Policy Forum Pod

From the violence against the Rohingya in Myanmar, to President Duterte’s support for extrajudicial killings in the Philippines, to intensifying efforts in Cambodia to curtail political freedom – Southeast Asia has seen many human rights violations in the past few years. And it seems that international and regional organisations, as well as third countries, have had a hard time addressing these acts of state-sanctioned violence.On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, we talk to our panel – Catherine Renshaw, Cecilia Jacob, and Hunter Marston – about ASEAN’s quiet diplomacy approach, why the UN didn’t apply more pressure on Myanmar, and what role China and the US play in shaping human rights in the region.Our presenters Paul Wyrwoll and Julia Ahrens also look at some of your comments and suggestions for future podcasts.Cecilia Jacob is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of International Relations at the Coral Bell School. Her work focuses on civilian protection, mass atrocity prevention, and international human protection norms.Hunter Marston is a PhD candidate at the Coral Bell School. His research focuses on great power competition in Southeast Asia. Prior to joining the ANU, Hunter worked as a Senior Research Assistant at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC, in the Center for East Asia Policy Studies.Catherine Renshaw is Deputy Head of the Thomas More Law School. Her research focuses on human rights and democracy in Southeast Asia and she has recently carried out fieldwork in Myanmar and Thailand.Paul Wyrwoll is an environmental and resources economist. His research considers the design and application of water pricing to hydropower management.Julia Ahrens is a Marketing and Communications Coordinator at the Crawford School of Public Policy and a presenter on Policy Forum Pod.Show notes | The following were referred to in this episode:Donald Trump condemns racism and bigotryDayton shootingRight to bear arms (US)Christchurch shootingNRA history and US gun lawsRadiolab: More Perfect – The Gun ShowDuterte’s extrajudicial killingsMyanmar and Bangladesh on Rohingya repatriationASEAN and Rohingya crisisChina’s Belt and Road InitiativeChina-Myanmar border disputesVietnam PM visits WhitehousePolicy Forum Podcast: Philip Alston – poverty as a political choice Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In November last year, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the establishment of an Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific worth $2 billion. Despite its well-intentioned goal, the initiative has also attracted criticism for not considering the private sector enough in its strategic approach. On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, we hear from three private investment experts – Frank Yourn, Sally McCutchan, and Milissa Day – about the massive infrastructure needs of the Pacific in the face of climate change, and why the role of governments should be focused on enabling private investment instead of crowding it out. We also ask the panel about what projects they would fund in Pacific Island nations if they had $3 billion to spend.Pod hosts Jill Sheppard and Julia Ahrens also chat to Roland Rich about voter suppression – what it is, why parties do it, and how to tackle it. They also discuss some of your comments and suggestions for future episodes.Milissa Day is Regional Representative for East Asia and the Pacific at the International Finance Corporation. She supports investment across fragile, conflict-affected, and poor countries across the East Asia and Pacific region, and leads Pacific business development. She is also the representative for countries in the Pacific including Vanuatu and Solomon Islands.Sally McCutchan is Executive Director and CEO at Impact Investing Australia. She has extensive experience in finance, funds management, and strategy, and has spent many years working in and understanding Asia Pacific markets.Frank Yourn is Executive Director at the Australia-Papua New Guinea Business Council, the Australia-Fiji Business Council, and the Australia-Pacific Islands Business Council. Previously, he served in the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade where his service included overseas postings in Egypt, Japan, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and Fiji, as well as assignments in Canberra and in the Department’s Victorian State Office.Paul Wyrwoll is an environmental and resources economist at Crawford School. Previously, Paul was General Manager of the FE2W Network and Managing Editor of the Global Water Forum.Roland Rich is Assistant Teaching Professor at Rutgers University. He was Executive Head of the UN Democracy Fund and Director of the UN Office for Partnerships.Jill Sheppard is a political scientist at the School of Politics and International