market, our work and our health, particularly for those with precarious working conditions where we see the market's direct impact on physical and mental wellbeing. Professor Sell explains the phenomenon of ‘failure demand,' growing demand for services we shouldn't need, particularly if we were to value caring for people and place in society. A key concern raised by Professor Sell is corporate tax avoidance and profiteering. She highlights how clear this has become, giving examples from the COVID-19 pandemic when major corporations gained record profits from government stimulus in the economy. Companies now focus on making more money for shareholders rather than the betterment of society. ----Professor Susan Sell is based at the School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet) at the Australian National University. She has previously held positions at a number of universities, including George Washington University in the United States and has published widely on the global political economy and on 21st century capitalism. In 2015-2016 she was appointed to the Expert Advisory Group for the United Nations Secretary General's High-level Panel on Public Health and Access to Medicines. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Professor Kay Cook and Associate Professor Ben Phillips talk about reimagining what we value and how we value it when it comes to poverty and social policy in Australia.Both Professor Cook and Associate Professor Phillips are on the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee and advocate strongly for raising the rate of support payments in Australia, to bring people out of poverty.Phillips takes us through the immediate steps and payments that would make a difference to poverty in Australia, and how to raise the revenue to make it happen. He says by lifting JobSeeker to 90% of the aged care pension would bring around one million people above the poverty line. For the millions of people still below the poverty line, it alleviates the depth of poverty they suffer. Cook reminds us that people who are receiving JobSeeker payments are being forced to choose between food and medicine, and in colder climates, also warmth. Cook puts in perspective through her own research, how having limited government support can also leave struggling parents reliant on child support from the other parent, making them vulnerable to financial abuse. Abusive former partners can exploit loopholes in a flawed system further impacting the lives of children. She says this would have less of an impact if people were able to receive benefits that did not force them into poverty.Both agree the Measuring What Matters Framework is a good start but acknowledged that there are flaws. Cook says what matters to whom is something that needs to be discussed. Phillips raises the issue that the lack of data means we may not be able to measure what we value as a society.___Professor Kay Cook is Associate Dean of Research School of Social Sciences, Media, Film and Education at Swinburne University of Technology, and a former Australian Research Council Future Fellow. Her research has focused on a range of social policy issues, including welfare-to-work, child support and child care policies. She is also a member of the federal government's interim Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee. Associate Professor Ben Phillips is a Principal Research Fellow at the Centre for Social Research and Methods at ANU. He has more than 20 years of experience as an economic and social researcher in Australia, and has worked on issues from housing affordability and financial stress to reform of the tax and welfare systems. He is also a member of the federal government's interim Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Andrew Leigh MP sits down in the studio with Sharon and Arnagretta to discuss the hierarchies of evidence in policy making in Australia. Dr Leigh, a former Economics Professor at the ANU and prolific author on the subject, shares his views on the benefits of randomised trials and what he hopes the newly established Australian Centre for Evaluation will accomplish in a data-rich world. Understanding the strengths and limitations of each data collection method is crucial. This can include awareness of the knowledge framework that underpins the design of a trial, the structure of the data that's being collected and the subsequent analysis. Dr Leigh emphasizes the need for better evidence and an evidence-based strategy to improve support and public policies for Australians as we work towards a wellbeing economy. Dr Andrew Leigh is Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities, Treasury and Employment, and Federal Member for Fenner in the ACT. He holds a PhD in Public Policy from Harvard, is a lawyer and former Economics Professor here at the ANU and has published widely on the topic of economics, public policy and law. He is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Peter Whiteford joins us to talk about the highly anticipated Robodebt Scheme Royal Commission report. He breaks down some key items of the report, and how he thinks we can prevent a policy like this from happening again. It is clear that the scheme was made possible through years of attitude and policy changes that prevented access to social security and stigmatised those who received it. Professor Whiteford also highlights that when Robodebt was active there was an ongoing pattern of deception to prevent results from the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) being released to the public.He recalls the disbelief he felt when he learned that DHS was averaging out income over a whole year. While Robodebt affected a