Policy Forum Pod

On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, experts in the social determinants of health Sharon Friel and Sandro Demaio join hosts Arnagretta Hunter and Sharon Bessell to discuss realising the vision of a healthy Australia by 2030.Has the COVID-19 pandemic forced Australian policymakers to address the social determinants of health? Instead of focusing on ‘vulnerable populations’, should the public debate instead focus on the conditions that create disadvantage, and stop transferring a sense of shame to individuals? Is now the time to reset and make the achievement of health for all by 2030 a real possibility? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, health equity expert Professor Sharon Friel and Dr Sandro Demaio, medical doctor and globally-renowned public health advocate, join Dr Arnagretta Hunter and Professor Sharon Bessell to discuss these questions and more.Sandro Demaio is Chief Executive Officer of VicHealth, a medical doctor, co-host of the ABC television show Ask the Doctor, and a globally-renow

On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, our expert panel - Professor Mark Howden and Dr Imran Ahmad from The Australian National University and ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment Dr Sophie Lewis - join us to discuss the Biden climate summit and Australia’s climate policy debate. How significant was the recent climate summit hosted by United States President Joe Biden? What has been the international reaction to Australia’s focus on “technology not taxes”? And can Australian policymakers translate this US-led push to do more into rapid change in Australia’s policy landscape? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, Dr Arnagretta Hunter speaks to leading climate experts Professor Mark Howden, Dr Sophie Lewis, and Dr Imran Ahmad about the Biden summit and Australia’s climate policies.Sophie Lewis is Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment for the Australian Capital Territory and the 2019 ACT Scientist of the Year. Her research has focused on links between climate change a

In many countries around the world young people are turning away from democracy, but are young Australians following suit? On this Policy Forum Pod, researchers Intifar Chowdhury and Ariadne Vromen join us to discuss how young Australians are participating in Australian democracy.Why do fewer younger Australians believe democracy is important for them compared with the rest of the population? What impact does Australia’s system of compulsory voting have on how young people engage with the political system? Have new digital platforms, especially social media channels, offered young people new spaces to engage politically outside of the formal institutions of government? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, Intifar Chowdhury from ANU School of Politics and International Relations and Professor Ariadne Vromen, Sir John Bunting Chair of Public Administration at Crawford School of Public Policy, join Professor Sharon Bessell and Dr Arnagretta Hunter to discuss these questions and more.Ariadne Vromen is S

On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, economist Robert Breunig and gender, work, and employment expert Rae Cooper join Sharon Bessell to discuss the gender pay gap and disturbing new findings about domestic violence and gender income balance.New research shows that domestic violence is committed on female partners in heterosexual couples significantly more frequently when the woman earns more than the man. What does this mean for the assumption that increased economic security would lead to reducing violence? How can policymakers challenge the gender norms that underlie so much inequality, in the workplace and elsewhere? What does the research show about what young women and men want from work, and what does that reveal about the gender pay gap? On the new episode of Policy Forum Pod, Professor Sharon Bessell speaks with ANU Crawford School of Public Policy’s Professor Robert Breunig and University of Sydney’s Professor Rae Cooper about these questions and more. Rae Cooper is Professor of Gender, Work and

On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, Quentin Grafton and Arnagretta Hunter join Sharon Bessell to discuss what governments need to do to protect Australia’s most vulnerable citizens amidst the threat of increasingly severe bushfires.In the summer of 2019/2020, Australia burned, temperatures soared, and smoke blanketed much of the southeast of the country. It was dubbed ‘unprecedented’, but as global temperatures rise extreme weather events like these are set to become more common. So what does this mean for Australians experiencing socio-economic disadvantage? What do policymakers need to do to protect the most vulnerable? And how should governments engage with local communities to ensure the right decisions are made? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, Professor Quentin Grafton and Dr Arnagretta Hunter join Professor Sharon Bessell to discuss the impact of bushfires on vulnerable Australians.Quentin Grafton is Director of the Centre for Water Economics, Environment and Policy, Professor of Economi

