This paper argues that paternalist policies may be considered justifiable under circumstances where high stakes decisions are involved, the decisions being made by individuals are irreversible and it is possible to identify failures in people’s reasoning. It is further argued that if paternalist interventions are able to be justified in terms of people’s own values...

Since taking office in December 2007, the Rudd Government has made social inclusion a key theme in its approach to social policy. This paper suggests that the concept of social inclusion lacks a clear definition and coherent theoretical core. The term social inclusion is conceptually problematic in that it limits its scope to threshold issues...

Middle class welfare has been a controversial issue in policy debates in Australia in recent years. The research examined in the paper suggests that the issues relating to middle class welfare are more complex than generally suggested in the various debates on this topic in Australia and overseas.

In health policy debates in recent years, a range of different models have been proposed for reforming the Australian health system. When presented in isolation, these models can be confusing, particularly for those for whom the health system is unfamiliar territory. This Background Note is intended as a guide to some of the main recent...

This paper examines the latest research on the treatments, identifies gaps in this research and distinguishes the various treatments’ respective costs and benefits.