Holiday reading: Celebrating 10 years of Power to Persuade

As we close out another year, we celebrate 10 years of sharing the latest thinking and analysis on Australian policy! In 2021 the site hosted nearly 100 blogs, written by academics, policy specialists, and people with lived experience. We had nearly 65,000 visits representing 82,000 page views.

Silver linings: What are the ‘keepers’ from 2020?

Nobody would argue that 2020 has been a tough year. In today’s piece, Policy Whisperer Susan Maury (@SusanMaury) of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand (@GoodAdvocacy) looks for the silver lining.

Going virtual: Digital social service delivery to vulnerable families

With the onset of lockdown measures in response to COVID-19, social service providers were forced to pivot to virtual support with little warning or forward planning. For Anti-Poverty Week, we examine what this might mean for clients. In today’s analysis, Robbie Fordyce (@r4dyc) of Monash University (@Monash_Arts), Milovan Savic (@nav0lim) of Swinburne University of Technology (@Swinburne), Policy Whisperer Kay Cook (@KayCookPhD) of Swinburne University of Technology (@SwinHASS), and Kath Albury (@KathAlbury) of Swinburne University of Technology (@AdmsCentre) share their research into how family welfare workers and their clients view the potentials and drawbacks of virtual support. This blog draws from the research report Doing better for vulnerable young parents and their children: An exploration of how technology could catalyse system transformation.

Social Policy Whisperer, Womens Policy Action TankDr Kay Cook16 October 2020social services, coronavirus, COVID-19

Getting serious about holistic recovery requires gender-responsive budgeting

In a year full of surprises, the delay of the national budget is but a blip on the screen. As pre-submissions to the budget close this week, Policy Whisperer Susan Maury (@SusanMaury) and Jeremy Levine (@_JeremyLevine), both of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand, analyse how integrating a process of gender-responsive budgeting could enable Australia’s state and federal governments to identify and address some of the many social and economic hits that COVID-19 has unleashed. This analysis draws on their testimony to the Victorian Government’s Inquiry into Gender Responsive Budgeting. A copy of the tabled document and full transcript is available here.

Women’s safety in a time of quarantine

Australians are increasingly isolating in an attempt to flatten the curve of Covid-19’s spread. This is having profound impacts on our everyday lives, but the evidence is clear that the impact is far greater for women. In today’s piece, Policy Whisperer Susan Maury (@SusanMaury) of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand (@GoodAdvocacy) outlines some of the key concerns for women’s safety that quarantine measures and its impacts are raising. If you need immediate help, call 000. If you are looking for advice or support, contact 1800RESPECT.

Compulsory cashless welfare programs harm women and children

With the recent announcement by the Coalition Government to expand the use of the Cashless Debit Card (CDC) to more people on income support, it is continuing to be positioned as a positive intervention, providing people who need it most with a ‘financial literacy tool.’ With approximately 2.3 million people receiving some form of income support, there is currently great interest in how the Card, as well as other forms of cashless welfare, are experienced by those who have been subjected to these policies. Today’s important piece by researchers Zoe Staines (@Zoettes), Greg Marston, Philip Mendes, Shelley Bielefeld and Michelle Peterie (@MichPeterie) draw on their ground-breaking independent report into experiences and impacts of cashless welfare to explain how women and children are adversely affected.

Poverty in Australia 2020: What does a gendered analysis reveal?

Today marks the release of the second ACOSS and UNSW Poverty in Australia report, an important document to keep civil society and government accountable to those who are being left behind in one of the most prosperous countries on Earth. In today’s analysis, Policy Whisperer Susan Maury (@SusanMaury) of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand (@GoodAdvocacy) provides a gendered analysis of the Poverty in Australia report.

Holiday reading - 2019 wrap-up

As 2019 draws to a close, the Power to Persuade and the Women’s Policy Action Tank will be taking a break over the holiday season. We will start the blog back up in February.

Over the past year, the blog has had over 100,000 page views from nearly 66,000 unique visitors. We oversaw an upgrade to the site to make our content easier to read and more accessible. We also held a successful symposium in October.

To leave you with some holiday reading, we have compiled our top 5 most-read blogs that were authored in the past year.

Social Policy Whisperer, Womens Policy Action TankPower to Persuade6 December 2019Policy making

Debts and Disappointment: How Single Mothers and their Children Experience the Australian Child Support System

Single mothers are the most impoverished household type in Australia. Receipt of child support can keep single parent households out of poverty, however research indicates those in greatest need are also the most likely to miss out. In today’s analysis, Zoë Goodall (@ZAGoodall) and Policy Whisperer Kay Cook (@KayCookPhd) both of Swinburne University, and Terese Edwards (@Terese_NCSMC) of the National Council of Single Mothers and their Children share highlights from their new report into how women experience the child support system and why it is often difficult to receive payments.

The political arithmetic of social policy: A reflection on the Power to Persuade symposium 2019

Featuring the topic “The use and abuse of evidence in social policy” the 2019 Power to Persuade symposium was held last Thursday. The symposium showcased a range of expert speakers and panellists from government, the community sector and the research community. Below Professor Paul Smyth, one of the symposium panellists and a Power to Persuade Social Policy Whisperer provides his insights into this years symposium.