Relations at the ANU. Her research focuses on why people participate in politics, what opinions they hold and why, and how both are shaped by political institutions and systems.Julia Ahrens is a presenter on Policy Forum Pod.Show notes | The following were referred to in this episode:Republicans and restrictions on voting in the USAsia-Pacific countries amongst most vulnerable to the effects of climate changeAustralian infrastructure development bank for the PacificSolomon Islands and hydro-powerPacific Investment Forum2040 (documentary)Democracy Sausage podcast: Transparency, trust, and talking politics with children Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Philip Alston accused the Trump administration of being driven by “contempt, and sometimes even hatred for the poor,” compared the UK’s post-GFC austerity welfare policies to Victorian workhouses, and warned the country’s poor faced lives that were “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” In return, he’s been accused of bias by the US, warned he’d be the subject of a formal complaint to the UN from the UK government, and seen his report blasted by a UK newspaper as an “insult to our national intelligence.” In this very special Policy Forum Pod, Alston talks about tackling climate change, Brexit and Boris Britain, and why the “gloves need to come off.”Philip Alston is John Norton Pomeroy Professor of Law at New York University. He is currently UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights. In 2014, he was a member of the Security Council-established commission of inquiry on the Central African Republic. He previously served as Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, as well as Chairperson of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. During the drafting of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, he was UNICEF’s Legal Adviser.Sharon Bessell is Director of the Children’s Policy Centre at Crawford School, the ANU lead on the Individual Deprivation Measure Project, and Editor of Policy Forum’s Poverty: In Focus section.Martyn Pearce is Editor of Policy Forum.Show notes | The following were mentioned in this episode:Four Corners: Murray-Darling Basin Plan Cash SplashThe role of the private sector in achieving the Sustainable Development GoalsWorld Economic Forum Global Risks Report 2019Global Dialogue on TradeUN Global CompactPrivate Participation in Infrastructure databaseDemocracy under threat in NauruPodcast: Fixing the NDISPolicy Forum Pod is available on 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.

How are the world’s business leaders adapting to the Sustainable Development Goals? That’s the topic for this week’s Policy Forum Pod, where we hear from John Denton, the Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce. Pod hosts Julia Ahrens and Quentin Grafton also discuss the challenges facing the Murray-Darling Basin and tackle some of your questions and comments.John Denton AO is the Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce.Lydia Kim is an Associate Editor at Policy Forum. She is currently completing a Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics alongside a Bachelor of Finance at the Australian National University.Quentin Grafton is Professor of Economics at Crawford School, an ANU Public Policy Fellow, and Director of the Centre for Water Economics, Environment and Policy.Julia Ahrens is a presenter on Policy Forum Pod.Show notes | The following were mentioned in this episode:United Nations (UN) report on climate change and povertyClimate change causing homelessnessWomen disproportionately impacted by climate changeLondon may be the same temperature as Barcelona by 2050Poverty figures in the UKBrexit’s economic impactAmerica’s ‘punitive’ social policiesUniversal basic incomeUN Social Protection Floor initiativeCriticism of Philip Alston’s austerity reportWar on povertySustainable Development Goals’ role in reducing povertyThis podcast was produced with the support of the ANU Australian Crawford Leadership Forum, held on 24/25 June. The Forum brought together 150 international and domestic speakers to discuss the theme of ‘Rebuilding trust’.Policy Forum Pod is available on 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.