New Research

Inclusive education for students with refugee experience: whole school reform in a South Australian primary school

25 January 2012In recent years, there has been an increase in students with refugee experience in the UK, the US, Europe and Australia.

Immigration detention in Australia

23 January 2012The policy of mandatory detention in Australia (that is the legal requirement to detain all non-citizens without a valid visa) was introduced by the Keating (Labor) Government in 1992 in response to a wave of Indochinese boat arrivals.

Australian Government spending on irregular maritime arrivals and counter-people smuggling activity

23 January 2012There has been much discussion in both the media and political debate in recent times about the substantial and rising costs to the Australian Government of intercepting, detaining and processing asylum seekers arriving by boat.

Welfare policy and labour supply of immigrants in Australia

22 December 2011This paper investigates the impact of social security payments on the labour supply of recent immigrants to Australia after the policy change.

Access and Equity Inquiry into the responsiveness of Australian Government services to Australia’s culturally and linguistically diverse population

18 December 2011The focus of the Inquiry is on the Australian Government departments and agencies and responses are now being sought to this discussion paper.

Adoptions Australia 2010-11

15 December 2011During 2010-11 there were 384 finalised adoptions across Australia-the lowest annual number on record. Of these adoptions: 56% were intercountry, 12% were local and 32% were 'known' child adoptions.

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Families & households

Past and present adoptions in Australia

09 February 2012This Facts Sheet provides a summary of the ways in which adoption currently operates, past adoption practices, and the potential impacts adoption has on those involved.

State Trustees Limited: management of represented persons

08 February 2012This audit found that State Trustees is not able to clearly demonstrate that it is fulfilling its obligations to represented persons.

Family violence and Commonwealth laws - improving legal frameworks: final report

08 February 2012This report contains 102 recommendations for law reform to address family violence.

Social inclusion

Teaching with social media in classroom settings: Top ten practices from teachers around Europe

05 February 2012The “Teachers’ competition for social media use in formal language learning contexts” was created within the framework of the EU-funded network “Language learning and social media: 6 key dialogues”.

Service costs in modern residential aged care facilities

31 January 2012This paper presents the results of a national study of the cost of delivering residential aged care services in modern and efficient facilities.

Commentary

Between the devil and the deep blue sea

23 December 2011The weekend’s boat tragedy makes the need for regional cooperation more urgent than ever, writes Savitri Taylor in Inside Story. The good news is that real progress has already been made

Stand up, and be counted and challenged

27 November 2011

Religious groups respond differently to increasing diversity, writes Charlotte Baines.

Time to lift the blinders off disability and immigration

27 October 2011Immigration is a uniquely prejudicial site of public policy, in which the goal of exclusion is exercised and institutionalised writes Brandon Ah Tong from Vision Australia.

More...

Topic Guides

NBN: Guide for Consumers

  • Australian Communications Consumer Action Network & Internet Society Australia

09 June 2011The Internet Society of Australia (ISOC-AU) and the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), have developed NBN: A Guide for Consumers, designed to offer all Australians information about the National Broadband Network.

Homelessness

  • Public Policy Institute - Australian Catholic University

12 December 2011Despite numerous reports, reviews and initiatives over many years, homelessness remains a policy issue in search of a solution.

Equity and education

  • Public Policy Institute - Australian Catholic University

12 December 2011In the international testing stakes, Australian school students are mostly high achievers. However, there is a significant equity problem in education.

Audio

Multiculturalism, migration and a sustainable Australia

Listen to audio
10 November 2011 Australia's brand of multiculturalism is admired by other nations, but it still has its sticking points, and future challenges as discussed in this Social Policy Research Centre forum.

Australia's social inclusion heritage – past, present, future

Listen to audio
03 October 2011Tanya Plibersek outlines Australian egalitarian values and how they have been and continue to be translated into government, economic and social policy.

Immigration & refugees

Video

Money and politics: Why it matters to human rights

Listen to audio
15 November 2010Presented by Dr Joo-Cheong Tham, with commentary from Sam McLean of GetUp!, this lecture discusses regulation, political financing and transparency and how these issues affect democracy and human rights reform.

Building bridges through music

Listen to audio
31 May 2010On Monday 17 May at the Lowy Institute, an audience heard five important voices in Australian cultural life examine the role of music in promoting understanding between nations and communities. Joining Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor, Sydney Symphony, Mr Vladimir Ashkenazy (pictured), in this unique public conversation were Lindy Hume, David Bridie, Andrew Ford and Geraldine Doogue AO.

Youth

Juvenile detention population in Australia 2011

09 February 2012This report presents information on the number of young people in detention in 2011 and describes recent trends in the detention population.

Early childhood, education and training; justice; emergency management

08 February 2012Volume one of the report focuses on early childhood, education and training as well as justice and emergency management sectors.

Websites

Development Policy Blog

03 January 2012Providing a platform for the best in aid and development analysis, The Development Policy blog focuses on Australia, the Pacific and Asia.

Social exclusion monitor

09 September 2011 More than one million Australians experience deep social exclusion according to the social exclusion monitor, a new approach to measuring social exclusion in Australia. 

Census of Population and Housing

04 August 2011This is the official website for matters concerning the 9 August 2011 Census of Population and Housing in Australia.

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Books

Speechwriting for government in Australia

Speechwriting for government in Australia

  • James Groves
  • James Groves & Associates
"...an indispensible book...excellent practical guide to the art of effective oral communication" from the Foreword by Malcolm Hazell CVO AM, former Official Secretary to the Governor-General
Digital futures for cultural and media studies

Digital futures for cultural and media studies

  • John Hartley
  • Wiley-Blackwell
As they play with their digital devices and online games, children may unknowingly be making up the kind of democracy we will have tomorrow.

Noticeboard

African Australians research project launched
26 March 2009

It is expected the project will yield the first-ever national picture of important human rights issues for African Australians.

Topic Guides

NBN: Guide for Consumers

  • Australian Communications Consumer Action Network & Internet Society Australia

09 June 2011The Internet Society of Australia (ISOC-AU) and the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), have developed NBN: A Guide for Consumers, designed to offer all Australians information about the National Broadband Network.

Topics

APO