Australia’s police are not being militarised

Media articles and social justice campaigners suggest that police agencies are putting special forces onto the streets of Australia, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Successful social cohesion starts in school

Efforts to reduce racism and bullying in Victoria’s schools could offer lessons for similar progress in the rest of Australian society.

The case for a global kidney exchange

The Global Kidney Exchange, which aims to expand the kidney donor pool, has been criticised as ‘organ trafficking’, but the counter argument is that it will save the lives of rich and poor patients alike.

What worries parents today?

Slowing wage growth, the increasing cost of education and the fast pace of social change make it difficult for parents to prepare their children for uncertain futures.

Snapchat – The killer app on our roads?

Snapchat has emerged as a surprise threat to Queensland drivers, with a new QUT study showing that one in six young drivers use the wildly popular social media app while behind the wheel.

Mapping lost childhoods to find your way home

A new interactive online map of Australian care homes is helping those who grew up in care track down the institutions they stayed in.

Understanding people is the key to complex problem solving

GAP’s Journal of Behavioural Economics and Social Systems (BESS) will play an important role in Australian public life by using insights from behavioural economics to promote successful policy implementation and enduring social change.

Contribute to our new journal on complex problem solving

Submissions are being welcomed for Global Access Partners’ new venture, the Journal of Behavioural Economics and Social Systems (BESS), launched at GAP’s 10th Annual Economic Summit in the NSW Legislative Assembly Chamber in September.

The facts about meth addiction

Methamphetamine (“Ice”) is an extremely addictive stimulant that causes a multitude of severe health problems. It is perhaps the most damaging illegal drug used in Australia, but individual users can recover with the proper support over time.

Top tips to cut your air conditioning costs

As summer approaches and Australia heats up once again, the temptation to turn on the air conditioner will be tempered by its boost to our electricity bills. Cut the cost – and reduce the spikes in power demands – by following these seven tips to keep cool.

Pokies, guns and money

The strong-arm tactics used by Australia’s gambling industry to maximise their profits and evade social responsibility resemble those of the National Rifle Association in the United States of America.

The great poker machine charity con

Gambling operators often trumpet their funding of “good causes”, but research in Victoria suggests the charitable giving claimed by operators to reap tax benefits falls far short of their claims.