vulnerable minority of the population, this government failure represents a risk to all Australians. “You are very lucky if you don't have to call on social security at some time in your working life.” Peter Whiteford is a Professor at the Crawford School of Public Policy. He's a member of the Interim Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee. His research focuses on social security policy in Australia and internationally. Peter was previously Principal Administrator in the Directorate of Employment, Labour and Social Affairs of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode kicks off our miniseries on reimagining social policy. Sharon Bessell sits on the other side of the mic to give her insights into how Australia ended up in the position it is, the commodification of public policy and how child poverty became acceptable in society. She talks about the policy history that allowed Robodebt to be accepted, the current PwC scandal, and how this is all a part of a bigger picture of Australia's step backwards in helping those in need. Sharon also gives us hope that we're now seeing a shift away from this style of policy, towards a wellbeing and care economy. If done right, she says, it's a once in a generation chance to make a difference, especially to the lives of children. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we talk to Professor Kim Rubenstein about what Constitutional change means for Australia and how the Voice to Parliament is the first step in recalibrating for modern times. She discusses how the Australian Constitution is structurally caught in the 1890s and we need to evolve our constitution so it represents who we are today.Professor Rubenstein also criticises the unreasonable expectation that the Voice should have unanimous support in Indigenous communities. She points out that there is never 100 per cent agreement from the population on any issue and that there is a wide consensus on the Voice among First Nations people.Kim Rubenstein is an Australian legal scholar and lawyer, and ran for the Australian senate in the most recent federal election. She's a Professor of Law at the University of Canberra. In 2020 she became the inaugural Co-Director, Academic of the 50/50 by 2030 Foundation. Previously she was a Professor of Law at the Australian National University. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Executive Producer: Hannah Scott Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, we discuss the deliberations, points of contention and wider implications of the Bonn Climate Change Conference, which recently took place in Germany. Dr Siobhan McDonnell who was part of the negotiations joins us for this podcast.The Bonn Climate Change Conference aims to lay the groundwork for the political decisions required at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) at the end of the year.Dr McDonnell describes the “real and palpable grief in the room” when new climate science was presented to the Alliance of Small Island States that showed predictions are now twice as bad in 2100 compared to what was presented in the latest IPCC report.Despite this new data, a backwards step has been taken in the difficult negotiations. There's now no longer an agreement on including the IPCC report as an agenda item at COP28. She says that the latest climate science is horrific and apocalyptic and the fact that negotiations cannot “even begin from that established understanding is very hard.” She also discusses how important it is that indigenous peoples are involved in climate negotiations as they are the most impacted across Pacific nations and how there is no financial support for the ‘non-economic' damage caused by climate change.Dr Siobhan McDonnell is a lawyer, anthropologist and economist who has spent over 25 years working with Indigenous people in Australia and Oceania on land rights, gender, and climate change issues, including as a climate change negotiator for various Pacific governments. She's also a Senior Lecturer at the Crawford School of Public Policy at ANU.Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes at policyforum.net. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Policy Forum Pod encourages you to take this week to listen back to some of our episodes around the Voice to Parliament. Professor Kate Auty spoke to Sharon Bessell and Arnagretta Hunter about her work on documenting Australia's true history and her work in establishing indigenous courts. Dale Agius, South Australia's inaugural Commissioner for First Nations Voice discussed how SA's Voice to Parliament can be used as a template to understand the need for our national referendum. MP Dr Helen Haines gave her insight into how people in regional Australia are reacting to the Voice Referendum and the types of conversations she is having about constitutional change. Film and TV director Rachel Perkins talked about her dedication to telling indigenous stories and how Australia's voice can give First Nations Peoples a voice. And you can listen to Catherine Liddle, the CEO of SNAICC, discuss the lasting impact policy has on Indigenous peoples. You can find all these episodes on your podcast platform of choice or our social media accounts: Twitter, Facebook and LinkedInArnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we delve into the new Risk, Reward, and Resilience Framework with Professor Anthea Roberts and Dr Arnagretta Hunter. The pair, along with host Sharon Bessell discuss how this framework can be applied across multiple disciplines from health to climate change to work through complex policy challenges.Its goal is to break down the silos of thinking, and enable insights from diverse disciplines