Policy Forum Pod

Home to over 15 per cent of the world’s population, India’s recent decriminalisation of homosexuality will affect millions of LGBT citizens. But social attitudes can be more important than the law. Questions of sexuality notoriously stir up strong religious, cultural, and moral beliefs – and inspire passionate resistance.On this episode of The Brief, Wayne Morgan breaks down the interplay of culture, colonialism, politics and law in the wake of India's landmark decision.Professor Wayne Morgan is Associate Professor at the ANU College of Law. He is recognised internationally as a pioneer in the field of queer legal theory. His research focuses on social justice and law reform, primarily in the areas of human sexuality, gender identity and legal regulationEdwina Landale is the presenter of The Brief. She is a student of Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at the ANU.Show notes | The following were referred to in this episode:Navtej Singh Johar & Ors. versus Union of India thr. Secretary Ministry of Law and Justice – the Indian Supreme Court’s landmark decisionEpistemology of the Closet by Eve Kosofsky SedgwickPolicy Forum Pod is available on iTunes, Stitcher, and 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 find us on Facebook.This episode of Policy Forum Pod was written and produced by Edwina Landale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the corridors of Brussels to the streets of New Delhi, populist politics have swept through democracies around the globe. But despite all the headlines, is this wave of populism particularly new? And should we see it as a symptom of democracy in decay, or rather as a welcome sign that politics is returning to the people?On this week’s podcast, hosts Nicky Lovegrove and Sara Bice hear from Duncan McDonnell, Jill Sheppard and Paul Kenny about populism in Europe, Asia and Australia – with due mention to one particularly powerful populist leader sitting in the White House.Professor Duncan McDonnell is Professor of Politics in the School of Government and International Relations at Griffith University. His main research interests are political parties, populism and Euroscepticism.Dr Jill Sheppard is a political scientist at the School of Politics and International Relations at the Australian National University. 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.Dr Paul Kenny is a Fellow and Head of the Department of Political and Social Change at the Australian National University. His research covers several areas of comparative politics including the political economy of populism, corruption, and immigration.Show notes | The following were referred to in this episode:Populism and Patronage: Why Populists Win Elections in India, Asia, and Beyond by Paul KennySwedish model beckons for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael: Duncan McDonnell opinion piece in the Irish TimesFanning the Flames of Hate: Social Media and Hate Crime: Karsten Müller and Carlo Schwarz. University of Warwick Working Paper series.For future’s sake…! by Ian ChubbLies, damn lies, and the Global Financial Crisis by Quentin GraftonCooler heads, calmer waters by Michele MillerThe Executive Master of Public Policy offered by Crawford School and convened by Sara Bice.Policy Forum Pod is available on iTunes, Stitcher, and 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 find us on Facebook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hurricanes, typhoons, earthquakes and landslides – headlines this month have been overflowing with natural disasters.The Asia-Pacific is known as the most disaster-prone region in the world, and its policymakers are under pressure to design its rapidly growing urban centres to withstand catastrophe. How can they prepare for events which are destructive, unpredictable, and don’t respect national borders?In this episode of The Brief, Edwina Landale talks to David Sanderson about why poor countries suffer the worst disasters, how urbanisation and technological change could shape the future of disaster resilience, and how Australia is failing its Pacific neighbours.Professor David Sanderson is the inaugural Judith Neilson Chair in Architecture at UNSW, and is an expert in designing for disaster. David has over 25 years’ experience working in development and emergencies and has carried out a number of assignments for NGOs and donors across the world.Edwina Landale is the presenter of The Brief. She is a student of Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at the ANU.Show notes | The following were referred to in this episode:Humanitarian Innovation FundPolicy Forum Pod is available on iTunes, Stitcher, and 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 find us on Facebook.This episode of Policy Forum Pod was written and produced by Edwina Landale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last month, our podcast to mark National Science Week in Australia took a look at how scientists can make themselves heard by policymakers.This week, we’re turning the tables. We hear from two senior figures in Australia's policy-making process about what it’s like to be at the pointy end of policy creation and formulation, and receiving input – wanted and unwanted – from scientists.Hosts Bob Cotton and Sue Regan chat to Ian Chubb, former Chief Scientist of Australia, and Taimus Werner-Gibbings, Chief of Staff to Tasmanian Senator Lisa Singh.They discuss how to get