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme is a significant policy. Launched in 2016, the NDIS provides support to Australians with a disability, their families, and their carers. But while it has been broadly welcomed, its implementation has not been without significant challenges. This week on Policy Forum Pod we hear from former Labor government Minister Jenny Macklin, Dr Gemma Carey, and Clare Moore about what it will take to fix the NDIS. Pod hosts Sara Bice and Martyn Pearce also chat to Carolyn Hendriks about the ‘Stomping Grounds’ project and how it could change the way our cities and towns are used, and discuss some of your questions and suggestions for future pods.Gemma Carey is the Research Director of the Centre for Social Impact UNSW and an NHMRC Fellow. She holds a PhD in social policy and population health from the University of Melbourne and a Masters in Anthropology from the University of Adelaide. Her current research is concerned with the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.Clare Moore is the Chief Executive Officer of WWDACT, Women with Disabilities ACT, an advocacy organisation that promotes the human rights of women and girls with a disability in the Canberra region. WWDACT are passionate about intersectionality, health care, housing and education.Jenny Macklin was the Minister for Disability reform under the Gillard and Rudd Labor governments. Jenny was instrumental in the national roll-out for the NDIS, overseeing the design and implementation of the Scheme.Carolyn Hendriks is Associate Professor of Public Policy and Governance, at Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University. She has taught and published widely on the application and politics of inclusive and deliberative forms of citizen engagement.Tess McGirr is a Sir Roland Wilson PhD scholar at Crawford School researching how social services can complement welfare reform to improve employment outcomes. Tess has a long-held passion for social policy.Sara Bice is a Senior Research Fellow at the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy, and leads the Next Generation Engagement Program based at the school.Martyn Pearce is a presenter for Policy Forum Pod and the Editor of Policy Forum.Show notes | The following were mentioned in this episode:Four Corners: Cash splash (Murray-Darling Basin)Labor’s position on NDISScott Morrison on NDISBudget underspending on NDISLack of accessibility to NDISDistinction between health and disability in NDIS is ambiguous Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fake news, global media moguls flexing their political muscles, getting people to pay for journalism, and the challenge posed by social media companies – the problems facing the media and journalism are many. In our panel discussion this week, Gideon Rachman of the Financial Times, Siddharth Varadarajan of The Wire, and Amy Remeikis of The Guardian Australia talk to Mark Kenny and Jill Sheppard about the future of the media. Pod hosts Sara Bice and Martyn Pearce also chat to Professor Mirya Holman about getting more women in political leadership positions, how female political candidates use Twitter, and the connection between pandemics and the politics of climate change.Amy Remeikis is Guardian Australia's political reporter. She has covered federal politics, Queensland politics, crime, court, and garden shows during her career, working for radio and newspapers, most recently for Fairfax Media. She was an inaugural nominee of the Young Walkley awards.Gideon Rachman became chief foreign affairs columnist for the Financial Times (FT) in July 2006. He joined the FT after a 15-year career at The Economist, which included spells as a foreign correspondent in Brussels, Washington, and Bangkok. He also edited The Economist’s business and Asia sections. His particular interests include American foreign policy, the European Union, and globalisation.Siddharth Varadarajan is an Indian-American journalist, editor, and academic. He is the founding Editor of The Wire and the former Editor of The Hindu. He has reported on the NATO war against Yugoslavia, the destruction of the Bamyan Buddhas by the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, the war in Iraq, and the crisis in Kashmir. Siddharth has edited a book titled Gujarat: The Making of a Tragedy which is about the 2002 Gujarat riots.Mark Kenny is a Senior Fellow in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times. He is the presenter of the Democracy Sausage podcast.Jill Sheppard is a political scientist at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. Her research focuses on why people participate in politics, what opinions they hold and why, and how both are shaped by political institutions and systems.Sara, Martyn, and Mirya also go over some of your questions, comments, and suggestions for future podcasts, discuss the danger of swooping birds, and make a very special announcement about a new course teaching podcasting skills to policymakers.Mirya Holman is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Tulane University and a Visiting Fellow at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. Her research interests focus on political leadership, local politics, gender and politics, research methods, and environmental politics.Sara Bice is a Senior Research Fellow at the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy, and leads the Next Generation Engagement Program based at the school.Martyn Pearce is a presenter for Policy Forum Pod and the Editor of Policy Forum.Show notes | The following were mentioned in this episode:Mosquito-borne illnesses in LouisianaClimate change and infectious diseasesGender inequality in Coalition CabinetElizabeth... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In March, the Australian Public Service review set out four priorities for change to future-proof the public service. But will those changes be enough to tackle the significant challenges ahead and rebuild declining trust in institutions? We hear from the review’s Chair David Thodey in conversation with Helen Sullivan and get the thoughts of review panel member and fellow policy podcaster Glyn Davis.David Thodey is Chair of the Australian Public Service review, Chair of the Commonwealth Science, Industry & Research Organisation, the national research organisation for Australia, and the Chair of JobsNSW, the NSW independent organisation responsible for the creation of 150K new jobs through to 2020. He was formerly the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Telstra.Glyn Davis is a Distinguished Professor at the Crawford School of Public Policy. He was previously Vice-Chancellor at the University of Melbourne from 2005 to 2018, and is renowned as one of Australia’s finest higher education leaders, whose academic work has shaped the thinking of public servants at all levels of government. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Australia’s largest philanthropic trust. He was the presenter on the Policy Shop podcast.Helen Sullivan is the Director of Crawford School of Public Policy. Her research and teaching explore the changing nature of state-society relationships; including the theory and practice of governance and collaboration, innovative forms of democratic participation, new thinking about public policy and the practice of public service reform.Martyn Pearce is a presenter for Policy Forum Pod and the Editor of Policy Forum.Show notes | The following were mentioned in this podcast:Against the Rules with Michael Lewis (podcast)The Essay (BBC podcast)Gertie’s Law (podcast)Decline in trust in the APSPM Scott Morrison promises to “drain the swamp”New National Indigenous Australian AgencyANZSOG submission to the review of the Australian Public ServiceKen Wyatt appointed as first Indigenous Minister for Indigenous AffairsDemocracy Sausage podcastA policy wish list (podcast)Refugee WeekSeeking recognition before refuge – Rebecca HingleyAre there climate change refugees in the Pacific – Ian FryPolicy File: Climate refugees – where to next? – Patrick CooneyThis podcast was produced with the support of the ANU Australian Crawford Leadership Forum, held on... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australians support science and having policy informed by the best scientific evidence, but in the recent federal election campaign, science was in short supply. So what more should scientists and the scientific community do to encourage evidence-based policy to tackle the big issues of our time? What responsibilities to scientists have to engage directly with the public, particularly in the frequently hostile environment of social media? And how can we tackle the rise of anti-science? On this Policy Forum Pod, we’re joined by two of nation’s leading scientists – Anna-Maria Arabia and Ian Chubb – to put science and science policy under the microscope.Our expert panel also discuss why science isn’t always at the forefront of national debates, the importance of moving away from short-termism when it comes to implementing robust science policy, and how science is presented and debated.Anna-Maria Arabia is Chief Executive of the Australian Academy of Science. She was Principal Adviser to the Hon Bill Shorten. She has worked in senior policy roles in both social and economic portfolios.Ian Chubb was Vice-Chancellor of both Flinders University and the Australian National University, and has been made a Companion of the Order of Australia. He served as Australia’s Chief Scientist from 2011 to 2016, and is an Emeritus Fellow at Crawford School.Our presenters this week – Quentin and Martyn – also discuss how the recent raids on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation have underscored the importance of transparency and public debate. What’s more, they also go over how you – our listeners – can win a mug. Get listening!Quentin Grafton is Professor of Economics at Crawford School, an ANU Public Policy Fellow, and Director of the Centre for Water Economics, Environment and Policy. He is also Editor-in-Chief of Policy Forum.Martyn Pearce is a presenter for Policy Forum Pod and the Editor of Policy Forum.Show notes | The following were mentioned in this podcast:Raid on ABC studiosABC journalists’ home raidedWhistleblowers and public interest disclosureDemocracy Sausage PodcastParis AgreementAustralia’s