to not just be ‘bolted on' to ideas, but be included right from the beginning. Anthea Roberts encourages experts to learn to speak ‘policy pidgin' and communicate in an interdisciplinary dialogue, while still maintaining their specialty knowledge and perspective.The discomfort of ideas, rather than just agreement, is beneficial under this framework. Arnagretta Hunter also raises how uncertainty should be incorporated into best practice, not just in health care settings, but across a broad range of policy spheres.Implementing the framework will require changing how we listen to create a space that will inform and broaden our thinking. Anthea Roberts is a Professor at the School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet) at the Australian National University. She's an interdisciplinary researcher and legal scholar who focuses on new ways of thinking about complex and evolving global fields.Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. You can find full show notes at policyforum.net.Executive Producer: Hannah Scott Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catherine Liddle, the CEO of SNAICC the National Voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children, joins us for a powerful conversation about the lasting trauma of policy failures.She tells the incredible story of her family meeting Thomas Mayo and discussing the Uluru Statement from the Heart that he rolled out on the floor of her lounge room. “We could hear the beating of that heartbeat,” she said.Catherine also shares her insight on how poverty in indigenous communities is often misunderstood as neglect, the damage of covert racism, and why Alice Springs often becomes a political football. “Everything relates to policy, and we know that the wins are only as good as the government that gets them across the line.”Catherine Liddle is an Arrernte/Luritja woman from Central Australia. She's a leading advocate in upholding the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. As CEO of SNAICC – the national voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, she works to strengthen, represent and amplify the voices of children and families.Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes at policyforum.net.Executive Producer: Hannah Scott Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of Policy Forum Pod, we are joined by the Treasurer, the Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP, who talks about the values behind the May budget.The Pod was recorded live in front of an audience at the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy on May 31st, 2023. The Treasurer gave a short speech highlighting the nine ways to unlock the budget before sitting down for a one-on-one conversation with Crawford School Director Professor Janine O'Flynn.Following this, an ANU panel of experts from the Crawford School of Public Policy answered questions about the longer-term impacts of the budget.Panel members were:Sharon Bessell, a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. She is also the co-host of the Policy Forum Podcast. Frank Jotzo, a Professor of environmental economics at Crawford School and Head of Energy at the ANU Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions. He's been involved in policy advisory on climate change and energy transition and has been a senior author with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.Professor Peter Whiteford works at the Crawford School of Public Policy and is a member of the Interim Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee. His research focuses on social security policy in Australia and internationally.Dr Siobhan McDonnell, a lawyer, anthropologist and economist who has spent over 25 years working with Indigenous people in Australia and Oceania on land rights, gender, and climate change issues, including as a climate change negotiator for various Pacific governments.Dr Michael Di Francesco, an Associate Professor at the Crawford School of Public Policy with research and teaching interests in public financial management. He is currently Editor-in-Chief of the Australian Journal of Public Administration.Kristen Sobeck, a Research Fellow at the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute. Kristen undertakes research on various Australian tax and transfer policies using administrative data and formerly worked for a decade as an economist at the International Labour Organisation.Podcast co-host is Arnagretta Hunter. She is the Human Futures Fellow at the ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.Executive Producer: Hannah Scott Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we speak to Rachel Perkins, a film and television director, on her dedication to telling indigenous stories and the Voice to Parliament. WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners are warned that the following podcast contains stories about deceased persons.Released at the start of Reconciliation Week 2023, Sharon Bessell and Arnagretta Hunter acknowledge the 6th anniversary of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and discuss with Rachel how those fighting for change are trying to make it happen.“We put our trust in the Australian people and hopes in the Australian people because we have had our trust and hopes shattered so many times by the government,” she says.Rachel also talks about the legacy of her work and that of her father, Charles ‘Charlie' Perkins. As a civil rights activist, he led the University of Sydney students on a ‘Freedom Ride', which played an important role in shaping the 1967 referendum, but also the conversation around our current Voice to Parliament referendum.All indigenous people are asking for, she says, is a modest request to have an advisory body cemented into the constitution. Unless the majority of Australians back this request, the government won't listen to indigenous people, “in a way, our fellow Australians' voice, gives us a voice.”Rachel Perkins is a film and television director, producer, and screenwriter and a proud Arrente and Kalkadoon woman. She is also co-chair of Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition, one of the most prominent ‘Yes' institutions in the country. