Performers and sole traders find it hard to get JobKeeper in part because they get behind on their paperwork

In today’s post, Dr Ann Kayis-Kumar, Professor Fiona Martin, Dr Jack Noone and Professor Michael Walpole from the University of New South Wales explain that many sole traders in Australia are experiencing financial hardship in the current pandemic because they are behind on their tax paperwork. Those helped by the UNSW Tax Clinic who were behind on their quarterly Business Activity Statements were, on average, seven years behind. Their financial vulnerability has long-term and widespread implications. This article was originally published in The Conversation.

Finance and economics, Policy and governancePower to Persuade27 May 2020COVID-19, employment

COVID-19 fuels global health tensions

In this post, Dr Belinda Townsend from ANU (@BelTownsend) says Australia can play a greater role in supporting mechanisms for affordable access to new treatments and vaccines for COVID-19. This piece was originally published on the East Asia Forum as part of its special feature series on the novel coronavirus crisis and its impact, prior to the 73rd World Health Assembly.

Policy and governance, IssuesPower to Persuade26 May 2020COVID-19, health

The role of social enterprises in a full employment policy agenda

In today’s post, Dr Andrew Joyce, Dr Perri Campbell, and Aurora Elmes from the Centre for Social Impact Swinburne argue that a social enterprise focused Job Guarantee could be an important part of a suite of policies to address imbalance in the labour market in the wake of COVID-19.

Is COVID-19 pushing carers to breaking point?

One in ten Australians provide care for a loved one, sustaining families and saving governments huge sums on care services. Associate Professor Myra Hamilton explains why COVID-19 has increased the pressure for Australia’s many unpaid carers and the impact this is having.

Policy and governance, Service DeliveryPower to Persuade7 May 2020care work, COVID-19

Why self-determination is vital for Indigenous communities to beat coronavirus

Historically, epidemics have brought a double threat: first to Indigenous health, then to Indigenous self-determination. Here Aileen Marwung Walsh and Laura Rademaker explain why Indigenous self-determination is vital to beat COVID-19.

Policy and governance, Service DeliveryPower to Persuade7 May 2020Indigenous issues, COVID-19

The psychology of lockdown suggest that sticking to rules gets harder the longer it continues

Human psychology plays a key role in how we respond to pandemics.

Victoria University of Wellington’s Dougal Sutherland unpacks the factors that determine our behaviour during lockdown.

Creating using evidence, Policy and governancePower to Persuade9 April 2020COVID-19

As use of digital platforms surges, we’ll need stronger global efforts to protect human rights online

While the use of digital platforms has kept us socially connected during times of physical isolation, there are concerns that online safety measures are not enough to deal with potential surges in harassment and abuse, including cyber violence against women.

Auckland University of Technology’s Cassandra Mudgway and Kate Jones are calling for governments to establish an international charter on digital human rights to protect digital citizens from online harassment and abuse.

Policy and governance, IssuesPower to Persuade9 April 2020human rights, COVID-19

Why temporary migrants need JobKeeper

Last week, Abigail Lewis flagged unanswered questions about Australia’s temporary visa system in the current health crisis, the essential work being done by temporary visa holders in response to COVID-19, and the need for policy flexibility and care for people in limbo during a pandemic that crosses borders.

This week, the University of Melbourne’s Joo-Cheong Tham argues that the Australian Government should give temporary migrants access to JobKeeper.

Advocacy, Issues, Policy and governancePower to Persuade8 April 2020migration, public health, COVID-19

More Australians are worried about a recession and an increasingly selfish society than about coronavirus itself

What are Australians thinking about during the COVID-19 pandemic? Alexander Saeri, Emily Grundy, Liam Smith, Michael Noetel and Peter Slattery delve into the psyche of Australians to see what they’re worried about in the hopes of supporting evidence-informed policy responses that help encourage people to protect each other.

Policy and governance, IssuesPower to Persuade7 April 2020public health, policy research, COVID-19

Coronavirus is a wake-up call: our war with the environment is leading to pandemics

COVID-19 is not only a health, social and economic problem - it is an environmental problem.

Fiona Armstrong (Climate and Health Alliance), Anthony Capon (Monash Sustainable Development Institute) and Ro McFarlane (University of Canberra) explain why biodiversity conservation and mitigating climate change are crucial to preventing future pandemics.

