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Australian Social Policy Conference 2003 SOCIAL INCLUSION Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales Running 9–11 July 2003 at the University of New South Wales, the Australian Social Policy Conference is a key item on the Australian social policy calendar. The 2003 conference looks at the growing international debate over how social structures and policies exclude certain residents or groups from full social and economic participation, and what policies can be used to counter those forces. A full list of conference papers and powerpoint presentations available online can be found at the conference site>> Conference papers by staff of APO member organisations include: Housing, location and employment (PDF file) Bruce Bradbury and Jenny Chalmers Social Policy Research Centre What determines the choice of residential location for workforce-age income support recipients? Does location matter for employment outcomes? This presentation describes the results of a project undertaken for the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute. Hot-wiring community Denise Meredyth Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University In response to the ‘digital divide’, national and local governments in the UK, the US and Australia have embarked on various initiatives designed to promote the use of computer networks in low-income communities. The idea is that people will be better able to share resources, find work, acquire qualifications, help themselves and trust one another. Already, however, the reality has fallen short of expectations. This paper reviews international examples of success and failure in building wired communities, putting the case for a stronger focus on self-education, informal learning and employment outcomes rather than on community-building and social cohesion. Social capital at work: how family, friends and civic ties relate to labour market outcomes (PDF file) Wendy Stone, Matthew Gray and Jody Hughes Australian Institute of Family Studies In Australia as in many other nations there is an emphasis upon paid work as a primary means for achieving economic independence and avoiding welfare dependency. Much of this attention focuses upon an individual’s skills and attributes or upon characteristics of the labour market. This paper extends these analyses, by investigating the extent to which an individual’s ‘stock’ of social capital relates to labour market outcomes. The impact of changes to the within-household distribution of income support on household consumption patterns (PDF file) Bruce Bradbury Social Policy Research Centre Research in several countries suggests that the distribution of income within the household influences household consumption patterns. In particular, income received by mothers is more likely to be directed towards child consumption than is income received by fathers. This paper examines this issue by examininf the impact of the changes to Australian income support payments made during the 1990s. Despite the large magnitude of the income distribution changes, the changes in expenditure patterns that can be ascribed to the policy change are small and do not provide support for the hypothesis that women’s control over household expenditures was increased. Why reform welfare? Peter Saunders Centre for Independent Studies The Australian debate surrounding welfare reform is highly charged, and it is unrealistic to expect consensus. Nevertheless, it is possible to go beyond ideological trench warfare by identifying some basic principles about the extent and operation of welfare which most Australians would regard as fair and appropriate. Drawing on newly-commissioned public opinion survey data, this paper identifies some simple principles which might command widespread public support. It then applies these principles to evaluate the existing welfare system and various proposals for its reform or replacement. |
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Arthur Helton and Gil Loescher
APO pays tribute to two victims of the bombing of the UN mission in Baghdad
GOVERNMENT
Deliberating on the constitution
With South Australia’s Constitutional Convention continuing to generate controversy, Clement Macintyre outlines how the process worked
OVERSEAS AID
Australia’s conflict of interest
Pierre Huetter outlines a new plan for aiding Pacific nations
NGOs
Government-friendly review
The government’s review of non-government organisations is far from transparent, argues Greg Barns
REFUGEES
A cold, hard economic assessment
Australia’s refugee policies are expensive in the short term and damage our economic prospects in the long term, says Stephen Bartos
GOVERNMENT
Dealing with democratic deficits
Brian Costar looks at one product of South Australia’s novel constitutional reform process
PRIVATISATION
Woolly thinking on Telstra
The case for privatisation is facing growing scepticism, argues John Quiggin
THE LAW
The price of parenthood
Leslie Cannold and Natasha Cica look at the implications of the High Court’s Melchior decision
SECURITY
If big nations go it alone, it’s back to a free-for-all
Ignoring the international rule of law will imperil, not enhance, Australia’s security, writes Hilary Charlesworth
PRIVATISATION
Taken for a ride we were powerless to refuse
Building in the right to shop around for electricity has cost Victorians around $120 million – and it’s not an option most of them wanted, according to Andrea Sharam and David Hayward
TRADE
Getting a seat at the table
The US–Australian Free Trade Agreement will have little impact on Australian growth, but there are good reasons for signing up, says John Edwards
WORK & FAMILY
Achieving a better balance
Peter McDonald outlines a new program of government assistance