Series: Public and Social Policy Series

In the decade following the end of the Howard administration, Australian politics has been defined by growing uncertainty and the emergence of popular disaffection with the political class, similar to that found in the United States and Britain. Australian Social Attitudes IV: Australia in the Age of Insecurity is an in-depth look at the economic and geopolitical tensions that pervade...

Buying and Selling the Poor ventures behind the scenes of the multibillion-dollar welfare-to-work system, offering new insights into how Australia responds to unemployment and disadvantage. As the authors tell the story of four local employment offices, they paint a vivid picture of a critically important social service which many people are aware of but which few properly understand. They also...

As the strategic rivalry between the United States and China rapidly deepens, growing distrust and fears of China are once again shaping Australian media coverage and public discourse, with potent implications for Australia's China policy. At this crucial historical moment, Engaging China offers a full-throated defence of engagement. This volume brings together a diverse set of Australia's seasoned diplomats, experienced...

If we are to understand global capital, neoliberalism and the state in meaningful ways, we must understand them as they operate in, and on, particular places and people. - Amanda Walsh Globalisation, the State and Regional Australia is a pivotal exploration of a complex 21st-century phenomenon—globalisation. This book provides fresh insights into the political and economic implications of globalisation by...

Risking Together by Emeritus Professor Dick Bryan and Michael Rafferty explores a significant social and economic experiment in Australia, where financial risks are increasingly being shifted onto ordinary people. We are encouraged to manage ourselves as if we were businesses, yet these businesses are facing tighter constraints. Households are bearing more risk and financial stress, with an implicit expectation to...

In the face of escalating water scarcity, effective water management has become a central concern globally. The MurrayDarling Basin, spanning over a million square kilometres across four states and one territory, is a lifeline for Australian agriculture and rural communities. Cultivating Community: How discourse shapes the philosophy, practice and policy of water management in the MurrayDarling Basin dissects the prevailing...

Australia’s higher education sector was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Student and staff numbers declined, and the government assistance afforded to other sectors was all but missing for universities. In a callous example of abandonment in an hour of need, Australia’s international students were similarly ignored by the federal government. International Student Policy in Australia: The welfare dimension tells...

Australian Universities: A conversation about public good highlights contemporary challenges facing Australian universities and offers new ideas for expanding public good. More than 20 experts take up the debate about our public universities: who they are for; what their mission is (or should be); what strong higher education policy entails; and how to cultivate a robust and constructive relationship between...

Australia is at a much-needed turning point in work, care and family policy. Australian women, families and communities are struggling to manage the complex demands of work and care. Rapid social and demographic change, alongside new workplace and labour market trends, and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, requires a policy revamp that will allow all Australians to work, care...

For decades, there have been far more ex-smokers than smokers—an estimated 75% quit without any drugs or professional help. However, smoking cessation has become a mass global phenomenon serviced by multibillion-dollar industries, including the pharmaceutical and e-cigarette industries, as well as health professionals. These entities attempt to denigrate unassisted cessation while promoting their products and services as essential to successful...