Creating a good society, a better society or a more civil society?

Do we have a healthy balance between the state, the market and the community? Sociologist and activist Eva Cox says we need to work on how to restore government and community power to avoid dire consequences for our society.

Government gets B for effort on reforms, but will have to lift its game

The Abbott government recently held its Spring Repeal Day where legislation and regulation deemed unnecessary and costly is being cut. Cassandra Wilkinson says despite these efforts large deregulation opportunities remain.

Democracy. What democracy?

The word ‘democracy’ has its origins in the Greek language and combines ‘demos’ meaning citizen living within a state and ‘kratos’ meaning power or rule. Leicester Warburton deplores that our government is going about its business quietly without sufficiently consulting the public.

Government shall weary them

It has been recently suggested that the family home should be taken into account in determining age pension entitlements. Laurence Strano says this is the last thing we need as we are already over-governed and over-regulated.

New society to challenge public policy decision-making norms

The Society for Progress and Wellbeing is a movement where progress and wellbeing considerations will be just as important as financial considerations in decision making. Its Director Andrew Thornton says the Society wants to inspire like-minded people to champion this concept. 

The future of our students

The Federal Government continues to debate higher education reforms. Charles Sturt University Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Vann wonders how competing globally will help students complete their studies, ensure graduates find work and provide communities with qualified professionals to sustain them.

Why Australia needs a Multicultural Act

Australia's proposed move to ban the wearing of burqas in Parliament House has exposed cultural tensions and social distrust. Hsiao-Shan Fu says Australia needs to support its belief in a multicultural coexistence with a law.

What are voters’ attitudes to constitutional change?

Australians have been asked what they think of a constitutional reform. Bede Harris says the survey indicates that voters are far more willing to consider reform than has previously been supposed.

Community services for children or commercial economic services for GDP?

The Government has asked the Productivity Commission for a public inquiry into future options for childcare and early childhood learning. Social and political researcher Eva Cox explains why she is critical of the recommendations in the draft report.

There’s more to the national security debate than ‘more powers please’

National security remains high on the government's agenda. Malcolm Crompton says it is time to have a complete debate over the issue and think it through in order to avoid waking up in the Surveillance Society.

Children in immigration detention: Worse than Guantanamo Bay?

There is mounting evidence that children in immigration detention are subject to appalling physical and mental maltreatment. Angela Beresford speculates about the political motives of the Australian Government.

Team Australia: From bad fashion to bad politics

Tony Abbott recently declared that everyone has got to be on ‘Team Australia’. Binoy Kampmark argues that the politics of division can never unite and are bound to send groups into even more insularity.