Food and beverage price promotions: An untapped policy target . We aim to generate evidence on the influence of price promotions on foods and beverages considered to be of concern for human and planetary health. We further aim to identify if, and how, policies can be designed to reduce these types of price promotions and understand the feasibility and acceptability of doing so, from a range of perspectives.The significance of this project is substantial - unhealthy diets are the leading cause of ....Food and beverage price promotions: An untapped policy target . We aim to generate evidence on the influence of price promotions on foods and beverages considered to be of concern for human and planetary health. We further aim to identify if, and how, policies can be designed to reduce these types of price promotions and understand the feasibility and acceptability of doing so, from a range of perspectives.The significance of this project is substantial - unhealthy diets are the leading cause of disease and death and unhealthy foods account for >30% of the food-related environmental footprint. By understanding if, and how, this novel policy target can be designed to improve population food choices, this project will ultimately deliver benefits for human and planetary through improved dietary choices.Read moreRead less
Emerging transport technologies: finding new practices in urban governance. This project will explore the rapidly changing political economy of Australia’s urban transport systems as private companies deploy new technologies. Many new and existing policy instruments are available to governments to manage this difficult technological transition. In-depth case studies of emerging policy responses in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney will be set in the context of fast-moving international developments. T ....Emerging transport technologies: finding new practices in urban governance. This project will explore the rapidly changing political economy of Australia’s urban transport systems as private companies deploy new technologies. Many new and existing policy instruments are available to governments to manage this difficult technological transition. In-depth case studies of emerging policy responses in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney will be set in the context of fast-moving international developments. This work will deliver new insights into the design and use of better instruments for policy, planning and governance to meet the needs of businesses and the public and to ensure that the potential benefits of the new technologies are fully realised in Australian cities. Read moreRead less
Change agents and sustainability transformations in the water sector. The pursuit of sustainable development is a major challenge for Australian communities. System transformations are urgently needed, not just incremental change. While we know much about how to incubate local innovation, how innovation can be scaled to transform systems is not well understood. This project aims to understand how change agents can influence system transformations and how their actions can be enabled and constrai ....Change agents and sustainability transformations in the water sector. The pursuit of sustainable development is a major challenge for Australian communities. System transformations are urgently needed, not just incremental change. While we know much about how to incubate local innovation, how innovation can be scaled to transform systems is not well understood. This project aims to understand how change agents can influence system transformations and how their actions can be enabled and constrained by local conditions and governance arrangements. Its focus is on change agents working to promote urban water innovations and system change. We hope to develop new knowledge on the capabilities and resources that local governments and other actors must deploy to achieve sustainability transformations in Australia.Read moreRead less
The Kids in Communities Study: national investigation of community level effects on children's developmental outcomes. This project (a cross-disciplinary collaboration) will investigate community level factors influencing early childhood developmental outcomes using a mixed methods approach in up to 10 communities across Australia. This will result in a potential set of measures or indicators that reflect communities that are good for children.
Seamless journeys to work for young adults with physical disabilities. This project seeks to explore the transition to work of young people with a disability and, in particular, the role that digital technologies can play in improving self-determination and employment. Promoting self-determination, workforce participation and job retention are key planks in Australia’s policy reforms in the field of disability services. In 2013, Australia invested $750 million to support access to employment for ....Seamless journeys to work for young adults with physical disabilities. This project seeks to explore the transition to work of young people with a disability and, in particular, the role that digital technologies can play in improving self-determination and employment. Promoting self-determination, workforce participation and job retention are key planks in Australia’s policy reforms in the field of disability services. In 2013, Australia invested $750 million to support access to employment for people with disabilities. However, 70 per cent of this group did not keep their jobs beyond the initial six months. The project aims to provide new knowledge for policy and service delivery and deliver a web-based platform to facilitate self-determination for young people with a disability.Read moreRead less
