Premium Insights and analysis A senior VPS leader on cracking the work-life balance chestnut Career Advice Katherine Whetton has worked for the Victorian Public Service for more than 20 years, moving across major portfolios, including the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
New system to simplify search for help with alcohol and drugs October 6, 2021 By Jackson Graham Federal Australia has its first online directory offering tailored support to people experiencing harm from alcohol or other drugs, the federal government claims. Not-for-profit the Alcohol
The low-down on your new minister for public service October 5, 2021 By Melissa Coade Federal Ben Morton is one of the few Western Australian Liberal politicians in federal government and among Scott Morrison’s newest minted ministers — here’s everything you
Drugs could soon be decriminalised in the ACT. That would be a positive step April 7, 2021 By Nicole Lee and Jarryd Bartle Australian Capital Territory In February this year, Labor backbencher Michael Pettersson introduced a private members bill to remove criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of some illicit
Will Australia legalise ecstasy and magic mushrooms to treat mental illness? Here’s why it’s still too soon January 25, 2021 By Stephen Bright and Martin William Editors' Picks While the public focus remains on COVID vaccines, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) continues to evaluate a range of proposals around the provision of medical
From STIs to malaria, here are six disease trends we should heed during the pandemic August 17, 2020 By Stuart Ralph and Jacqueline Coombe Editors' Picks The number of COVID-19 deaths globally – more than 750,000 – is now greater than the amount of people who succumb to malaria most years.
Here’s what happened when codeine was made prescription only. No, the sky didn’t fall in October 3, 2019 By Rose Cairns & Nicholas Buckley Editors' Picks Fears switching the painkiller codeine to a prescription-only medicine would lead to more people misusing stronger painkillers are unfounded, according to research published today. Our
Politics of the unmentionables, part 2: Drugs July 25, 2019 By Scott Hamilton & Stuart Kells Case studies Like sex and death, drugs and alcohol are historical facts of life that have been zones of hot-blooded political debate, but also of genuine bipartisanship.
Breaking the silos – how systems tools can bring us together June 13, 2019 By Kate Garvey Career Advice We hear a lot about the need for policymakers to engage with research evidence – but what about better engagement with each other? I recently
Is evidence for or against drug testing welfare recipients? It depends on the result we're after September 13, 2017 By The Conversation Features The government’s announcement in the May 2017 budget of a trial of random drug testing of 5,000 Youth Allowance and Newstart recipients has been almost
The Stoner Sloth and challenges for government comms December 21, 2015 By Stephen Easton Communications & Technology Are anti-drugs advertising campaigns ever worth the money? The New South Wales Stoner Sloth campaign has been comprehensively panned from every angle by a long
AFP won’t apologise for ‘agonising decision’ in Bali Nine arrests May 4, 2015 By Harley Dennett News The Australian Federal Police has hit out at misreporting that the Bali Nine were unknown to authorities before the tip-off from the father of one of