On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, we hear from public policy expert Professor Glyn Davis who joined Professor Helen Sullivan live at The Australian National University to take a big picture look at inequality in Australia.It’s a common refrain that Australia is the land of the ‘fair go’. Despite the pervasiveness of this national myth, so many aspects of people’s lives are determined by chance - whether it’s where they’re born or the socio-economic circumstances they’re born into. On this special live-recorded episode of Policy Forum Pod, author of On Life’s Lottery Professor Glyn Davis joins Crawford School of Public Policy Director Professor Helen Sullivan to discuss what our obligations are to each other in a world of inequality.Glyn Davis is a Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Crawford School, Chair of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government Research Committee, and CEO of the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Australia's largest philanthropic trust.Helen Sullivan is Director of

On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, Kim Rubenstein, Sharon Bessell, and Arnagretta Hunter reflect on the March4Justice protests and the policy changes Australia needs to make to end violence against women.After people took to the streets to protest violence against women in Australia, how can the country and its policymakers create a more gender-just and equal society? Is now the time to explore ideas like quotas and job-sharing in Australian Parliament to enable greater diversity? And what is needed from the country’s leaders to ensure real progress is made? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, Co-Director of the 50/50 by 2030 Foundation at the University of Canberra Professor Kim Rubenstein, regular host-turned-guest Professor Sharon Bessell, and Dr Arnagretta Hunter discuss the recent March4Justice protests and whether this is a turning point in the fight to end violence against women.Kim Rubenstein is a Professor in the Faculty of Business, Government and Law and Co-Director of the 50/50 by 2030 Fou

On this Policy Forum Pod, social policy researcher Peter Whiteford and expert in public health responses to humanitarian crises Kamalini Lokuge join us to discuss supporting Australians out of work, in vulnerable or insecure jobs, and what policymakers must learn from the COVID-19 crisis.With insecure workers among the most at risk during the COVID-19 crisis, what policy changes would provide this growing number of Australians with greater support and strengthen Australia’s social model? Why has the Australian Government allowed unemployment benefits to drop so substantially relative to the poverty line? And what are the key lessons policymakers must learn in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, Professor Whiteford and Associate Professor Kamalini Lokuge speak with hosts Professor Sharon Bessell and Dr Arnagretta Hunter about why Australia must further increase unemployment payments and provide greater support to people in insecure work.Peter Whiteford is a Professor at C

On this episode of Policy Forum Pod ahead of International Women’s Day, we’re joined by philosopher Fiona Jenkins and lawyer and labour rights advocate Lisa Heap to discuss how to end gender-based violence and harassment in the workplace.Despite Australia’s Sex Discrimination Act, gender-based violence and harassment remain far too common in workplaces the country over. Rape allegations by a young woman against a former colleague at Parliament House have shone a spotlight on this confronting issue. But what can workplaces do to tackle gender-based violence and harassment? How can policymakers support workplaces in this endeavour? And what should change actually look like? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, Associate Professor Fiona Jenkins from ANU School of Philosophy and Lisa Heap from RMIT University join Dr Arnagretta Hunter and Professor Sharon Bessell to discuss how to make workplaces safe for all.Lisa Heap is a labour lawyer with over 20 years of experience. She is a member of the Centre for People,

On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, Elise Klein joins Sharon Bessell to discuss the Australian Government’s permanent increase to JobSeeker, punitive policies, and reframing the debate around the country’s social security system.This week the Australian Government announced the first permanent increase to the country’s unemployment benefit in decades. But many from the social services sector and people out of work have expressed dismay and fear at the size of the increase, which amounts to less than $4 a day. On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, Professor Sharon Bessell is joined by social policy researcher Dr Elise Klein OAM. They discuss what this policy change will mean for people without work, who will soon lose access to the higher rate afforded through the coronavirus assistance package, as well as why those receiving benefits are subject to increasing controls and surveillance.Elise Klein OAM is a Senior Lecturer of Public Policy at Crawford School of Public Policy whose research interests include&nbs

