Every young person has a right to evidence-based education to support their sexual health and wellbeing. But Australian schools continue to skirt around the S-E-X word, preach abstinence or throw some bananas and condoms in the break room and hope for the best. As Brianna Delahunty and Linnea Burton Smith from the ERA’s Young Women’s Advisory Group argue, Australians deserve inclusive, safe and respectful education that prepares them for the real world and real relationships.
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Public inquiries are a frequent response to policy and systems failures. Here A/Prof Alastair Stark and Dr Sophie Yates (@DrSophieYates) give a preview of their new Cambridge Element on public inquiries and policy design – introducing a typology of four design functions that inquiries perform, and discussing how to design for inquiry effectiveness. Public Inquiries and Policy Design is open access until 28 February 2024.
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The much-anticipated NDIS review released in late 2023 failed to explicitly consider gender equality or recommend a gender strategy. In today’s post, UNSW PhD candidate Molly Saunders gives a history of gender and the NDIS, and discusses her doctoral research on whether the NDIS supports women with disability to live a life of their own choosing.
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It can be very difficult to get traction for meaningful policy change that will benefit the Australian public, particularly for marginalised communities. What can make it even harder is the influence of corporate actors, which is often hidden from public view. In today’s post, VicHealth postdoctoral research fellow Jenn Lacy-Nichols (@JLacyNichols) of University of Melbourne (@unimelbMSPGH) and Katherine Cullerton of University of Queensland (@UQmedicine) share their research findings into tracking the lobbying activities of corporations. This article first appeared in the The Conversation on 13 November 20203; you can read it in its original form here.
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2023 has made headlines as the hottest year in recorded history, and Australia is gearing up for a serious bushfire season. In today’s post, VicHealth Postdoctoral Research Fellow Rongbin Xu (@RongbinXu) of Monash University (@MonashUni) shares his research into how bushfire smoke is an increasingly hazardous public health threat and needs a more focused policy response.
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Australians consume an average of a ½ kilo of sugar per week, much of it ‘hidden’ in high-sugar foods. For Sugar Awareness Week (13 – 19 November), VicHealth Postdoctoral Researcher Adyya Gupta (@AdyyaGupta) of Deakin University (@IGHT_Deakin @GLOBE_obesity) explains the current policy climate in Australia for regulating free sugars and what policy options are under consideration to create a healthier food environment.
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The World Bank reports that nearly 2.4 billion women globally do not have the same economic rights as men. Women are more likely to be impoverished than men, and these disparities are more pronounced in countries in the Global South. Even though international policies have been developed to promote gender equality, their impact is uneven. In today’s piece, Hilda Aboagyewaa Agyekum, PhD candidate at the Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU, examines the influence of culture and context on the interpretation and implementation of gender policies, drawing on examples from Africa.
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Dr Meera Varadharajan highlights a stark lack of cultural diversity within the Australian philanthropic sector and offers 16 actionable recommendations.
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Chanelle Wilson and Keira Bury explore the risks that online alcohol marketing and fast delivery services pose to those in addiction treatment and recovery, advocating for tighter regulations to prevent potential relapses and safeguard health.
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In the wake of Robodebt it is more important than ever that the risks of automated social securitiy decision making are identified, and steps taken to prevent more harm being done. This post summarises the findings of the important EJA Automation in Social Security Project that has been taking a deep dive into these risks.
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