research funding is among the lowest in OECDFish kills Murray Darling BasinLabor’s campaign on energy policyKyoto creditsWater buybacks in Australia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you could have your wishes granted and have Australia’s government implement three policies that would change the country for the better, what would you choose? That’s the question we put to our panel this week. Our experts – Helen Sullivan, Inala Cooper, and Janine O’Flynn give us their wish lists in conversation with Sharon Bessell.Helen Sullivan is the Director of Crawford School of Public Policy. Her research and teaching explore the changing nature of state-society relationships; including the theory and practice of governance and collaboration, innovative forms of democratic participation, new thinking about public policy and the practice of public service reform.Inala Cooper is a Yawuru woman from Broome in The Kimberley, WA, and is an advocate for Indigenous rights, social justice, and human rights. She is also the Relationships and Engagement Lead at Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity at the University of Melbourne, and is Director on the Board of Culture Is Life.Janine O’Flynn is Professor of Public Management at the University of Melbourne and at ANZSOG. Her expertise is in public management, with particular focus on reform and relationships.Our presenters – Sharon and Martyn – take a closer look into rising tensions between the US and Iran, indigenous incarceration rates in Australia, and the FIFA Women’s World Cup hosted in France this year. Martyn and Julia also discuss some of the suggestions you’ve left us for future episodes.Sharon Bessell is Director of the Children’s Policy Centre at Crawford School, the ANU lead on the Individual Deprivation Measure Project, and Editor of Policy Forum’s Poverty: In Focus section.Julia Ahrens is a presenter on Policy Forum Pod.Martyn Pearce is Editor of Policy Forum.Show notes | The following were mentioned in this podcast:Iran and US interactions over droneDarling Murray water buybacksViolation of children’s rights in juvenile detention in QueenslandFirst Indigenous Minister for Indigenous Affairs (Ken Wyatt)NZ wellbeing budgetIntergenerational inequality in AustraliaNational Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) failuresIndustrial decline in UKAustralian universities costsDemocracy Sausage... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For a brief moment during Australia’s recent election campaign, everyone’s attention was turned towards electric vehicles – and rightfully so. Electric vehicle sales are booming around the world, and the motor industry is rapidly rolling out electric car models and setting significant sales targets. But with Labor’s electric vehicle policy now barely visible in the rear-view mirror, will policymakers ever take the wheel, or is Australia’s electric vehicle policy in need of roadside assist? On this Policy Forum Podcast, our panel – Michael De Percy, Liz Hanna, and James Prest – drive a discussion about the kind of government intervention and infrastructure Australia needs, ways to incentivise and familiarise consumers when it comes to new technologies, and the crossroads between electric vehicles and health.Michael De Percy is a Senior Lecturer in Political Science in the School of Government and Policy, Fellow of the National Security Institute, and Academic Fellow of IGPA at the University of Canberra.Liz Hanna is a Fellow at the ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment and Chair of the Environmental Health Working Group, World Federation of Public Health Associations.James Prest is a Senior Lecturer at the ANU College of Law, specialising in environmental law with interests in administrative law and litigation. He is a Member of the Executive of the ANU Energy Change Institute.Our presenters – Sara Bice and Martyn Pearce – also discuss Trump's Twitter spat with London Mayor Sadiq Khan during his visit to the UK, as well as the TV series Chernobyl and the issues it brings up about nuclear power. Several bad dog puns later – in efforts to inform listeners on ways to get their paws on a mug – they also go over some comments and suggestions our audience have recently left us.Sara Bice is a Senior Research Fellow at Crawford School of Public Policy, and leads the Next Generation Engagement Program based at the school.Martyn Pearce is a presenter for Policy Forum Pod and the Editor of Policy Forum.Show notes | The following were mentioned in this episode: Slow adoption of EVs in AustraliaQueensland Electric Super HighwayQueensland EV charging stationsToyota in the EV marketVolkswagen diesel scandalClimateWorks recommendations for EVs in AustraliaClimate and Health Alliance in AustraliaPolicy Forum Pod is available on iTunes, 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.