On our 200th episode of Policy Forum Pod, Indigenous education expert and proud descendant of the Guumilaroi and Euahlayi First Nations Tony Dreise joins Arnagretta Hunter to discuss Australia's education system and learning from the country’s history.Are Australian schools being supported sufficiently to bring Indigenous perspectives to life in the nation’s classrooms? How can policymakers move from a deficit discourse in regards to Indigenous education and wellbeing to one focused on the strength and wisdom of Indigenous Australians? And what role can Australia’s education institutions play in the country’s reconciliation journey? Joining us on the 200th episode of Policy Forum Pod is Professor Tony Dreise, Director of ANU Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research.Tony Dreise is Professor of Indigenous Policy Research and Director of the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR).Arnagretta Hunter is a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer for ANU Medical School.Polic

This week on Policy Forum Pod, Aboriginal health advocate and Alyawarre woman Patricia Anderson AO joins us to discuss the Uluru Statement from the Heart, Australia’s path towards reconciliation, and why acknowledging its history is crucial for the country’s future.Why is a constitutionally-enshrined Voice to Parliament critical to Australia’s journey towards reconciliation? Will Australia accept the ‘gift’ that is the Uluru Statement from the Heart? And is acknowledging history (and learning from it) an opportunity to build a more inclusive, more truly Australian national identity? On the second episode in our mini-series on Indigenous wellbeing, co-chair of the Prime Minister’s Referendum Council Pat Anderson AO joins hosts Professor Sharon Bessell and Dr Arnagretta Hunter for a remarkable conversation about healing, history, and having the courage to call for change.Pat Anderson AO is an Alyawarre woman and national and international advocate for the health of Australia’s First Nations people. She has exte

To kick-off 2021, we listen to the voices of leading Indigenous Australians, who join us on Policy Forum Pod to discuss wellbeing. On the first episode, water expert Virginia Marshall speaks about what policymakers can learn from Indigenous knowledge of Country.What is Country and why is it significant for Indigenous Australians? Will Australian governments recognise First Nations Australians as the key decision-makers and knowledge holders of environmental management? And what impact would better policy in this area have on the wellbeing of Indigenous people? On this first episode in our mini-series on Indigenous wellbeing, lawyer, legal scholar, and water expert Dr Virginia Marshall discusses these questions and more with hosts Professor Sharon Bessell and Dr Arnagretta Hunter.Virginia Marshall is the Inaugural Indigenous Postdoctoral Fellow with The Australian National University’s School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet) and the Fenner School of Environment and Society. She is a Wirad

On the final episode of Policy Forum Pod for 2020, Martyn Pearce is joined by Arnagretta Hunter, Sharon Bessell and John Falzon to look back on the year, and our special mini-series on the wellbeing economy.It’ll go down as the year everybody is very happy to see the back of. But what have we learnt from 2020? And what can policymakers do to ensure 2021 is a whole lot better? On our last episode of Policy Forum Pod for the year, Martyn Pearce hosts his final podcast for Policy Forum and is joined by Professor Sharon Bessell, Dr Arnagretta Hunter, and Dr John Falzon to reflect on the conversations we’ve had in our special mini-series on the wellbeing economy. They discuss the importance of an ethic of care, the end of the neoliberal model, the crisis of precariousness, and much more. The team also make some special announcements about the future of the podcast in 2021.John Falzon OAM is Senior Fellow, Inequality and Social Justice at Per Capita. He is also a sociologist, poet, and social justice

On this episode in our special Policy Forum Pod mini-series on the wellbeing economy, Carolyn Hendriks and Millie Rooney join us to discuss how people and communities are bypassing politicians and policymakers to pursue a positive vision for Australia’s future. Throughout 2020, with all its trials and tribulations, many people have felt a strong sense of disconnection. But amidst this isolation, some community groups are banding together to try and tackle some of the major issues of our time. So can the broader Australian community find a path to genuine democratic repair within these examples? On the penultimate episode in our special Policy Forum Pod mini-series on the wellbeing economy, social scientist Associate Professor Carolyn Hendriks and Dr Millie Rooney from Australia reMADE join us to take a look at the future of Australian democracy.Dr Millie Rooney is the Coordinator for Australia ReMADE, an independent, non-profit leadership network where Australian civil society leaders can colla

