|
|
Thu, 18/02/2010 - 11:37 — Site Administrator
One in five Australians will suffer chronic pain in their lifetime, yet up to 80% living with this debilitating condition are missing out on treatment that could improve their health and quality of life. People with acute pain (after surgery or trauma) or cancer pain are effectively treated only 50% of the time.
An MBF Foundation report conducted by Access Economics has estimated that chronic pain costs the Australian economy $34 billion per annum.
Expert and community feedback is currently being sought on the Draft National Pain Strategy. Some of the key issues up for discussion are: recognising pain as a disease, destigmatising pain, recognising pain as the fifth vital sign and how to help people better manage their pain.
Open Forum will be featuring the ideas of some of the speakers and delegates of the upcoming National Pain Summit in Canberra, in this online discussion forum dedicated to Pain Management. To participate, simply follow the links below to read the related blogs and login to leave a comment.
Mon, 21/12/2009 - 15:36 — Site Administrator
Health care remains one of the major political, financial and social issues in Australia and other OECD countries. National surveys reveal a common contradiction between people’s greater satisfaction with their personal experience of care and a high level of dissatisfaction with “the system” as a whole. The growing proportion of elderly people and those with chronic conditions, escalating costs and increased expectations make the need for a comprehensive health sector reform as urgent and compelling as ever.
The GAP/ACHR Congress on Australia’s Health, held on 30 November 2009 at Parliament House of Victoria, was brought together to produce a policy document in response to “A Healthier Future for All Australians” report released by the National Health & Hospitals Reform Commission. Keynote speakers and delegates have been 'handpicked' according to their credentials as changemakers and thought leaders for Australia’s health reform.
Open Forum will be featuring the ideas of the speakers and delegates in an online discussion forum dedicated to Australia’s Health, proudly supported by the Australian Centre for Health Research. To participate, simply follow the links to read the related blogs, log in to leave a comment, email us your own contribution or phone +61 2 8303 2420.
Tue, 03/11/2009 - 14:24 — Site Administrator
What happens after the COAG regulation 'hotspots' agenda? What role is there for codes, standards and charters as alternatives to detailed, black-letter regulation?
Throughout November 2009, with the support of Standards Australia, Better Regulation Choices is Open Forum’s Topic of the Month. It should explore the regulatory spectrum from self-regulation to black-letter law and everything in between.
- Better regulation - What do we mean by this? How far has the COAG regulatory agenda taken us towards better regulation? What happens next?
- Dimensions of choice - What regulatory options exist? What lessons can we learn from existing cases? Who wins and loses from different regulatory approaches?
- Global perspective/new frontiers - How can better regulation extend across national boundaries? How can the quality of regulation be improved by new ways of consulting?
To participate, simply follow the links below to read the related blogs, login to leave a comment, or email us your own contribution or contributor suggestion to srose@openforum.com.au or phone +61 2 8303 2430.
Fri, 02/10/2009 - 12:54 — Site Administrator
Understanding how Sydney features in the strategies, organisation and location decisions of multinational corporations is critical for governments, multi-national companies and resident firms alike.
In 2009, The Australian Business Foundation released the report "Global Connections: A study of multinational companies in Sydney". Its findings have some massive implications for the future innovation and prosperity of NSW and Australia.
Open Forum and the Australian Business Foundation are launching this online forum as a space to invite some of the thought leaders in this area to share their ideas about the report and how we can learn from the lessons it provides.
Log in below and post your comments in response to the questions posed on this forum. Follow the links below to read the related blogs and articles. Write your own blog. If you are new to blogging, check out our Top 10 Blogging Tips for a headstart or contact srose@openforum.com.au.
Tue, 01/09/2009 - 12:51 — Site Administrator
As a platform for citizen journalists, Open Forum features the stories which are in large part responsive to the issues you write in to tell us you care about. It is surprising that over the last twelve months we have not received one single contribution that dealt with Australia’s foreign policies or military engagement in Iraq or Afghanistan.
If there was ever an area of government expenditure and public policy debate we expected to incite some passions - Iraq was it.
