New Research

A global “no” to a nuclear-armed Iran

18 May 2012A 21-nation Pew Global Attitudes survey finds widespread opposition to Iran obtaining nuclear weapons.

Australia's public sector medical indemnity claims 2009-10

18 May 2012This report presents data on the number, nature and costs of public sector medical indemnity claims for 2005–06 to 2009–10, with a focus on 2009–10 claims.

Public and private sector medical indemnity claims in Australia 2009-10

18 May 2012This report presents information from the Medical Indemnity National Collection for 2009–10. It describes characteristics and costs for public and private sector medical indemnity claims.

Getting the wind up: exploring concern about the adverse health effects of wind turbines in Australia and Europe

Getting the wind up: exploring concern about the adverse health effects of wind turbines in Australia and Europe

14 May 2012This report looks at the difference in the level of concern about adverse health effects from wind turbines in Australia, Denmark and Germany.

Social demography of alcohol-related harm to children in Australia

14 May 2012Alcohol is widely used, not always responsibly, and mainly in 'leisure time'. For families with children, most 'leisure time' is also 'family time', and young children can be exposed to harmful levels of drinking.

Reasons for homeostatic failure in subjective wellbeing

07 May 2012Focusing on the social impacts of water reform, this paper identifies the extent of wellbeing, vulnerability, resilience and adaptive capacity in the Murray Darling Basin.

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Ageing

Grey areas: age barriers to work in Commonwealth laws

16 May 2012To encourage informed community participation, this issues paper forms a basis for consultation for the Age Barriers to Work Inquiry by the Australian Law Reform Commission.

Guardianship: final report

14 May 2012In order to promote and protect the rights of people with an impaired decision making capacity, this review investigates whether guardianship law in Victoria is sufficient.

Mental health

Building collaborations to eliminate family violence: facilitators, barriers and good practice

23 May 2012Zero tolerance for family violence requires agencies and government departments in New Zealand to work cooperatively and with close involvement from whanau, hapu and iwi communities.

Sexual violence and gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, intersex, and queer communities

22 May 2012This paper examines the limited research available on sexual violence within and against gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, intersex, and queer communities.

Hormone treatment of gender identity disorder in a cohort of children and adolescents

21 May 2012The latest research by the Medical Journal of Australia illustrates a rise in individuals with gender identity disorder (GID), sufferers have a persistent and profound discomfort with their biological sex and a strong identification with the gender of the opposite sex.

Commentary

Is facebook making us lonely?

23 May 2012Social media—from Facebook to Twitter—have made us more densely networked than ever, writes Stephen Marchie for the Atlantic.

A land of (more extreme) droughts and flooding rains?

22 May 2012Communicating clearly on climate change is a struggle writes Karl Braganza for the Conversation.

Decent sustainable work for all Australians in a global economy

21 May 2012The ACTU’s insecure work inquiry should be welcomed by all interested in our long term prosperity, writes Michael Horn of Brotherhood of St Laurence.

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Topic Guides

A guide to understanding and working with General Practice in NSW

  • Carla Saunders, Laura Tierney
  • General Practice NSW

20 May 2011Providing an outline of general practice, this resource considers its uniformity and diversity; its funding arrangements, service delivery, workforce, training, capacity and supporting structures.

Guideline on the application of the premises standards - 2011

  • Australian Human Rights Commission

04 April 2011This guide has been issued to help designers, architects, builders and clients to better understand the Disability (Access to Premises - buildings) Standards 2010  which will commence on 1 May 2011.

Arts for all: opening doors to people with a disability

15 February 2010This guide provides practical and long-term ways for artists and arts organisations to enhance their access, market their events to the disabled community and build new audiences.

Audio

Dr Rhonda Galbally, disability advocate

Listen to audio
30 April 2012Dr Rhonda Galbally is a key adviser to the federal government on the new National Disability Insurance Scheme. A scheme that, Galbally says, will radically improve the lives of the disabled and their families.

Double the value: how researching twins benefits everyone

Listen to audio
19 March 2012Epidemiologist Prof John Hopper explains the unique advantages of medical research focusing on twins, and how findings from twins studies enormously benefit the rest of humanity. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

Health policy

Video

Mental health in Australia

Listen to audio
03 May 2012The first National Report Card on mental health and suicide prevention is due to be released at the end of 2012. What will it say about Australia's mental health services now - and what more needs to be done?

Why is overcoming Indigenous disadvantage so hard?

Listen to audio
01 April 2011In this presentation, prize-winning novelist, Professor of Law and 2009 NAIDOC Person of the Year Larissa Behrendt addresses the lack of progress on Indigenous issues in Australia.

Disability

As one: APS disability employment strategy

23 May 2012Despite good intentions and a succession of initiatives over several years, people with disability remain significantly under-represented in the Australian Public Service (APS) workforce.

Notified fatalities statistical report 2010 -11

07 May 2012This report provides an analysis of work-related fatalities that occurred between 1 July 2010 and 30 June 2011 and were notifiable to jurisdictions under their work health and safety legislation.

Websites

Community Water Planner

04 November 2011Remote and Indigenous communities can look forward to cleaner, safer drinking water, thanks to an enhanced Community Water Planner tool, developed to help assess and manage the risks in remote Australian community water supplies.

Harden Up Queensland

20 October 2011Harden Up is a Green Cross Australia led partnership that aims to empower Queenslanders to become self-reliant during natural disasters.

Age Positive

30 September 2011This website and campaign will gather and publicise positive stories about older people, using them to remind the public of the varied and important ways older people contribute to Australian society.

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Australian Policy Online top reports for Health 2011

Books

A Decent Provision: Australian Welfare Policy, 1870 to 1949

A Decent Provision: Australian Welfare Policy, 1870 to 1949

  • John Murphy
  • Ashgate
A Decent Provision is a narrative history of how and why Australia built a distinctive welfare regime in the period from the 1870s to 1949.
Social ecology: Applying ecological understanding to our lives and our planet

Social ecology: Applying ecological understanding to our lives and our planet

  • David Wright, Catherine Camden-Pratt and Stuart Hill
  • Hawthorn Press
Social Ecology addresses the burning question of how to apply ecological understanding to every aspect of our lives. It provides a holistic framework for change, based on the interrelationships between the personal, social, environmental and 'spiritual'.

Noticeboard

Antenna dangers shown through online tool
08 October 2009

Swinburne University, together with EM Software and Systems, has developed an online tool that will allow users to calculate exclusion zones around antennas where radiation levels exceed safety standard limits.

Lifestyles, consumption and environmental impact: National Household Consumption Survey
23 June 2009

The National Household Consumption Survey is open to all Australian residents until 30 June 2009.

Topic Guides

A guide to understanding and working with General Practice in NSW

  • Carla Saunders, Laura Tierney
  • General Practice NSW

20 May 2011Providing an outline of general practice, this resource considers its uniformity and diversity; its funding arrangements, service delivery, workforce, training, capacity and supporting structures.

Topics

APO