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. You can find full show notes at policyforum.net. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Budgets are a central tool of government, offering not just economic policy but defining social and environmental policies for the years ahead. The 2023 budget moves in “the direction of fairness,” but is it moving fast enough? In this episode, we speak to Professor Paul Burke and Associate Professor Elise Klein about the impact budget priorities have on people's daily lives, the values that underlie it, and unpacking the choices that have been made. Discussion centred on the care economy, the level of welfare payments and the revenue needed to support our most vulnerable. Associate Professor Elise Klein says the government was in a position to do something bold after voters asked for action on poverty, inequality, and climate action. A government “going from terrible to being less terrible is still terrible,” she says, adding that a lot of people are being left behind in life-and-death situations because of the decisions of this Government in this budget. In order to have more money to spend to solve these problems, Professor Paul Burke says Australia needs to be more efficient in raising revenue. As a country, if we created a few simple streams we could see billions of dollars available to target poverty reduction. Professor Paul Burke is Head of the Arndt-Corden Department of Economics and Deputy Director of the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University. His research is in energy and environmental economics, with a focus on the Asia-Pacific. Elise Klein (OAM) is an Associate Professor of Public Policy at the Crawford School. Her research is situated in the intersections and cracks of development, social policy, decoloniality and care. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. You can find full show notes at policyforum.net. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The latest federal budget defines our values but does it live up to them? Australian historian, Professor Frank Bongiorno, joins us to discuss the limitations, merits and shift of focus in the second Albanese government budget.Professor Bongiorno explores the values-based approach to governing and the delicate balancing act between providing Australians with the care and support they deserve whilst creating sustainable change.Despite the budget's emphasis on delivering for the most vulnerable Australians, critics note that there is much to be desired. On the one hand, the budget increased support for Medicare, single parents, and some relief with energy bills. But on the other hand, the jobseeker rate remains well below the poverty line. “The pressure will remain for a government that calls itself values-based and values-driven to look at some of these really key areas of policy for those who are marginalised,” says Frank.Frank Bongiorno is a Professor of History at the ANU College of Social Sciences, President of the Australian Historical Association and a Member of the Order of Australia. He specialises in Australian political, cultural and labour history.Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes at policyforum.net. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two-thirds of Australians experience one or more forms of abuse or neglect as children. Daryl Higgins, a co-author of a new ground-breaking study into child maltreatment, joins us to discuss the findings, and what needs to be done to stop the cycle of abuse. WARNING: This episode discusses child abuse, sexual assault and suicide. The Australian Child Maltreatment Study published in The Medical Journal of Australia is the first national survey in the world to examine in detail the experiences of all forms of child maltreatment and the associated health and social consequences. To prevent children from suffering further, Higgins says there needs to be a focus on redefining the health care system as a trauma response service. It is also vital we do not just concentrate on children, but on the parents too. “Parents themselves will come to this task of parenting having likely experienced their own child maltreatment,” he says. If this podcast has raised some issues for you, or someone you know needs support, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. For children and young people, there is also Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. Daryl Higgins is a Professor and director of the Institute of Child Protection Studies at the Australian Catholic University. Before joining ACU, Daryl was Deputy Director (Research) at the Australian Institute of Family Studies.Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes at policyforum.net. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Helen Haines, the Independent Federal Member for Indi, joins us to discuss the unifying power of grassroots democracy and the major challenges Australia is facing in 2023.Dr Haines discusses how kitchen table conversations had with humility and patience can bring people together. She talks about how people in regional Australia are reacting to the Voice Referendum and the power of the Uluru Statement of the Heart. She outlines what regional and marginalised Australians want to see in the Federal budget based on the conversations had and the poverty so many of Australians are facing. She also discusses what lessons can be learned from her seat of Indi around meaningfully engaging with, and listening, to the people that policies effect. Helen Haines is the Independent federal Member for Indi. She worked as a nurse and midwife for decades before completing her PhD in medical science. She was elected in 2019, as the first Independent to follow an Independent in Australian history.Sharon Bessell is Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes at policyforum.net. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

