Medicalisation-nation: Australia’s growing public policy dependence on drugs Editors' Picks Recent media reports have revealed concerns around the overuse of drugs to ‘treat’ older Australians, children with behaviourial issues, loneliness, and the process of childbirth.
Huawei or the highway? The rising costs of New Zealand’s relationship with China February 25, 2019 By David Belgrave Editors' Picks Until recently, New Zealand’s relationship with China has been easy and at little cost to Wellington. But those days are probably over. New Zealand’s decision to
Workplace bullying in the #MeToo era February 25, 2019 By The University of Melbourne Career Advice Workplace bullying creates a toxic environment, but the #MeToo movement is highlighting the drivers of abuse that women experience at work. Workplace bullying. Chances are
Why the disruption-fit leader is crucial to every organisation February 22, 2019 By Marco Mancesti Career Advice Three ways today’s managers can stay ahead of change. Marco Mancesti proposes a framework for how leaders can remain grounded amidst disruption. In management thinking circles
Murray-Darling Basin bipartisanship: not new, not strong February 20, 2019 By Scott Hamilton & Stuart Kells Editors' Picks Water provides many examples of how politics can get in the way of good policy, and how Australia’s federal system sometimes supports and sometimes derails
Four lessons from 11 years of Closing the Gap reports February 20, 2019 By Nicholas Biddle Community & Social Some targets seem easier to meet than others, while some are just plain unreliable. Here are four things we’ve learnt from the last decade of
Whistleblowing reforms show the hopes and risks for Australian politics February 19, 2019 By A J Brown Economy & Industry Today’s overhaul of private sector whistleblower protections provides a glimmer of hope for the strong, bipartisan integrity reforms Australia needs… if and when we are
When a conversation is not a conversation: party political discourse in the early 21st century February 19, 2019 By Nicholas Gruen Editors' Picks It looks like liberal democracy is falling apart. But we can put it back together if we take democracy seriously enough — as seriously as
A state actor has targeted Australian political parties – but that shouldn't surprise us February 19, 2019 By Tom Sear Communications & Technology For many of us, this hack seems to have come out of the blue. But cyber measures targeting Australian government infrastructure are the ‘new normal’.
Expanding urban sprawl: Melbourne is getting the mix wrong February 18, 2019 By David Donaldson Community & Social Victoria’s obsession with urban sprawl means a constant supply of cheap new housing without angering existing residents. But while it’s politically easy, there are big
What are the merits of royal commissions and other forms of inquiry? February 18, 2019 By Peter Wilkins & John Phillimore Economy & Industry They are highly effective at exposing wrongdoing, but do they influence policy development? A two-stage approach might be more effective, write Dr Peter Wilkins and
Temper your sense of justice? February 15, 2019 By Kristy Muir Editors' Picks Now is the time to draw on what we know, to bring together the corporate, not-for-profit, academic and government sectors and to progress what we
Urban forests: how trees can fight heatwaves and poor health February 14, 2019 By David Donaldson Editors' Picks Climate change and urban development are heating up Australia’s cities. Planting trees is one solution being tried by Melbourne’s local councils. Over the past century,
Confidence is a long game February 13, 2019 By Peter Debus Editors' Picks There will be a brief moment of bad headlines for the government that will soon fade away. This is short-term, but the slow bleeding of