A long and winding road to nowhere: older women’s experiences of Newstart

The largest age demographic on the Newstart Allowance are people aged 55+. For Anti-Poverty Week, and as submissions to the Senate Inquiry into the adequacy of Newstart and related payments roll in, Policy Whisperer Susan Maury (@SusanMaury) and Sarah Squire (@SquireSarah), both of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand (@GoodAdvocacy) unpack what this means for older women. Drawing on case studies and reflections from Good Shepherd’s financial counsellors, they outline key concerns and policy solutions to improve outcomes for women experiencing poverty later in life. This analysis draws from Good Shepherd’s submission to the Newstart Inquiry; you can access the submission here.

The Inquiry into the Family Law System is a poorly disguised Trojan horse

In response to the inquiry announced this week into Australia’s Family Law System, the team at the Women’s Research, Advocacy and Policy (WRAP) Centre at Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand has pulled together some of the concerns expressed by advocates for women’s and children’s safety.

The mental health impacts of sexualisation, family violence and assault

The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System provides an opportunity to consider the social and economic factors that contribute to poor mental health using a gender lens. Today’s analysis, by Policy Whisperer Susan Maury (@SusanMaury) and Sarah Squire (@SquireSarah) of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand (@GoodAdvocacy), provides an overview of how rigid gender stereotyping creates a cascade effect of experiences that compromise women’s and girls’ mental health. This is the fourth in a 4-part series based on Good Shepherd’s submission; Part 1 provides an overview of the gendered nature of mental health, Part 2 discusses the related issue of economic inequality, and Part 3 examines the influence of financial hardship.

The bidirectional relationship between financial hardship and women’s mental health

The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System provides an opportunity to consider the social and economic factors that contribute to poor mental health using a gender lens. This piece by Sarah Squire (@SquireSarah) and Policy Whisperer Susan Maury (@SusanMaury) of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand (@GoodAdvocacy) explores how financial hardship and stress contribute to poor mental health, drawing on case studies and reflections from practitioners in Good Shepherd services. This is the third in a 4-part series based on Good Shepherd’s submission; Part 1 provides an overview of the gendered nature of mental health, while Part 2 discusses the related issue of economic inequality.

Economic inequality can deteriorate women’s mental health

This blog is the second in a four-part series on women’s mental health. As the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System continues its public hearings there is an opportunity to consider the social and economic factors that contribute to poor mental health using a gender lens. This piece by Sarah Squire (@SquireSarah) and Susan Maury (@SusanMaury) of @GoodAdvocacy explores how economic inequality contributes to poor mental health among women, drawing on reflections from practitioners in Good Shepherd services. You can read the first in this series here.

Why a gender lens on mental health is critical

Last week the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System held its first public hearings. The Royal Commission is an opportunity to consider the social and economic factors that contribute to poor mental health using a gender lens. With significant investment in men’s mental health in recent years, it is timely to switch focus and consider women’s experiences and how the mental health service system and other institutions are responding to their needs. Sarah Squire (@SquireSarah) and Susan Maury (@SusanMaury) of @GoodAdvocacy summarise some of the gender differences in prevalence, diagnosis and treatment in the first of a four part series.

As safe as houses? Comparing Liberal and Labor platforms on women’s safety

With the federal election campaign in its final days, people are heading to polling booths to vote in Australia’s next government. In today’s federal election series, Policy Whisperer Susan Maury (@susanmaury) and Laura Vidal (@lauraemilyvidal), both of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand, break down the Government and Australian Labor Party’s policies for improving women’s safety, providing both a comparison between the platforms and commentary on how the plans fall short. Today’s piece on women’s safety is the second in a two-part series from the @GoodAdvocacy team. You can read Part 1 on economic security here.

Apples for apples? Comparing Liberal and Labor platforms on economic security for women

With the federal election campaign in its final days, people are heading to polling booths to vote in Australia’s next government. In today’s federal election piece, Policy Whisperer Susan Maury (@susanmaury) and Laura Vidal (@lauraemilyvidal), both of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand, break down the Government and Australian Labor Party’s policies for women on improving economic security, providing both a comparison between the platforms and commentary on how the plans fall short. Today’s piece on economic security is the first in a two-part series.

Creating a crisis for people on income support? Psychology says bad idea

With recent inquiries into many aspects of the Coalition government’s welfare reforms, including jobactive and ParentsNext, a more foundational question is raised: What is the point of aggressive and austere policies? In today’s piece, Policy Whisperer Susan Maury (@SusanMaury) of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand (@GoodAdvocacy) employs a psychological frame to examine why putting people into crisis is counterproductive.

ParentsNext doesn’t get much right – but it could with some meaningful co-design

This week the Senate Inquiry into ParentsNext, including its trial and subsequent broader rollout published its first round of submissions. This follows months of public scrutiny after the program’s national rollout in July 2018. Sarah Squire (@SquireSarah) and Policy Whisperer Susan Maury (@SusanMaury) summarise Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand’s (@GoodAdvocacy)’ submission to the inquiry and suggest an alternative approach.

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