evidence and data on the desk of a politician, the future of science in policymaking, and Ian’s personal story of putting his life in the hands of an experimental cancer treatment. Listen here:Ian Chubb has had a long and distinguished career as a neuroscientist and an academic. He has served as 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 was conspicuous in raising the public profile of science in the media.Taimus Werner-Gibbings has worked for over a decade in the public service. He has been a Senior Policy Officer in the Department of the Environment, and a parliamentary staffer for both ministers and backbenchers, in government and in opposition. Taimus is currently Chief of Staff & Media Advisor to Lisa Singh, Senator for Tasmania.Show notes | The following were referred to in this episode:Connections between science and policy – an event by the New Zealand Association of ScientistsWe need magic, not misery, from the wizards of Aus – by Sharon BessellPodcast: Putting community engagement in the neighbourhood of good policy – with Paul SchmitzPutting the ‘Indo’ in Indo-Pacific – by David BrewsterPolicy Forum Pod is available on iTunes, Stitcher, and 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 find us on Facebook.This episode of Policy Forum Pod was written and produced by Cherry Zhang, Nicky Lovegrove and Martyn Pearce. It was edited by Martyn Pearce and Edwina Landale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As part of its ‘strike hard’ campaign, the Chinese state claims to be fighting against the “Three Evil Forces” – terrorism, separatism, and religious fundamentalism. Under this banner the government has reportedly forced close to a million Uighur and minority Muslims into internment camps and reeducation centers.In this episode of The Brief, Edwina Landale talks to Thomas Cliff about the human and cultural impact of mass surveillance in Xinjiang, what the Communist Party finds so threatening about the Uighur minority, and the future of cultural diversity under President Xi Jinping.Thomas Cliff is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the School of Culture, History and Language at the ANU. He has conducted long-term fieldwork in Xinjiang, covering over two decades, and is one of the world’s leading experts on Xinjiang.Edwina Landale is the presenter of The Brief. She is a student of Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at the ANU.Show notes | The following were referred to in this episode:66 Years and counting – Tibet and China – Robert BarnettPolicy Forum Pod is available on iTunes, Stitcher, and 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 find us on Facebook.This episode of Policy Forum Pod was written and produced by Edwina Landale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine you’re a philanthropist with a big pot of money and a pressing social problem you’d like to solve in your city. You gather all the best academic knowledge on the topic, employ an army of consultants to design a cutting-edge solution, and announce the initiative to great fanfare on live television. So far so good, right?Well, if your philanthropic policy-making forgot to talk to the people who might actually be affected, you could find it does a whole lot more harm than good.Such top-down approaches to policy are all too common – and it’s partly because involving the community in decision-making can be difficult and time-consuming. On this week’s podcast, hosts Martyn Pearce and Sue Regan hear from Paul Schmitz, one of America’s most influential non-profit leaders and an expert in community engagement. Topics discussed include the best and the worst cases of community involvement in public policy, how to know whose voices to listen to, and why poor people might be experts on escaping poverty.Paul Schmitz is Senior Advisor at The Collective Impact Forum and the first Innovation Fellow in Residence at Georgetown University’s Beeck Center for Social Innovation and Impact.He is recognised as one of America’s most influential non-profit leaders; writes and speaks frequently on social innovation, civic participation, diversity, and community building; and has served on President Obama’s transition team and the White House Council on Community Solutions.Show notes | The following were referred to in this episode:The Prize by Dale RussakoffToo close to home: Why does Australia still struggle with homelessness? with James O’DonnellImpact made easy with Mark ReedAn extraordinary use of power by Marianne DickieWater waste: the dangerous paradox of irrigation efficiency with Sarah Wheeler and Quentin GraftonPolicy Forum Pod is available on iTunes, Stitcher, and 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 find us on Facebook.This episode of Policy Forum Pod was written and produced by Martyn Pearce and Nicky Lovegrove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The most recent Australian census counted 116,427 as being homeless – more than enough to fill the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Even more shocking are the hidden dimensions of this number: 20 per cent were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 30 per cent were born overseas, and reports show that older, single women are increasingly affected. On this episode of The Brief, James O’Donnell discusses why people become homeless, how they escape it, and why we need flexible policy solutions if every Australian is to have a roof