Policy Forum Pod

With the $550 coronavirus supplement set to expire in September, we speak with Professor Peter Whiteford about the future of Australia’s JobSeeker program as calls grow for a permanent raising of the rate.Prior to the coronavirus crisis, there were calls from all sides of politics for the Australian government to increase the rate of its unemployment benefit, formerly known as Newstart. The Morrison government long resisted this pressure, but the economic cataclysm brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic brought about major, albeit temporary, policy change. While the government insisted that the new coronavirus supplement is a short-term option, some of the 1.6 million people on JobSeeker, and the additional 6.1 million people on JobKeeper, may face the prospect of extended unemployment if the promised economic ‘snapback’ fails to materialise. But what will happen to those still unemployed, and the economy as a whole, if/when the supplement ends? And, if the government is to raise the rate, by how much should it do so? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, we’re joined by ANU Crawford School of Public Policy academic, Professor Peter Whiteford, to examine Australia’s JobSeeker scheme. Peter Whiteford is a Professor at Crawford School of Public Policy. He works on child poverty, family assistance policies, welfare reform, and other aspects of social policy, particularly ways of supporting the balance between work and family life. He has published extensively on various aspects of the Australian and New Zealand systems of income support.Martyn Pearce is a presenter for Policy Forum Pod and the Editor of Policy Forum. Policy Forum Pod is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Subscribe on Android or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we look at the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on perhaps one of Australia’s most underappreciated sectors, volunteering.Despite often going under the radar, the volunteering sector makes a huge contribution to society. From our rural fire-fighting services, to our local sports organisations, and beyond, volunteers play a bigger part in Australian life than many probably realise. But what has been the impact of the current crisis on volunteers? And what can policymakers do to better support and value volunteering? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, we speak to The Australian National University’s Professor Nicholas Biddle and CEO of Volunteering Australia Adrienne Picone about how COVID-19 has re-shaped volunteering in Australia.Professor Nicholas Biddle is Associate Director of the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods and Director of the newly created Policy Experiments Lab.Adrienne Picone is the Chief Executive Officer of Volunteering Australia.Martyn Pearce is a presenter for Policy Forum Pod and the Editor of Policy Forum.Policy Forum Pod is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Subscribe on Android or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of infrastructure in Australia’s economic recovery and what the future holds for major projects in the wake of COVID-19.It was key to Australia’s economic recovery from the Global Financial Crisis, but what is the role of infrastructure as the country manages the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic? With delays, cancellations, and mothballing costing billions, how can policymakers ensure they consult appropriately to get projects right? And with suburbia acting as the new CBD due to health restrictions and business closures, what will future infrastructure projects look like as we all continue to live with the impacts of COVID-19? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, we speak to Associate Professor Sara Bice and Kirsty O’Connell about how to get infrastructure policy right, and its importance in post-coronavirus economic recovery.Dr Sara Bice is Co-Director of Research Translation at the Melbourne School of Government and Senior Research Fellow at Crawford School of Public Policy.Kirsty O'Connell is Industry Director for the Next Generation Engagement Program and Director of The Engagement People.Martyn Pearce is a presenter for Policy Forum Pod and the Editor of Policy Forum.Policy Forum Pod is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Subscribe on Android or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we chat to Dr John Hewson and Dr Arnagretta Hunter about the catastrophic and existential risks facing humanity, and what we can do to ensure our future.With people around the world suffering at the hands of COVID-19, the virus has shone a spotlight on our vulnerability to a global disease outbreak. But pandemics like COVID-19 are far from the only serious risks threatening citizens and nations across our planet. A new report from the Commission for the Human Future (CHF) identifies 10 catastrophic and existential risks facing humanity. So what are the risks, and what can be done to address them? In the new episode of Policy Forum Pod, CHF Chair Dr John Hewson and CHF Board Member Dr Arnagretta Hunter join us to discuss these risks, and the future of humanity.Dr Arnagretta Hunter is a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer for The Australian National University Medical School.Dr John Hewson AM is an Honorary Professorial Fellow at Crawford School of Public Policy. He is an economic and financial expert with experience in academia, business, government, media, and the financial system. Dr Hewson joined ANU in 2014 and is Chair of the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute.Martyn Pearce is a presenter for Policy Forum Pod and the Editor of Policy