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how deeply interconnected health and economics are. But can policymakers put health front-and-centre of economic conversations beyond the pandemic? Joining us on this episode of Policy Forum Pod to discuss health, equity and the wellbeing economy is Professor Sharon Friel.How does Australia’s economic system affect our health? And in the wake of the devastating coronavirus pandemic, what practical steps can policymakers take to ensure health and wellbeing are central to the country’s economic decision-making in the long term? On this episode in our special Policy Forum Pod mini-series on the wellbeing economy, Professor Sharon Friel joins Professor Sharon Bessell and Dr Arnagretta Hunter to discuss health, equity, and the wellbeing economy.Sharon Friel is Professor of Health Equity and Director of the Menzies Centre for Health Governance at ANU School of Regulation and Global Governance. She is also Co-Director of the NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in the Social De

Rather than returning to the status quo, many are calling for a change in thinking (and in policy) as societies around the world grapple with the coronavirus crisis. One such advocate for change is global development expert David Hulme, who joins Sharon Bessell and Arnagretta Hunter for a fascinating discussion on the wellbeing economy in this instalment in our special mini-series. Why doesn’t economic growth necessarily lead to increased development? What impact is the COVID-19 crisis having on the world’s most vulnerable communities? And how can societies in developed and developing nations recover from COVID-19 and build a more equitable future with wellbeing at the core of policy decisions? On the fourth episode of our special Policy Forum Pod mini-series on the wellbeing economy, Professor Sharon Bessell and Dr Arnagretta Hunter discuss development in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis with Professor David Hulme, Executive Director of the Global Development Institute.David Hulme is Professor of Develop

On the third episode in our special mini-series on the wellbeing economy, Arnagretta Hunter and Sharon Bessell are joined by Guy Standing, economist and author of The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class.With more and more people being forced into insecure work, many are calling for a more lasting solution for precariousness. One often-suggested solution is a ‘universal basic income’, so what might be the benefits of this concept? What policy settings might be needed to make such a scheme successful? And how do political systems that are so focused on jobs and economic growth create space for change? On this episode - the third in our special mini-series on the wellbeing economy - renowned economist Dr Guy Standing joins Professor Sharon Bessell and Dr Arnagretta Hunter to discuss work, basic income, and how some of the economic structures developed in the last century may no longer be in our best interests.If you or anyone you know needs help, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 [http://www.lifeline.org.au/]

Can we use economics to solve climate change? In this second episode of our Policy Forum Pod mini-series on the wellbeing economy, top climate experts Mark Howden and Tim Hollo join Sharon Bessell and Arnagretta Hunter.Climate change has been front-and-centre of public debate following the presidential election in the United States. President-elect Biden has committed to rejoining the Paris Agreement and, closer to home, an ex-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull made headlines for criticising News Corp’s “shocking legacy” on climate change. So is the world now moving closer to more meaningful action on climate change? What broader societal and cultural changes are needed to move to a genuinely post-carbon economy? And how can policymakers ensure such a transition is equitable and just for women and other marginalised groups in society? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, Professor Sharon Bessell and Dr Arnagretta Hunter continue our mini-series on the wellbeing economy with this excellent discussion on climate c

On this Policy Forum Pod, Sharon Bessell and Arnagretta Hunter kick off our mini-series on the wellbeing economy by getting back to first principles with economist John Quiggin.The concept of a ‘wellbeing economy’ has gained momentum in recent years, but how might this work in practice? In the first episode in our mini-series on the wellbeing economy, Professor Sharon Bessell and Dr Arnagretta Hunter speak to leading Australian economist, Professor John Quiggin. They discuss whether the neoliberal paradigm is still the dominant force, the feasibility of a Universal Basic Income, and the economics of health and wellbeing. We also pay tribute to Mark Zanker, long-time listener to the podcast and active member of our Policy Forum community, who sadly passed away over the weekend. John Quiggin is a Professor in Economics at The University of Queensland and is prominent both as a research economist and as a commentator on Australian economic policy.Sharon Bessell is Professor of Public Policy and Di