Issues, Policy and governancePower to Persuade6 April 2020climate change, COVID-19, environment

1 in 10 children affected by bushfires is Indigenous. We’ve been ignoring them for too long

Australian National University’s Bhiamie Williamson and Francis Markham, as well as Western Sydney University’s Jessica Weir argue, that Aboriginal people, particularly those aged less than 15 years old, are disproportionately affected by Australian bushfires and should therefore have a much stronger presence in all bushfire inquiries going forward.

Advocacy, Policy and governancePower to Persuade6 April 2020Aboriginal issues, Disadvantage

Debt can be a powerful tool for control over women

Research by Evgenia Bourova, Professor Ian Ramsay and Professor Paul Ali at Melbourne Law School highlights the challenges that financial counsellors and other consumer advocates face in assisting women with debt problems resulting from economic abuse — an often ‘hidden’ form of family violence. The risk of this type of abuse escalating during and in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic is high. This article was originally published on Broad Agenda.

People with a disability are more likely to die from coronavirus – but we can reduce this risk

Prior research has shown that health inequities worsen during pandemics. In this blog piece Professor Helen Dickinson and Professor Anne Kavanagh highlight the health inequities already faced by people with disability and how the Covid-19 pandemic could make these worse. They outline steps the Government urgently needs to implement to protect people with disability as the pandemic progresses.

Other countries are shutting schools – why does the Australian government say it’s safe to keep them open?

The issue of school closures in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic has been polarising the political and public discourse in Australia. In this blog post Professor Peter Collignon from ANU Medical School discusses why the Australian Government recommends keeping schools open for now.

Policy and governancePower to Persuade26 March 2020government, education, Policy making, public health

Homelessness and overcrowding expose us all to coronavirus. Here’s what we can do to stop the spread

The Covid-19 pandemic is exposing a raft of issues with social welfare policy in Australia. Australia’s lack of social housing and lack of affordable rentals means many people are living in crowded or inadequate housng, or are homeless. In today’s blog post Nicole Gurran, Peter Phibbs and Tess Lea discuss the issues Australia is now facing as Covid-19 intersects with homelessness and inadequate housing, and what governments need to do to help.

The COVID-19 pandemic is highlighting the importance of inclusive work and a strong and flexible safety net

Covid19 is creating massive employment upheavals with significant implications for peoples’ mental health. In today’s blog Post Aurora Elmes discusses the role social enterprises can play in providing flexible and supportive workplaces for vulnerable people and the need for government to consider how they can support these businesses to help cushion some of the economic and social fallout from Covid-19.

People with disability left behind in COVID-19 response

There is a very real fear that Covid-19 will have a worse impact on people with disability and yet, as Professor Helen Dickinson discusses in today’s blog post, they are being left out of the Government’s response.

Issues, Policy and governancePower to Persuade23 March 2020Disability

Insider/outsider: exploring factors that limit or promote the influence of organisations outside government on public policy

Paige Fletcher, a PhD Candidate at Flinders University, is examining the influence of actors outside government on public policy through a case study of feminist organisations and policy addressing gendered violence. She explains here why this research is needed and how to get involved.

Policy and governancePower to Persuade21 March 2020gender

Urgent measures needed to support people with disability during COVID-19 crisis

COVID-19 is rapidly changing the world around us, and disability peak organisations in Australia have called on government to move quickly to guarantee continuity of essential services, support and information for people with disability, and to curb the risk of infection for people with disability and their support workers. People with disability are rightly worried about the particular risks this health crisis poses for them. This message from the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations, Children and Young People with Disability, Disability Advocacy Network Australia, First People Disability Network, Inclusion Australia, National Ethnic Disability Alliance, People with Disability Australia and Women with Disabilities Australia explains what needs to be done.

Policy and governance, Service DeliveryPower to Persuade20 March 2020COVID-19, pandemic, Disability

Holding back justice: Co-design, constitutional recognition and collaborators

Few people are aware of co-design’s political roots. The concept first emerged in Scandinavia in the 1970’s through union insistence that workers be included in the major restructuring of their industries as a way of “emancipating workers at the workplace” (p. 145). Central in its philosophy is the tenet to equalise power as a prerequisite for true collaboration. For International Women’s Day, Summer May Finlay (@SummerMayFinlay) of University of South Australia explains why the government has shown bad faith in failing to adopt the full recommendations from the Uluru Statement from the Heart. As long as full citizen rights are withheld from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, women’s rights will also fail to be achieved.

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