Crawford School of Public Policy

On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, John Falzon, Sharon Bessell and Arnagretta Hunter discuss the serious impact inequality has on Australians, especially children, and how policymakers can reverse the marginalisation and demonisation of people experiencing poverty.

What does the experience of poverty mean for the lives of Australian children? Is the new government’s move to create a ‘wellbeing budget’ a step in the right direction when it comes to measuring the strength of the Australian economy and society? And should policymakers change the focus of Australia’s social security system, dumping the framework of ‘mutual obligation’ in favour of one built on mutual respect? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, Dr John Falzon and Professor Sharon Bessell join Dr Arnagretta Hunter to discuss vulnerability, insecurity and poverty in the context of Australia’s cost of living crisis. 

John Falzon OAM is Senior Fellow, Inequality and Social Justice at Per Capita.

Sharon Bessell is Professor of Public Policy and Director of both the Children’s Policy Centre and the Poverty and Inequality Research Centre at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.

Arnagretta Hunter is a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer for ANU Medical School.

Show notes | The following were mentioned during this episode:

We’ve Got Your Back: Building a Framework that Protects us from Precarity by John Falzon, Per Capita (2020)

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