Forum.Policy Forum Pod is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Subscribe on Android or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Professor Helen Sullivan and Dr Christian Downie examine the role of international organisations in the fight against COVID-19.The United States government’s decision to withdraw funding from the World Health Organization (WHO) over its handling of the coronavirus crisis has brought simmering tension sharply to the surface. So have international organisations, such as the WHO and G20, handled the crisis effectively? With the economic impacts of the virus set to be truly enormous, what is the future of the global architecture of institutions, many of which function on fine margins financially? And how can Australia and other small and medium-size nations ensure these organisations are working for the global public good, rather than as vehicles for major power competition? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, The Australian National University’s Professor Helen Sullivan and Dr Christian Downie join us to discuss the response of international organisations to COVID-19, what the future might hold for them after the crisis, and the importance of global leadership.Professor Helen Sullivan is Director of ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. She has published widely on public policy, and public governance.Dr Christian Downie is an Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow in the School of Regulation and Global Governance at The Australian National University.Professor Sharon Bessell is co-leader of the ANU Individual Deprivation Measure (IDM) team at Crawford School of Public Policy. The IDM is a new, gender-sensitive and multidimensional measure of poverty.Policy Forum Pod is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Subscribe on Android or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we discuss what long-term changes the coronavirus crisis might bring about in healthcare, politics, and citizen engagement.Will the pandemic change how society values essential workers, especially in the healthcare sector? Rather than ‘snapping back’ to business as usual, will the Australian government persist with a selection of the ostensibly temporary interventions that are aiding the health and wellbeing of Australians? Will the newfound spirit of cooperation between the federal and state and territory governments continue after the crisis? And how will citizens engage with politics and their communities after a prolonged period of isolation? In the second and final part of our special episode on hope and life after COVID-19, we speak to Professor Sharon Friel and Associate Professor Carolyn Hendriks about the future of Australia’s health and political systems. Professor Sharon Friel is Director of School of Regulation and Global Governance at The Australian National University. Sharon is also a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences Australia, an ANU Public Policy Fellow and an Australian Council of Social Services Policy Advisor.Carolyn Hendriks is Associate Professor of Public Policy and Governance at Crawford School of Public Policy at The Australian National University. Carolyn’s work examines the democratic aspects of contemporary governance, particularly with respect to participation, deliberation, inclusion and representation.Martyn Pearce is a presenter for Policy Forum Pod and the Editor of Policy Forum.You can listen to Professor Sharon Friel’s new podcast series, Dinner Ladies Save the World, on Apple Podcasts and Soundcloud.Policy Forum Pod is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Subscribe on Android or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part one of this special two-part episode we discuss Australia’s economic future after the coronavirus pandemic with former Federal Opposition Leader Dr John Hewson.It’s often said in politics that you ‘should never waste a good crisis’. But does the coronavirus crisis signal that it’s time to make major structural changes in the Australian economy? Should the government take a stake in businesses like airlines to ensure they survive? And after the crisis, will the government be able to wind back measures that are likely to receive broad public support, such as free childcare and an increase to unemployment benefits? In part one of our special two part episode on hope and life after COVID-19, we speak to Dr John Hewson about Australia’s economy after the pandemic.Dr John Hewson AM is an Honorary Professorial Fellow at Crawford School of Public Policy. He is an economic and financial expert with experience in academia, business, government, media, and the financial system. Dr Hewson joined ANU in 2014 and is Chair of the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute.Martyn Pearce is a presenter for Policy Forum Pod and the Editor of Policy Forum.Policy Forum Pod is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Subscribe on Android or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we discuss whether Australia’s coronavirus prevention measures are fit for purpose and take a look at the challenges facing victims of family violence who are stuck at home due to the pandemic.Are Australia’s COVID-19 prevention measures sustainable? How can policymakers get the balance right in the coming months and maybe years while the world searches for a vaccine? And what has been the impact of the pandemic on those living in abusive relationships? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, Professor Sharon Bessell chats with infectious diseases expert Professor Peter Collignon AM about Australia’s COVID-19 prevention measures, before Dr Bianca Calabria joins us to discuss family violence during the pandemic.Professor Peter Collignon AM is an infectious diseases physician and microbiologist at the Canberra Hospital. He is currently Executive Director of ACT Pathology and a Professor at The Australian National University Medical School.Dr Bianca Calabria is a Research Fellow at the Research School of Population Health at The Australian National University and a Conjoint Lecturer at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at University of New South Wales. She also works as a psychologist, with people who have experienced trauma, particularly survivors of domestic violence.Professor Sharon Bessell is a Professor at Crawford School of Public Policy, where she is co-leader of the ANU Individual Deprivation Measure (IDM) team. The IDM is a new, gender-sensitive and multidimensional measure of poverty.Policy Forum Pod is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Subscribe on Android or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we discuss how policymakers and individuals can manage uncertainty during the coronavirus pandemic, plus how best to speak to children about the virus and its impacts.The COVID-19 pandemic has created huge amounts of uncertainty for people across the globe, in both their personal and professional lives. But how can governments and experts communicate effectively to reduce people’s anxiety around these kinds of upheavals? What can individuals do to cope with this uncertainty? And how can parents talk to their children about the crisis in an age-appropriate way? In this episode, we talk to Professor Michael Smithson about the psychology of uncertainty in the pandemic, before Nicola Palfrey joins us to discuss how adults can talk about COVID-19 with children.Nicola Palfrey is Operations and Research Manager at The Australian National University Medical School and Director of the Australian Child and Adolescent Trauma, Loss, and Grief Network. She is also a clinical psychologist and a Churchill Fellow.Professor Michael Smithson is a Professor and Associate Director (Research) in the Research School of Psychology at ANU and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia. He received his PhD from the University of Oregon and his primary research interests are in judgment and decision making under uncertainty, statistical methods for the social sciences, and applications of fuzzy set theory to the social sciences.Martyn Pearce is a presenter for Policy Forum Pod and the Editor of Policy Forum.If you or anyone you know needs help:Lifeline on 13 11 14 [http://www.lifeline.org.au/]Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36 [https://www.beyondblue.org.au/]Lifeline [https://www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/topics/mental-health-and-wellbeing-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak] and Beyond Blue [https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/looking-after-your-mental-health-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak] also both have information specifically about looking after your mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.Policy Forum Pod is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Subscribe on Android or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, we discuss how to care for mental health during an unprecedented period of community isolation due to the coronavirus.While the world is focused on tackling the immediate danger from COVID-19, the physical isolation required to stop the spread can have a significant impact on people’s mental health. Serious financial pressures, job losses, and anxiety about the future have made it hard for many to cope. So, with Australia’s mental health system struggling before the crisis, how will it cope with any increased demand? What role can telehealth play in alleviating some of the burden? And what are ordinary members of the community doing to support each other in this challenging time?On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, our panel - Luis Salvador-Carulla and Sebastian Rosenberg - discusses how policymakers can support the population’s mental health, and how people can maintain a sense of social connection during this period of isolation.Professor Luis Salvador-Carulla is Head of the Centre for Mental Health Research at the Research School of Population Health at The Australian National University. He has been advisor to the Government of Catalonia in Spain, the Spanish Ministry of Health, the European Commission, and the World Health Organization on mental health and disability policy.Dr Sebastian Rosenberg is a Fellow in the Learning and Development Unit at ANU Centre for Mental Health Research and Senior Lecturer at the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney. He was a public servant for 16 years, working in health in both state and federal governments.Martyn Pearce is a presenter for Policy Forum Pod and the Editor of Policy Forum.If you or anyone you know needs help:Lifeline on 13 11 14 [http://www.lifeline.org.au/]Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36 [https://www.beyondblue.org.au/]Lifeline [https://www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/topics/mental-health-and-wellbeing-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak] and Beyond Blue [https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/looking-after-your-mental-health-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak] also both have information specifically for looking after your mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.Policy Forum Pod is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Subscribe on Android or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.