South Australia's inaugural Commissioner for First Nations Voice Dale Agius joins us to discuss how South Australia's Voice to Parliament can be used as a template to understand the need for our national referendum. Dale talks about how in his more than 40 public community consultations he is hearing the call from indigenous people to "give us enough autonomy and self-determination in our legislation for our people to feel safe” and to feel they have the ability to talk straight to the parliament.Dale Agius is South Australia's inaugural Commissioner for First Nations Voice. Dale is a Kaurna, Narungga, Ngadjuri and Ngarrindjeri person with connection to communities and Country across South Australia. Sharon Bessell is Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.You can find full show notes at policyforum.net. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A third of global deaths can be linked to a combination of climate change, the non-communicable disease epidemic, and just four industry sectors: tobacco, ultra-processed food, fossil fuel, and alcohol.Professor Sharon Friel joins hosts Sharon Bessell and Arnagretta Hunter for a challenging conversation about the commercial determinants of health, and what can practicably be done to save and improve lives.We discuss how there is no silver bullet fix, and it would take a multilevel and multi-pronged approach to commercial determinants of health but if it is done right, it could save a third of preventable global deaths. However, the implications are far more wide-reaching than that. If we take into consideration the indirect impact that industries have, from health and health inequities, income inequalities and changes to our lived environment, “well above half of the global burden of disease could be eliminated” Professor Friel states. The challenge is enforcing change across unregulated industries, and on transnational corporations. “The most basic public health question is not whether the world has the resources or will to take such actions, but whether humanity can survive if society fails to make this effort.”Sharon Friel is a Professor of Health Equity and an ARC Laureate Fellow in Planetary Health Equity at the ANU School of Regulation and Global Governance. Sharon Bessell is Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.Find full show notes, including articles mentioned in this episode, can be found at policyforum.net. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we move towards the referendum on the Voice later this year, it is important that we think deeply about both our future and our past. We cannot do that unless we talk honestly about a history of dispossession and genocide. These are difficult and painful issues but are essential if we are to have genuine reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. To begin the first of several conversations over the coming months, Sharon and Arnagretta are joined by Professor Kate Auty. Professor Auty is a Vice Chancellor's Fellow at the University of Melbourne and Chair of Victoria's Environment Protection Authority. She has formerly held appointments as a magistrate in Victoria where she helped establish the Koori Court in Shepparton, and in the goldfields and western desert of Western Australia, establishing Aboriginal sentencing courts in consultation with Aboriginal people. Her latest book is O'Leary of the Underworld: The Untold Story of the Forrest River Massacre.WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that the following program contains discussion of deceased persons. This episode recounts some aspects of Australian history that are violent and some listeners may find disturbing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kicking off 2023, we discuss a public service reckoning with the failure of Robodebt, and its path to rebuilding trust. Sharon and Arnagretta sit down with the new Director of the Crawford School of Public Policy, Professor Janine O'Flynn to see where the year will take us.Professor Janine O'Flynn's research interests are in public management, especially reform and relationships. Sharon Bessell is Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.Dr Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.If this episode raised any concerns for you, in Australia you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.We'd love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the final episode of Policy Forum Pod for 2022, Katherine Trebeck and Millie Rooney join us to reflect on this year's big policy issues and consider the opportunities for change that lie before us.What were the policy highlights and lowlights of the year? Where are the opportunities for transformative change in 2023? In the last instalment of Policy Forum Pod for 2022, founder of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Katherine Trebeck and National Coordinator for Australia reMADE Millie Rooney join Professor Sharon Bessell and Dr Arnagretta Hunter