Policy Forum Pod

For centuries, music has been an integral part of social movements – the civil rights movement is synonymous with jazz, Aretha Franklin’s Respect is a feminist anthem, and hip-hop is woven into contemporary racial politics.As the world faces an era of uncertainty, from escalating trade wars and shifting global power dynamics, to an environmental crisis and the echoing siren call of ‘Fake News’, is music doing its bit to inspire action and fuel a demand for change?Edwina Landale talks to Kim Cunio about a musician’s responsibility to communicate social issues and the role of music as an instrument to amplify unheard voices.Dr Kim Cunio is a Senior Lecturer in composition and musicology in the School of Music of The Australian National University. He is an accomplished researching composer and performer and was awarded an ABC Golden Manuscript Award in recognition of his work with traditional music. Dr Cunio is published by the ABC, records with New World Music and lectures in composition.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:ANU Press and School of Music record labelThe Vanishing by Kim CunioChain of Fools by Aretha FranklinThere Is Power In A Union by Billy BraggLand of the Free by Joey Bada$$The Message by Grandmaster Flash & the Furious FiveElegy for the Arctic by Ludovico EinaudiPolicy 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 The Brief was written and produced by Edwina Landale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can scientists make facts great again in an era of fake news? How can we get more young people and women studying STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths? Is humanity heading towards a science utopia or dystopia?It’s National Science Week in Australia, and on this podcast we hear from four scientists working across physics, psychology, engineering, and climatology: Susan Scott, Eryn Newman, Elanor Huntington and Mark Howden.In a wide-ranging interview, hosts Maya Bhandari and Sue Regan lead a discussion on how researchers can make themselves heard by the public and respected by policymakers, why science must find more common ground with the humanities, and why we need a new engineering for the 21st century.Professor Susan Scott specialises in gravitational physics at the ANU Research School of Physics and Engineering. Susan was part of the team behind the breakthrough discovery of gravitational waves, winning awards for the way the science was presented to the media.Professor Elanor Huntington is Dean of Engineering and Computer Science at the Australian National University. Elanor is leading a project to reimagine a new type of engineering and computing, fit for the middle of the 21st century.Professor Mark Howden is Director of the ANU Climate Change Institute. Mark was a major contributor to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports for the UN, for which he shares a Nobel Peace Prize.Dr Eryn Newman is a researcher at the ANU Research School of Psychology. Eryn’s research focuses on distortions of memory and cognition, looking at how people can succumb to ‘truthiness’ – using feelings and pseudo-evidence to decide what is real, instead of drawing on facts.Show notes | The following were referred to in this episode:Trapped in a culture of happiness by Brock BastianNational Security Podcast: Binary bullets with Adam Henschke and Chris FarnhamPolicy 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.

The Australian federal government is currently seeking commitment from states and territories for a National Energy Guarantee – also known as the NEG. The NEG aims to improve the reliability of Australia’s electricity grid while at the same time meeting a modest emissions reduction target, and the government hopes it can end years of political deadlock on energy and climate policy.So is the NEG a sign of progress in Australia’s divisive energy debate? What will it mean for carbon emissions and the renewable energy industry? In this first episode of The Brief, Edwina Landale hears from James Prest from the ANU Energy Change Institute.Dr 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 – a cross-campus inter-disciplinary network devoted to energy issues.Edwina Landale is the presenter of The Brief. She is a student of Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at the ANU.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.

Where will Asia’s next war erupt? According to a new book looking at Asia’s dangerous slide into crisis, the next major conflagration will likely occur in one of four flashpoints: the East China Sea, the South China Sea, the Korean Peninsula, or the Taiwan Strait.On this week’s podcast, hosts Maya Bhandari and Bob Cotton talk with author Brendan Taylor about why Asia in the 21st century might resemble Europe at the start of the 20th, how missteps and miscalculation could pave the way for a war that no leader wants, and what countries in the region might do to pull back from the brink.Dr Brendan Taylor is Associate Professor of Strategic Studies at the Australian National University. He was the Head of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre from 2011-2016, and has a particular interest in East Asian flashpoints, the US-Australia alliance, and Asia-Pacific security architecture.Show notes | The following were referred to in this episode:‘The four flashpoints: How Asia goes to war’ by Brendan TaylorLaunch of "The Four Flashpoints: How Asia Goes to War" by the ANU College of Asia & the PacificClearing the air: A response on medical cannabis by Rhys CohenYes we cannabis? by Jennifer MartinChina’s non-interference dilemma by Earl Conteh-MorganPolicy 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.

It’s a challenging time to be a journalist. Recent years have seen a global decline in press freedom, largely attributed to political hostility towards the Fourth Estate. In Australia, the rise of global digital platforms like Facebook and Google has been used as justification for the repeal of anti-media concentration laws, allowing legacy media companies like Fairfax and Nine to pursue mergers in order to survive.What does this era of change mean for media integrity? How confident can we be that the media will remain the healthy nervous system of our democracies?In this Policy Forum Pod Extra, Edwina Landale chats to Caroline Fisher about media diversity, press freedom, technological change and national security.Dr Caroline Fisher is an Assistant Professor in journalism at the University of Canberra. She is a member of the News & Media Research Centre and co-author of the annual Digital News Report-Australia.Edwina Landale is a student of Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at the ANU. She works with the Policy Forum editorial team to produce and publish content.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.

