Strengthening Northern Australia

The challenge for the new minister for northern Australia is to ensure alignment of whole-of-nation outcomes and regional investment and development.

Remembering the lessons of Covid

We speak casually about living in ‘uncertain times’ a great deal. For a very large chunk of the population, the Covid-19 pandemic has been the only truly uncertain time they have experienced.

The not-so magnificent seven

A new CSIRO report outlines seven megatrends that may shape the next 20 years, and underlines the need for innovation to create a better future for us all.

Drought need not lead to disaster

Australia is no stranger to the problems caused by droughts, which are only set to increase in intensity and duration as climate change begins to bite, but lessons learned around the world can help stop droughts becoming humanitarian disasters.

Building health system resilience

A team of Australian researchers have outlined a range of strategies to help the healthcare system respond better when disaster strikes and make sure nobody is left behind.

Boosting biosecurity

Access to sufficient safe and nutritious food is a security necessity and so Australian must dispense with the ‘she’ll be right’ approach that has plagued our broader attitude to biosecurity policy for too long.

Flourishing after the fires

Researchers at the Monash Fire to Flourish project are investigating how Australia’s fires and floods have prompted social, cultural and structural change in some of the nation’s affected rural towns.

Disaster resilience should be an election issue

After three years of fires and floods, the federal election should have offered an opportunity to promote plans for improving national disaster governance and resilience.

Redesigning supply chains for greater resilience

For too long, our approach to supply chains has prioritised low cost over other factors, but cheaper is not better if it comes with unacceptable risk.

Lessons from my Grandmother

Artificial intelligence is set to sweep many jobs away, as businesses replace people with cheaper, more compliant machines, but previous generations have also faced upheavals in the labour market, and their resilience can be instructive today.

Supply-chain lessons from the COVID years

The government needs to promote discussions with the private sector about supply-chain resilience, nation-building and sovereignty to ensure the lessons learned over the last two years lead to action in the future.

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

The current flood crisis – and international events – highlight the need for better long term planning in government to protect the nation against both natural and man-made threats.