The “Disneyfication” of the AFL

Australian Rules football is a grassroots sport, but the AFL’s increasing corporatisation is distancing the game from the fans.

Dear baby boomers: Australian philanthrophy needs your help

Although Australians should be proud of the giving we do, there is clearly room for improvement and the right structures and incentives could encourage more philanthropy to benefit good causes.

Settling migrants in regional areas will need more than a visa to succeed

Encouraging migrants to live and work in regional areas suffering labour shortages could be a ‘win-win’ scenario for all concerned, but policy makers will have to pay attention to five vital factors for the idea to succeed.

How YouTube eclipsed Hollywood

Hollywood’s power as a global entertainment machine is far from dead and buried but it has been knocked for a six by the extraordinary rise of social media entertainment over the past 10 years.

The budget should help families share the load

More family-friendly policies in this year’s Budget could help deliver individual, economic and social rewards for everyone.

Time for ‘Airbnb’ for energy?

Could the future of energy lie in the sharing economy? New research shows energy sharing platforms may be the key to supporting our transition to new tech and cleaner power, while delivering reliable energy for consumers.

Politicians are fuelling the fire

Populist politicians around the world are stoking fears about immigration, with damaging effects on the fabric of society.

The shape of far-right extremism in Australia

Right-wing politicians like Pauline Hanson and Fraser Anning have tapped into popular concerns about immigration for political purposes, but in the process have probably generated recruits for extremist organisations.

Backing the strengths of young indigenous people

Aboriginal youth know who they are and where they want to go, and we need to use these strengths if we are to close the health and employment gap between Australia’s disparate populations.

Groundbreaking survey of childhood maltreatment underway

A $2.3 million five-year study of the prevalence and effects of child maltreatment in Australia, the most comprehensive national study of its type, is underway.

Looking deeper into violence against people with disability

The recently announced royal commission into the abuse of people with disability needs to be backed by budget measures and research into the complex nature of violence and abuse as well as societal shifts in the concept of ‘disability’ itself.

How advocacy helps build rural, regional and remote internet connectivity

The success of a community action group in boosting internet access to remote communities in Queensland could help Pacific Islanders achieve similar improvements across their region.