Stuck here forever? The dynamics and social consequences of long-term private renting in Australia. A new Generation Rent is emerging in Australia. Already one in 12 Australian households, many families among them, find that private renting no longer leads to home ownership but is a long-term or permanent reality, exposing them to such risks as forced moves at short notice. Despite the group's large and growing size, little is known of its characteristics or the consequences for children and adu ....Stuck here forever? The dynamics and social consequences of long-term private renting in Australia. A new Generation Rent is emerging in Australia. Already one in 12 Australian households, many families among them, find that private renting no longer leads to home ownership but is a long-term or permanent reality, exposing them to such risks as forced moves at short notice. Despite the group's large and growing size, little is known of its characteristics or the consequences for children and adults. The project will probe why people become long-term renters, how far they are able to make a home and exercise some control over their circumstances and the ways in which long-term renting affects their wellbeing. Yielding new analytical insights into the long-term effects of housing insecurity, the study will also inform housing policy.Read moreRead less
Interactions between Social, Economic and Regulatory Aspects of Residential Household Water Consumption. Water security is at crisis point in many Australian regions and overseas. This research will engage citizens in water conservation and management, and will have a number of significant outcomes that will benefit national and community interests. These include (1) devising effective water management strategies that are acceptable to residential customers in two contrasting water service regi ....Interactions between Social, Economic and Regulatory Aspects of Residential Household Water Consumption. Water security is at crisis point in many Australian regions and overseas. This research will engage citizens in water conservation and management, and will have a number of significant outcomes that will benefit national and community interests. These include (1) devising effective water management strategies that are acceptable to residential customers in two contrasting water service regions, (2) a generalisable and replicable model of residential household water consumption that highlights the issues of public trust in current water governance arrangements, and (3) recommendations for communication and behaviour change interventions that promote water-use efficiency and conservation, and are sensitive to regional differences.Read moreRead less
Health insurance design: choices, consumer behavior and policy challenges . Rising health costs is a global challenge. Creating an efficient health insurance system is a key policy concern in all developed countries. This project aims to study choices, consumer behaviors, and policy challenges in two health insurance markets: Australian private health insurance (PHI) and US Medicare prescription drug insurance.
Expected outcomes include new evidence needed to develop a new framework for PHI, ne ....Health insurance design: choices, consumer behavior and policy challenges . Rising health costs is a global challenge. Creating an efficient health insurance system is a key policy concern in all developed countries. This project aims to study choices, consumer behaviors, and policy challenges in two health insurance markets: Australian private health insurance (PHI) and US Medicare prescription drug insurance.
Expected outcomes include new evidence needed to develop a new framework for PHI, new knowledge on how consumers respond to complex pricing structures, and new policy proposals to improve the overall efficiency of the health system. The research will benefit the re-design of PHI and the health system to improve Australians’ health while saving health costs.
Read moreRead less
Understanding recent Australian trends in alcohol consumption and harms. This project aims to provide critical insight into recent trends in alcohol consumption and related harm in Australia. Many indicators of harm from alcohol have increased dramatically in the past decade, while drinking behaviours appear largely unchanged. This project aims to investigate two potential explanations for these trends: that apparent increases in rates of alcohol-related harm are driven by operational or adminis ....Understanding recent Australian trends in alcohol consumption and harms. This project aims to provide critical insight into recent trends in alcohol consumption and related harm in Australia. Many indicators of harm from alcohol have increased dramatically in the past decade, while drinking behaviours appear largely unchanged. This project aims to investigate two potential explanations for these trends: that apparent increases in rates of alcohol-related harm are driven by operational or administrative practices rather than by increases in actual harm; and that stable per-capita consumption data obscures divergent drinking behaviours, with increases among heavy drinkers driving increasing harm rates. The project aims to inform alcohol policy debates, which rely on robust trend data.Read moreRead less
Careers of misconduct. This project aims to understand how legal and health practitioners named in multiple misconduct allegations make changes to their practice. Regulation exists to prevent poorly performing practitioners from doing further harm, yet little is known about the extent to which this is happening. Expected outcomes of the project include a better understanding of how regulation can be used effectively as a tool to promote the interests of consumers of legal and health services. Be ....Careers of misconduct. This project aims to understand how legal and health practitioners named in multiple misconduct allegations make changes to their practice. Regulation exists to prevent poorly performing practitioners from doing further harm, yet little is known about the extent to which this is happening. Expected outcomes of the project include a better understanding of how regulation can be used effectively as a tool to promote the interests of consumers of legal and health services. Benefits will include recommendations to legal and health practitioner regulators about how regulatory interventions can be improved to better protect the public.Read moreRead less