over their head.James O’Donnell is a PhD candidate and research assistant at the ANU school of demography, and winner of The Australian Population Association’s 2014 WD Borrie Prize.Edwina Landale is the presenter of The Brief. She is a student of Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at the ANU.Show notes | The following were referred to in this episode:Everybody’s HomeSpecialist Homelessness Services (SHS)Orange Sky LaundryBeamSt Vincent De PaulThe Red CrossPolicy Forum Pod is available on iTunes, Stitcher, and 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 find us on Facebook.This episode of Policy Forum Pod was written and produced by Edwina Landale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the buzzword that has universities around the world more obsessed than political junkies waiting to hear who has won a leadership spill. But unlike the average Australian Prime Minister, the quest for ‘impact’ among academics is likely to be with us for a long time.What exactly does it mean for researchers to ‘make a difference’? What tools can they employ to ensure their work doesn’t live only in obscure academic journals, unread and unused by policymakers? On this week’s podcast, hosts Sharon Bessell and Sara Bice chat to Mark Reed, a Professor of Social Innovation and an expert in research impact.Mark Reed is Professor of Social Innovation at Newcastle University in the UK, specialising in stakeholder participation in agri-food systems. He has published over 150 publications, including handbooks on research impact, and he’s been cited more than 12,000 times. He runs Fast Track Impact, a company that trains researchers to be more productive and achieve real-world impact. He presents the Fast Track Impact podcast series which offers researchers tips and tricks to increase their impact.Sara Bice is a Senior Research Fellow at Crawford School of Public Policy, and leader of the Next Generation Engagement Program based at the school.Sharon Bessell is the Director of the Children’s Policy Centre in Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, The Australian National University.Show notes | The following were referred to in this episode:Fast Track Impact - the podcast for researchers who want to be more productive and achieve real-world impacts from their research.*Policy Forum Pod is available on iTunes, Stitcher, and 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 find us on Facebook.This episode of Policy Forum Pod was written and produced by Martyn Pearce, Cherry Zheng, and Nicky Lovegrove. It was edited by Martyn Pearce and Edwina Landale.* Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s reputation for controversy and his ‘War on Drugs’ that has seen thousands of deaths has drawn international media attention. Seen as an authoritarian strongman leader abroad, Duterte nevertheless maintains high approval ratings at home, and is seen by many Filipinos as a relatable leader.In this episode of The Brief, Edwina Landale talks to award-winning journalist Marites Vitug, author of a new book, Rock Solid: How the Philippines Won Its Maritime Case Against China. They discuss Filipino populism, the integrity of the justice system, and the potential fallout from the South China Sea dispute.Marites Vitug is the editor at large of the social news network Rappler. She is one of the Philippines’ most accomplished journalists, winning awards and public recognition for her reporting. A bestselling author, she has written several books on Philippine current affairs, including her recent book Rock Solid: How the Philippines Won Its Maritime Case Against China.Edwina Landale is the presenter of The Brief. She is a student of Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at the ANU.Show notes | The following were referred to in this episode:Rappler – a social news network based in the PhilippinesRock Solid: How the Philippines Won Its Maritime Case Against China By Marites VitugPolicy Forum Pod is available on iTunes, Stitcher, and 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 find us on Facebook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As much as 70 per cent of all water extracted in the world is used for irrigation. But what if it were discovered that irrigation policies intended to increase efficiency and therefore save water could, in fact, be doing the exact opposite?On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, hosts Maya Bhandari and Bob Cotton hear from Quentin Grafton and Sarah Wheeler, two authors of a new paper published in Science: “The Paradox of Irrigation Efficiency”.Topics discussed include the Murray-Darling Basin, why regulatory bodies are so often captured by industry – and how our water policies have left us up the creek without a paddle.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.Professor Sarah Wheeler is an Australian Research Council Future Fellow and the Associate Director of Research with the Centre for Global Food and Resources at the University of Adelaide.Show notes | The following were referred to in this episode:A picture of health with Sir Harry BurnsIs Asia sleepwalking to war? with Brendan TaylorPolicy Forum Pod is available on iTunes, Stitcher, and 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 find us on Facebook.This episode of Policy Forum Pod was written and produced by Maya Bhandari, Martyn Pearce, and Nicky Lovegrove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.