Policy Forum Pod

In this episode, we speak to the CEO of the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Professor Kristy Muir about care, connection and who decides in policymaking, especially around children. She discusses the life and death realities of social capital, the importance of a wellbeing framework and the challenges of a silo approach to making progress on societal issues. Professor Muir says we need to think long term to change society for the better. Professor Muir says we need to place greater importance on Indigenous knowledge, caring for Country and generational views and relationships. She also discusses what steps need to be taken now, after the Voice referendum, saying it is a long-term effort, and we need to keep doing the work. ___ Professor Kristy Muir is the Chief Executive Officer of the Paul Ramsay Foundation, one of Australia’s largest and most influential philanthropic foundations. She is also a Professor of Social Policy at UNSW Sydney Business School. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we speak to Dr Sophie Lewis, the ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment. She discusses the key takeaways from the 2023 ACT State of the Environment Report, and how both individuals, industries and governments can make a difference. Dr Lewis talks about how we all need to think about the things we never get back unless action is taken. She says we need to limit urban growth, set a limit on what we are willing to lose within our environment, and further everyone’s understanding of Scope 3 emissions. She acknowledges the complexity and interconnectedness of issues around the environment and sustainability with broader climate change issues and the challenges this poses in making progress. __ Dr Sophie Lewis is the ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment. Dr Lewis is a climate scientist, who was named ACT Scientist of the Year in 2019, in recognition of her research, particularly on weather extremes and how climate change contributes to events such as bushfires and droughts. She has also been a lead author of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, which are used worldwide to develop policies around climate change. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor David Lindenmayer joins the podcast to discuss the importance of forests, the threats they are facing, and the myths around the logging industry. In his latest book, The Forest Wars: The ugly truth about what’s happening to our tall forests, Professor Lindenmayer unearths truths about what happens to forests that have been recently logged in a bushfire, how logging impacts native animals, and what happens to our native trees once they are logged. His research reveals uncomfortable truths about the profitability and employment outcomes of the forestry industry, and he says misinformation in these areas limits evidence-based policy reform. ____ Professor David Lindenmayer AO is a world-leading expert in forest and woodland ecology, resource management, conservation science and biodiversity conservation. He is based at the Australian National University and is among the world’s most productive and highly cited scholars, publishing more than 1440 scientific articles and 48 books. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ANU Vice-Chancellor, Distinguished Professor Genevive Bell joins us to discuss the power of stories, knowledge and a vision for our future. Distinguished Professor Genevieve Bell is the 13th Vice-Chancellor of ANU. She is also the University’s first female Vice-Chancellor. She holds a PhD in cultural anthropology from Stanford University and is a renowned anthropologist, technologist, and futurist, having spent more than two decades in Silicon Valley helping guide Intel's product development and social science and design research capabilities. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast we speak to Professor Sara Bice about the importance of building for social inclusion, co-design and community consultation as Australia spends $300 billion on infrastructure projects. Professor Bice co-founded the Institute for Infrastructure in Society to help better integrate social and community aspects. She says the best policy making occurs when there is a shared agreement on what the problem is, and the focus can then be on fixing that problem. ___ Professor Sara Bice is co-founder and Director of the Institute for Infrastructure in Society (I2S) at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we pay tribute to Professor Susan Sell. Professor Sell died unexpectedly in December 2023. In re-releasing this conversation from August 2023 about 21st Century Capitalism, we honour her intellectual rigour and the enormous contribution of her research. Professor Sell’s work was theoretically ground-breaking and an exemplary example of the careful research that contributes to our understanding of the nature of power and what this means for societies, for equity and for justice. Those who knew Susan remember her as full of life, full of generosity and someone who genuinely cared and was a wonderful friend and colleague. Professor Susan Sell was based at the School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet) at the Australian National University. She previously held positions at a number of universities, including George Washington University in the United States and published widely on the global political economy and on 21st century capitalism. In 2015-2016 she was appointed to the Expert Advisory Group for the United Nations Secretary General’s High-level Panel on Public Health and Access to Medicines. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this special episode of Policy Forum Pod the Rt Hon Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and former UNDP Administrator, joins Professor Sharon Friel and Professor Bina d’Costa to discuss policy, politics and governing human future. This event was hosted by ANU College of Health and Medicine with the Australian Global Health Alliance. It was recorded live at The Australian National University and the conversation was facilitated by Dr Arnagretta Hunter. If this episode captured your interest, The Rt Hon Helen Clark will address the World Health Summit 2024 Regional Meeting 22-24 April, on Geopolitics and Health: Achieving Equity in a divided world. If you’d like to hear more on the intersection of health and geopolitics, visit www.whsmelbourne2024.com ___ Rt Hon Helen Clark is a respected global leader in sustainable development, gender equality and international co-operation, and served nine years as the first female Prime Minister of New Zealand. While in government, she led policy debate on a wide range of economic, social, environmental, and cultural issues, including sustainability and climate change. Sharon Friel is a Professor of Health Equity and an ARC Laureate Fellow in Planetary Health Equity at the ANU School of Regulation and Global Governance. Her research is focused on the intersection of social, commercial, political and environmental factors that contribute to health inequities and what changes policy and governance can make. Bina D'Costa is a Professor at the Department of International Relations, at ANU Coral Bell School of Asia-Pacific Affairs. Her research interests span migration and forced displacement; children and global protection systems; gender-based violence in conflicts; and human rights and impunity. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Janine O’Flynn joins us for the first episode of Policy Forum Pod for 2024! In conversation, the Director of the Crawford School of Public Policy talks about the obligation and position of the school, and other universities, to exercise a ‘convening power' and bring together a range of different actors and views in our complex public policy systems. Professor O’Flynn also talks about the catalytic power of government and the opportunity to reimagine the story of the state through a framework of public value. Janine also speaks about the idea of humility and humble government, which listens to lived experience and equally valid expertise that exists outside of the system. ___ Professor Janine O’Flynn is the Director of the Crawford School of Public Policy. Her research interests are in public management, especially reform and relationships. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final episode for 2023 we speak to John Falzon and Thomas Mayo about the year that was. We reflect on the challenges that we have faced from the cost of living, the Voice to Parliament referendum, and discuss the latest industrial relations bill. --- John Falzon is a sociologist, poet and social justice advocate and is a senior fellow at Per Capita and a visiting fellow at RegNet here at the ANU. He was CEO of the St Vincent de Paul Society from 2006 to 2018 and in 2015 received an Order of Australia Medal for services to the community through social welfare organisations. Thomas Mayo is a Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man. He is the Assistant National Secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia. Thomas is a signatory of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and has been a leading advocate since its inception in May 2017. He is the author of six books, including the very beautiful Finding the Heart of the Nation and The Voice to Parliament Handbook, co-authored with Kerry O’Brien. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we speak to Professor Carolyn Hendriks about democracy, representation, political trust and decision making and what's happening in local communities. Democracy is under strain as the legitimacy of representatives is questioned and public trust declines. The rise of populism is changing the way many think about democracy and democratic representation, while new forms of leadership emerge. --- Professor Carolyn Hendriks is one of the leading thinkers on democracy and governance, including participatory democracy, public deliberation, and representation. Her most recent book is Mending Democracy: democratic repair in disconnected times. Recently, she was awarded a very prestigious Australian Research Council Future Fellowship to continue her work on representative democracy. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australia is facing another tough summer. Natural disasters are occurring more frequently than ever, so this week on the Podcast, we talk about what care looks like in times of crisis. We speak to Dr Millie Rooney from Australia ReMADE and Amanda Kelly, the CEO of Women’s Health Goulburn North East, about a joint project called ‘Care through Disaster’ that looks at what would happen if we put care at the centre of disaster decision making. People want to be seen, be safe, and be supported, with people in the community best placed to know how that looks. Amanda Kelly says if you know one regional town, you know one regional town. What works in one place might not work elsewhere. Disasters will no longer be unprecedented. They will be expected. Therefore, we need to start the work now, and this episode outlines exactly what that could look like. --- Dr Millie Rooney is the Co-Director for Australia ReMADE, an independent, non-profit leadership network where Australian civil society leaders can collaborate with one another and engage in long-term proactive agenda-setting. Dr Rooney has a research background with expertise in local community and social norms around neighbourhood sharing and community building. Amanda Kelly is the CEO of Women’s Health Goulburn North East. Amanda works within a community context because when everyone participates, the best outcomes are achieved. Engaging stakeholders, identifying objectives, assessing the risks involved, working out a strategy, and then planning and managing the process are Amanda’s interest areas. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final episode of our mini-series on housing, we speak to Emeritus Professor Barbara Norman about planning issues and, particularly, the way we need to rethink housing, land use and urban policy in the context of climate emergency and extreme weather events. --- Barbara Norman is Emeritus Professor of Urban & Regional Planning at the University of Canberra and an Honorary Professor at the Australian National University. Barbara is also the Director of the Urban Climate Change Research Network Oceania Hub (Columbia University, USA) and co-chair of Planners for Climate Action (UN Habitat). She was recently appointed Chair of the Urban Policy Forum. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode in our housing mini-series Professor Nicole Gurran talks about reimagining the role of urban planning in creating sustainable and inclusive communities. Professor Gurran notes that there is no substitute for housing, and unless there is some better planning now, the crisis we are facing will only escalate. She also adds that the language used around housing is often misleading, with housing needs driven by an increase in population. In contrast, housing demand is how much people are willing to pay for properties themselves. --- Nicole Gurran is Professor of Urban and Regional Planning and Director of the Henry Halloran Research Trust at the University of Sydney. Nicole has authored and co-authored numerous publications and books on urban policy, housing, sustainability and planning. Her research focuses on comparative urban planning systems and approaches to housing and ecological sustainability. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australia has seriously neglected social housing, a crisis everyone is now paying the price for. Social housing was once seen as an essential part of the welfare state. It has now become a last resort or, often, an impossible dream. In this episode, we speak with Professor Alan Morris about what we can do to fix the social housing crisis, as well as the decline in homeownership across Australia. Having stable housing brings a significant cost benefits, ranging from improvements in mental health and reduced hospitalisation time to enhanced growth and development in young children. Professor Morris argues it is a human right, one we have been neglecting. This is the second podcast in our housing miniseries, following the first episode with Dr Nicholas Frank. Stay tuned for next week! ---- Professor Alan Morris is an urban and housing studies scholar. He is a professor at the Institute for Public Policy and Governance at the University of Technology Sydney, and is the author of many books, including The Private Rental Sector in Australia: Living with Uncertainty co-authored with Hal Pawson and Kath Hulse and published in 2021. He currently has Australian Research Council funded projects on eviction and on social housing waiting lists. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australia’s housing crisis: Housing is one of the biggest drivers of our economy, but it is also at the core of the biggest financial hardships people are facing. Dr Nicholas Frank lays out why house prices skyrocketed in the 1980s and how the availability of credit became vital for families to survive with rising costs of living. The consumption aspect of the economy currently depends on the wealth generated by increasing house prices. While this has led to wealth inequality, it has also contributed to rising income inequality. Additionally, it poses environmental concerns, as there is often insufficient regulation in place for emissions in the construction of homes, which further exacerbates the problem. This episode is the first in a miniseries on Australia’s housing crisis, so stay tuned! ---- Dr Nicholas Frank is a Research Fellow in the Planetary Health Equity Hothouse in the School of Regulation and Global Governance here at the Australian National University. He has worked with the World Trade Organisation and the OECD. His research focuses on the political economy of trade and investment governance. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of the pod, we discuss the importance of music and creativity. Professor Kim Cunio and Professor Lane Gabora talk about why the creative arts are more important now than ever before, how music makes you feel seen. They also discuss how artificial intelligence is changing, and threatening, creativity. Professor Liane Gabora is an Interdisciplinary cognitive scientist at the University of British Columbia and is currently a visiting scholar at the ANU School of Music. She has more than 200 scholarly publications in diverse journals that span psychology, cognitive science, biology, computer science, physics, mathematics, anthropology, archaeology, and interdisciplinary research, as well as literary journals. Liane is also a published fiction writer, and composes music. Professor Kim Cunio is the outgoing head of the School of Music at the Australian National University. He’s an activist, composer and scholar interested in old and new music and the role of intercultural music in making sense of our larger world. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, the Director of the Crawford School of Public Policy, Professor Janine O’Flynn, takes stock of the Voice to Parliament referendum result. She, along with Sharon Bessell and Arnagretta Hunter make some initial reflections and begin to work through where we now need to go as a nation. --- Professor Janine O’Flynn is the Director of the Crawford School of Public Policy. Her research interests are in public management, especially reform and relationships. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, historian and Professor Frank Bongiorno talks us through Australia’s constitutional history and explains why the upcoming referendum has the potential to reshape our ability to change as a nation. Professor Frank Bongiorno, AM, is a Professor of History, at the ANU’s College of Arts and Social Sciences. He has held positions in Australia and the UK, and has written widely on Australia’s political history. He is the author of four books, including the recently published Dreamers and Schemers. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The narrative and origin story of the Voice to Parliament are key to understanding how Australian’s will vote in the referendum, says Rebecca Huntley. She talks about soft-yes and soft-no voters, people who do not feel strongly about the Voice to Parliament, their level of engagement and what is important to them. Dr Huntley says her research shows that the majority of Indigenous Australians understand what is at stake in the referendum, and that is not a broader understanding by the rest of the community. Dr Rebecca Huntly is one of Australia’s leading social researchers and has written extensively on social trends and attitudes, including around the Voice. She holds degrees in law, film studies and a PhD in Gender Studies from the University of Sydney, and is director of research at 89 Degrees East. She is a long time member of the Australian Labor Party. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we speak to Professor Peter Yu about what the First Nations Voice to Parliament means for our past, our present, and our future as a nation and the vital role universities play in teaching people to bridge relationship gaps. Professor Yu says current indigenous policy is a cost-benefit failure, and taxpayers should want better for their money, and the Voice will make that happen. --- Professor Peter Yu is a Yawuru man from Broome in the Kimberley. He is currently the inaugural Vice-President, First Nations Portfolio here at the Australian National University - and we are so privileged to have Peter as a colleague and a leader here at the ANU. Peter has over 40 years' experience in Indigenous development and advocacy in the Kimberley, and at the state, national and international levels. He was Executive Director of the Kimberley Land Council, and a member of the national leadership team negotiating the Federal Government's response to the 1992 Mabo High Court judgement. Sharon Bessell is a Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Arnagretta Hunter is the Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School. You can find full show notes on the Crawford School of Public Policy LinkedIn account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.