During September, Open Forum will be showcasing International Voices. Expect perspectives on some of the big issues affecting our neighbours, bloggers from around the globe, and articles from foreign citizens living in Australia.
As Murdoch pushes ahead with plans to charge for online content, the consumers' role in the demand and supply chain of financing “content” is about to shift towards a more explicit responsibility.
For a multicultural society such as Australia, in the age of the internet, is there really any excuse for not including opinions and news from around the world in our media diet? International Voices are all around us, if only we make the effort to hear them.
Fri, 31/07/2009 - 12:32 — Site Administrator
To the uninitiated, it can sound complicated and technical, but spatial data is part of everyday life. Mobile phones, eTags, credit card statements, Facebook profiles and the humble postcode all contain important personal spatial information.
Since our 2008 online forum on Spatial Data, spatial has been making the headlines. Google’s bushfire map mashup and the Victorian Country Fire Service’s RSS feed during the 2009 Victorian bushfires are great examples of open spatial information in action. However, how much public information governments can and should make available for such mashups is a topic of hot debate.
Currently one of the key areas of interest for the Federal Government 2.0 Taskforce is to examine the possibilities of making government data more open. This presents a number of interesting questions about how individuals as well as organisations from the public and private sectors manage spatial data.
Please share your views on the issue by completing our short survey "What does Spatial Information mean to you?" or joining this forum as a commentator.
Wed, 01/07/2009 - 14:01 — Site Administrator
If only we could all die young, but at a very old age.
In the midst of winter, when it is that little bit harder to go for a walk in the morning and that whole lot more tempting to spend the evenings snuggled on the couch watching a DVD with tea and tim-tams, July is the perfect month to promote Healthy Ageing as our featured 'Topic of the Month' here on Open Forum.
Healthy Ageing isn't about feeling inadequate because you're 50 and you don't have pecs like Madonna. Healthy Ageing is about promoting ongoing physical and psychological wellness to live the best life possible. And remember, you're never too young to begin.
Healthy Ageing concerns us all, whether as individuals, children of ageing parents, or parents of growing kids; indeed it's a vital issue for Australia as a whole.
Thu, 30/04/2009 - 14:49 — Site Administrator
Did you know that until 3 June 2009 the Australian Government is running a public consultation into regulatory reform of the National Broadband Network?
The "National Broadband Network: Regulatory Reform for 21st Century Broadband" discussion paper outlines various options that the Government is considering to reform Australia's telecommunications regulatory framework. Anybody can lodge a complete personal submission at the DBCDE website.
Because this formal process can be rather intimidating and time consuming, we wanted to make it easier for wider range of Australians to participate in the consultation process. That's why our "Topic of the Month" during May is Australia's Broadband Regulation - a virtual community roundtable.
At the end of the month we will include all comments in Open Forum's collective response to the discussion paper. The aim of this is not to lobby for one particular viewpoint on any of the issues raised, but simply to provide an opportunity for more Australians to be heard.
Mon, 30/03/2009 - 13:38 — Site Administrator
We felt we had no choice, it's all anybody wants to talk about: the crisis, the downturn, the GFC, the R-word.
Fair enough, we're a few months in now and the news is starting to feel real.
Good advice and strong connections have never been more valuable.
- Who better to learn from than those who've sailed those waters before? Australia has some great recession veterans, we'll be inviting them to blog and share their wisdom.
- Was anybody actually prepared? Tell us how you did it so we'll know for next time!
- Are you a highly skilled person unexpectedly out of work? How are you planning your next move?
- The current job-market must be a recruiter's dream. Are you hiring at the moment, how has the process changed?
- What happens to workplaces when everyone is afraid of losing their job? Do they become more efficient or is it fertile ground for bullies and poor practice?
- Have your hours been reduced? Could a new attitude to workplace flexibility be an unexpected benefit to emerge from the GFC?
- How is your business adapting? Has the crisis forced you to become more creative?
If you're under stress, you're not alone. Keep a cool head, and use Open Forum to get talking to people who can help.
It could be the start of something great!
|
|
Subscribe to the RSS feed 
