The last election where anyone cares?
Faith in democracy is plummeting among Australians, and the connection voters had with a leader like Bob Hawke now seems out of reach. Is this the last election where enough people really care? Read More
Author: The University of Melbourne
Why housing is a major public health issue for Australians with disability
People with disabilities are at much greater risk of living in unaffordable housing where the cost of keeping a roof over their heads can only be met by reducing spending on other essentials like food and health care. As a result they face a higher risk of homelessness, prompting concerns about a disability housing crisis in Australia. Read More
What key quality should Australia’s next PM have?
There are many characteristics of political leadership – strength, courage, wisdom, vision, judgment, responsiveness. All are elusive, difficult to describe in the abstract, and turn on the historical and social context in which leadership is exercised. So, how should some of these characteristics be demonstrated in contemporary Australia? Read More
How neuroscience beats PowerPoint coma
We’ve all experienced — and inflicted — the condition known as Death by PowerPoint. But there is a cure: Mix neuroscience with design with education theory and practice. Read More
Planning for climate extremes in global farming
Climate change means the frequency and severity of climate extremes is predicted to further increase in most regions worldwide. It’s important to understand how climate extremes interact with agricultural yields, to what extent crop yields are influenced by climate extremes and how these interactions differ between agricultural regions. Read More
Controlling the costs of whole-genome sequencing in cancer care
Australia already has an ecosystem that is globally recognised for one of the best cancer outcomes worldwide. But there is still room to improve value-based cancer services and develop world-leading care pathways that benefit both the patient and the Australian economy. Read More
Here’s how to renew Australia’s Democracy
Longer parliamentary terms? More free votes by MPs? Party publication of membership numbers and financial details each year? All proposals for consideration in a new report endorsed by 13 high-profile former public servants and ministers. Read More
Closing the gap in the Indigenous business sector
In the past, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been excluded from the mainstream economy. But today, Indigenous people are choosing business as a… Read More
Ocean waves and winds are getting higher and stronger
New measurements show that global average wave conditions are increasing but, more importantly, extreme wave conditions are increasing even more rapidly with the largest increases occurring in the Southern Ocean. Read More
Is your child lonely at school?
Emerging research suggests that we are now facing a global loneliness epidemic among our young people. In fact, young people are now reporting feelings of loneliness more frequently than those of their parents or grandparents. Read More
Australia has a new National Construction Code, but it’s still not good enough
What have reforms to the old Building Code of Australia delivered? Is the new code good enough? Read More
The world is run by those who show up
What kind of leader am I, if I’m a leader at all? I think I am a policy influencer. I’m not a minor influencer but I’m not a major one either, and so how do I fulfil this public image of the leader? Read More
The birth of syphilis surveillance in Melbourne
Congenital syphilis has re-emerged as a problem in Australia, with health authorities now urging pregnant women to get tested for the disease. Far from being eradicated, syphilis has been on the rise steadily in Victoria since 2002, almost a century after Australia’s anxiety about the spread of syphilis reached its peak. Read More
Workplace bullying in the #MeToo era
Workplace bullying creates a toxic environment, but the #MeToo movement is highlighting the drivers of abuse that women experience at work. Read More
Is it really a myth that our data isn’t safe?
New legislation aims to expose the communications of serious criminals, but it might undermine our security too. Read More