Future of flight
The Federal Government has released a green paper on the aviation industry, flagging plans for a second Sydney airport and suggesting an overhaul of regulatory bodies.
[National Aviation Policy Green Paper]
Maternity leave
A survey from the Australian Institute of Management has found very few executives believe paid maternity leave is the key to keeping women in the workforce. Only 7 per cent of those surveyed cited paid maternity leave as the most important factor, while 58 per cent pointed to flexible working arrangements.
[Australian Institute of Management report: Retaining Women in the Workforce]
GM crops
The Bureau of Rural Sciences have released a report recommending GM crops as a valuable tool in the fight against insect and weed control. It says the development of insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant crops will increase farmers' productivity and reduce the cost of insecticide use.
[Genetically-modified crops: tools for insect pest and weed control in cotton and canola]
System in crisis
Peter Garling SC, appointed by the New South Wales government to examine acute care services, has made 139 recommendations for change in his final report. Mr Garling says NSW has a public hospital system of high standard, but is going through a period of crisis.
[Final Report of the Special Commission of Inquiry into Acute Care Services in NSW Public Hospitals]
Coal costs
A report commissioned by Greenpeace has found the coal industry contributes to $170 billion damage to the environment and society every year. The research, by a Dutch environmental consultancy, calculates the cost of dealing with natural disasters caused by climate change.
[Greenpeace report: The True Cost of Coal]
Fixing the floor
The Australia Institute's Richard Denniss argues in this research paper that the introduction of an Australian emissions trading scheme in 2010 makes it pointless for households to reduce their energy use.
[Fixing the Floor in the ETS: The role of energy efficiency in reducing Australia’s emissions - Australia Institute research paper]
Foreign investment
In this report from the Centre for Independent Studies, economist Dr Stephen Kirchner argues that mistrust of foreign direct investment, or 'capital xenophobia', lowers Australia's chances of attracting the productive capital that contributes to rising living standards.
[Capital Xenophobia II - a CIS policy monograph from Stephen Kirchner]
Economic outlook
In its half-yearly report, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has forecast that the richest economies in the world will shrink by a collective 0.4 per cent next year. But the Paris-based organisation predicts Australia is likely to avoid the worst.
[OECD Economic Outlook, November 2008]
Youth survey
Mission Australia's annual survey of 45,000 young people has found one third of respondents in the 11-14 age group were worried about drugs - an increase on previous years.
[Mission Australia's National Survey of Young Australians 2008 - Key and emerging issues]
Struggling students
New economic modelling from research organisation NATSEM, published by AMP, finds university students are struggling financially more than ever, but the pain is worth it because they will earn much more than non-university graduates in their lifetime.
[What price the clever country? The costs of tertiary education in Australia]
Child deaths
Justice James Wood's 12-month special commission of inquiry into child protection in New South Wales has released its report, recommending that only children suspected to be at risk of "significant harm" should be reported to DOCS.
[Report of the Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW]
APEC declaration
World leaders have ended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Peru with an endorsement of free trade.
[Declaration from APEC meeting in Peru]
Going it alone
A report by Andrea Sharam, from Melbourne-based service Women's Information, Support and Housing in the North (WISHIN), predicts that homelessness among single women aged over 35 is set to escalate in the next 20 years.
[Going it Alone: Single, Low Needs Women and Hidden Homelessness]
Poor planning
A study by law firm Blake Dawson finds many public and private infrastructure projects are not properly thought through, with problems usually discovered after contract signing and far too late in the process.
[Scope for Improvement 2008 - A report on scoping practices in Australian construction and infrastructure projects]
Million-dollar babies
Jessica Brown from the Centre for Independent Studies critiques the Productivity Commission's draft recommendations on parental leave. Her paper argues that, to best achieve its stated objectives within a simple and equitable framework, parental leave policy needs to be considered within the context of the entire system of family payments and family taxation.
[Million Dollar Babies: Paid Parental Leave and Family Policy Reform - an issue analysis from Jessica Brown]
Violence against women
A report commissioned by the White Ribbon Foundation, titled An Assault on our Future, has found that nearly one in seven teenage boys think it is OK to make a girl have sex with them, if she has been flirting with them.
[An Assault on Our Future: the impact of violence on young people and their relationships]
Kids in art
The Australia Council has released a draft set of protocols which would require artists to obtain fully informed consent and supervision from parents before depicting children naked.
[Australia Council draft: Protocols for working with children in art]
'Big men' politics
Marcia Langton writes the lead essay of the Griffith Review, discussing the consequences of the intervention and the endemic pattern of violence that she says plagues Aboriginal family and community life.
[The end of 'big men' politics: Marcia Langton writes in the Griffith Review]
Hospitals flat-lining
The Australian Medical Association has released its annual report card on public hospitals, saying it found one in three emergency patients wait more than 30 minutes for urgent treatment and there is a national shortfall of 3,750 hospital beds.
[AMA Public Hospital Report Card 2008]
NSW mini-Budget
State Treasurer Eric Roozendaal has handed down New South Wales's mini-Budget, designed first and foremost to secure a Triple-A credit rating for the state.
[New South Wales 2008-09 Mini-Budget]
Planning for the future
A report from the Planning Institute Australia says all levels of Australian government must improve planning for climate change, urban design and infrastructure.
[Planning Institute Australia's 2008 Report Card]
Economic outlook
The Government's Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook reveals a massive drop in expected revenue, with the forecasted Budget surplus falling from over $21 billion to around $5 billion. The forecast GDP for 2008-09 is now at 2 per cent, down 0.75 per cent from May.
[Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook, 2008-09 Commonwealth Budget]
Dentist shortage
This report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare provides estimates and projections of demand and supply of dental visits, assessing the impact of changes in policy direction or social and professional trends.
[AIHW report: Projected demand and supply for dental visits in Australia]
Healthy workforce
The Business Council of Australia has prepared a background briefing for its members, outlining why business has a role to play in Australia's health discussion. The paper says if we can improve the current system, individuals will lead more fulfilling and prosperous lives, businesses will be more productive and the national economy will prosper.
[Health is everybody's business: Business Council of Australia report]
Agricultural emissions
The Australia Institute has released a report arguing it will be impossible for the Federal Government to include agriculture in the emissions trading scheme by 2015. The think tank says it would be better to apply a levy to farm products instead of including them in an emissions trading scheme.
[Agriculture and Emissions Trading: The impossible dream? - Australia Institute discussion paper]