to look back on the year and consider the possibilities and challenges that lie ahead.Katherine Trebeck is a political economist, writer and advocate for economic system change. She co-founded the Wellbeing Economy Alliance and is a writer-in-residence at the University of Edinburgh's Edinburgh Futures Institute.Millie Rooney is the National Coordinator for Australia reMADE, an independent, non-profit leadership network where Australian civil society leaders can collaborate with one another and engage in long-term proactive agenda-setting.Sharon Bessell is Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.Find full show notes, including all of the panel's summer content suggestions, at policyforum.net. Policy Forum Pod is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Subscribe on Android or wherever you get your podcasts. We'd love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, Siobhan McDonnell and George Carter join us to share their experiences inside the COP27 negotiations in Egypt and why the agreement on a ‘loss and damage' fund was a landmark moment in global climate change discussions.What does the historic agreement to establish a ‘loss and damage' fund at this United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Egypt mean for small island developing states, particularly in the Pacific? How can negotiating parties ensure the fund is operationalised by COP28 in Dubai, rather than allowing countries to stall - as has been seen with previous initiatives? And with Australia looking to co-host the 2026 instalment of the conference with Pacific Island nations, what impact would a successful bid have on the region and the Australian public? Dr Siobhan McDonnell and Dr George Carter, who negotiated on behalf of Pacific Island countries at COP27, join Professor Sharon Bessell and Dr Arnagretta Hunter to discuss the talks and to look ahead to the next conference in Dubai. Siobhan McDonnell is a legal anthropologist with over 20 years of experience working with Indigenous people in Australia and the Pacific on land use, gender, and climate change. She is a Senior Lecturer at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy and Chief Investigator for the Australian Research Council's Discovery Project on Climate Change and Gender in the Pacific.George Carter is a Research Fellow in Geopolitics and Regionalism at ANU Department of Pacific Affairs and Director of ANU Pacific Institute.Sharon Bessell is Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Image: IAEA Imagebank on Flickr. Policy Forum Pod is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Subscribe on Android or wherever you get your podcasts. We'd love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Valerie Cooms from The Australian National University joins us on this episode to discuss justice reinvestment, the importance of the whole Australian community embracing First Nations languages, and progress towards a constitutionally-enshrined Voice to Parliament.Is the allocation of $81.5 million for justice reinvestment initiatives in the recent federal budget a step in the right direction when it comes to reducing the high rates of incarceration of First Nations peoples? And why is truth-telling about Australia's colonial history so important for reconciliation? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, Director of ANU Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research Professor Valerie Cooms joins Professor Sharon Bessell to examine the First Nations justice measures in the recent federal budget and the need for bravery from policymakers to ensure Australia achieves genuine reconciliation.Valerie Cooms is Director and Professor of Indigenous Policy at ANU Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research.Sharon Bessell is Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.Find full show notes on policyforum.net. Policy Forum Pod is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We'd love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can find us on Twitter at @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final instalment in our series on housing, Executive Director of Anglicare Australia Kasy Chambers joins us to discuss the dire state of housing affordability and how policymakers can turn things around.Housing affordability, particularly in Australia's private rental market, is an issue of major concern for people on low incomes. According to Anglicare's annual Rental Affordability Snapshot, less than 10 rentals across the entire country were affordable for a single person looking for work on the JobSeeker payment on a weekend in March 2022. So what can policymakers do to turn this crisis around? What impact does the current policy framework, which incentivises wealth generation over welfare in the housing market, have on affordability? And will the government's new National Housing Accord make a difference? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, Executive Director of Anglicare Australia Kasy Chambers joins Professor Sharon Bessell and Dr Arnagretta Hunter to discuss how to improve housing affordability in Australia.Kasy Chambers is Executive Director of Anglicare Australia - a network of 45 agencies, 38,000 staff and volunteers, working with over 502,000 clients annually across Australia.Sharon Bessell is Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children's Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School.Find full show notes on policyforum.net. Policy Forum Pod is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We'd love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can find us on Twitter at @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.