There’s more to wellbeing than the absence of injury or illness, and prevention is often more effective than a cure. Could these lessons about healthcare also apply to public policy? On this week’s podcast, hosts Martyn Pearce and Sue Regan chat with a man who has spent his career at the highest levels of public policy and public health. In a wide-ranging interview, Sir Harry Burns, Scotland’s former Chief Medical Officer, discusses wellbeing, poverty, Brexit, refugees, machine learning, and the shortfalls of economic growth.Sir Harry Burns trained as a surgeon in Glasgow. He completed a Masters Degree in Public Health in 1990, became Director of Public Health for Greater Glasgow Health Board in 1994, and was Chief Medical Officer for Scotland from 2005 to 2014. He was knighted in 2011, and became Professor of Global Public Health at Strathclyde University in 2014.Show notes:The following were referred to in this episode:Podcast: Global policy at the coalface with Ian Chambers, Holly Halford-Smith, Zoe Malone, and Max EtheringtonChina’s Big Brother smart cities by Fan YangPolicy 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.

Last week, the world watched as Pakistan headed to the polls to elect a new government. Victory has been claimed by cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan, who has managed to overturn the decades-long two-party system by campaigning on an anti-corruption platform. On this Policy Forum Pod Extra, Moeen Cheema chats with Edwina Landale about Pakistani populism, military micro-management, and Khan’s plan for an ‘Islamic Welfare State’.Moeen Cheema is a Senior Lecturer at the ANU College of Law, where he specialises in the fields of comparative public law, criminal law, and legal and political developments in South Asia.Edwina Landale is a student of Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at the ANU. She is an intern at Policy Forum, working with the editorial team to produce and publish content.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.

In 2016 the United Nations launched the Sustainable Development Goals as a blueprint for global development. With 17 Goals divided into 169 targets, this blueprint is a complex policy challenge – not least because it’s far from clear how different countries, cities and communities are to make it functional at a local level.Enter the Young Persons’ Plan for the Planet, a pilot program helping young people in Australia and beyond put the SDGs into action. Could its business-plan approach to global development be a model for translating big, complex policy into real-world outcomes?On this week’s podcast we hear from the lead designer of the program; an undergraduate bringing the program to life; and two high school students who understand the SDGs better than most policymakers. Listen here:Ian Chambers is Program Director of the Young Persons’ Plan for the Planet. He conceived, developed and produced the program based on his work with global corporations, government and the community over the last 20 years.Holly Halford-Smith is an ANU undergraduate student studying Law and International Security Studies. She helps Ian bring the Plan for the Planet to life through a monthly broadcast from Questacon.Zoe Malone is a student of Radford College, Canberra, and a participant in the Young Persons' Plan for the Planet program.Max Etherington is a student of Brindabella Christian College, Canberra, and a participant in the Young Persons' Plan for the Planet program.Show notes:The following podcasts and articles were referred to in this episode:Podcast: Diving into diversity with Samantha Freebairn , Leah Finnigan, and Dr Tushara WickramariyaratneNuclear-free Korea will struggle for energy by Sanghyun HongPolicy 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.

Children are making the news in harrowing ways. As the international community commemorated World Refugee Day last month, images of kids in cages under Trump’s immigration policy went viral around the world. This week also marks five years of mandatory detention in Pacific islands for refugees who came to Australia by boat – including more than 100 children who remain on Nauru.In a world on the move, how do we ensure our policies don’t sacrifice child protection for border protection? Where do we draw the line between childhood and adulthood? And what does it mean for children to get the most out of life? On this week’s podcast, Maya Bhandari puts these questions to Paul Ronalds, CEO of Save the Children Australia.Paul Ronalds is CEO of Save the Children and former First Assistant Secretary for the Office of Work and Family in the Australian Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.Show notes:The following podcasts were referred to in this episode:Diving into diversity: SimplecastPolicy 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.

How do we create more diversity in the workplace? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, we discuss the ins and outs of equality and inclusion by taking a look at policy implementation in the public sector.It seems like diversity and inclusion are words being thrown around more and more often. Both the private and public sectors want to claim that they are doing everything they can to ensure that there is diversity in the workplace. But are we doing enough? Will there be a time when we no longer need policy advisors for diversity and inclusion? On this week’s pod, Maya Bhandari talks to three remarkable women who provide some unique insights into how policies for diversity and inclusivity are being implemented in the public sector.Samantha Freebairn is a Pilot and Squadron Leader of the Royal Australian Air Force and Gender Advisor for Defence.Leah Finnigan is a Diversity and Inclusion Policy Advisor with the Australian Public Service Commission.Dr Tushara Wickramariyaratne is a clinical psychologist and Fellow at the Churchill Trust.Show notes:The following podcasts were referred to in this episode:Looking back, looking forward: iTunes / Stitcher / TuneIn / SimplecastThe National Security Podcast: iTunes / TuneIn / SimplecastPolicy 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.