POLIS (Centre for Social Policy Research)
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Publication Open Access Applying to University through the Early Offer Scheme: Insights from the GENERATION study(2025-10-28) Arnup, Jessica; Doery, Kate; Riquelme-Gonzalez, Pedro; Edwards, BenMany Australian universities offer secondary school students a place in a higher education course before they have completed their senior secondary studies. This Early Offers Scheme enables eligible Year 12 students to receive conditional acceptance into an undergraduate course from September, before completing their final Year 12 exams. This report presents quantitative and qualitative findings from Year 12 students in 2024, using data from the GENERATION Study, a longitudinal survey of the education and aspirations of young people in Australia. Almost half (46 per cent) of Year 12 students planned to or had already applied for an early offer place when surveyed in May-July of 2024. Early offer applications were most common amongst students from New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Additionally, females, students from Independent schools, and students from non-English-speaking backgrounds had higher rates of planning to apply for an early offer. Qualitative findings suggest that common reasons for applying for an early offer include securing an early place at university, relieving the stress and pressure of Year 12, or having a fall-back option.Publication Open Access A Strategic Community Roadmap for an Australian FAIR Vocabulary Ecosystem(Canberra, ACT: Australian National University, POLIS Centre for Indigenous Policy Research, 2025-09-05) Wong, Megan; Atkins, Natalia ; Boyle, Douglas; Dharmawardena, Kheeran; Hobern, Donald ; McEachern, Steve ; Wyborn, LesleyVocabularies serve as essential anchor points for both humans and machines in effective and efficient data processing. Vocabularies include controlled vocabularies, taxonomies, thesauri, ontologies, and metadata schemas, each of which contributes to an ecosystem that encompasses the people, resources, standards, tools, platforms, policies, and practices that make them accessible and useful for researchers. Currently, Australia’s vocabulary ecosystem is fragmented and lacks effective coordination. To address these challenges, a Vocabulary Workshop was held in 2022, sponsored by the Australian Data Archive, the Australian Research Data Commons, and CODATA. From this workshop, a proposal for a strategic roadmap emerged, followed by numerous community consultations conducted between 2022 and 2024. The resulting Strategic Community Roadmap outlines a pathway for Australia to transition from its fragmented landscape to a cohesive and dynamic FAIR Vocabulary Ecosystem. It presents a Vision, Mission, and 57 recommendations categorised into seven key topics, organised around four Strategic Themes. Each recommendation is prioritised by its importance and urgency for implementation. The goal is to promote wider adoption and greater community engagement with machine-actionable vocabularies, emphasising the social and technical support needed to address current data interoperability challenges. This serves as a call to action to maximise the societal, economic, and environmental benefits that can be derived from our national research and data initiatives.Publication Open Access Family and domestic violence and gambling harm(Canberra, ACT: Australian National University, POLIS Centre for Indigenous Policy Research, 2025-08-29) Suomi, Aino; Perry, Jocelyn; Rehill, Patrick; Boxall, Hayley; Rees, Susan; Noble-Carr, Debbie; Cowlishaw, SeanSubstantial evidence now shows that family and domestic violence (FDV) and gambling harm are strongly related in help-seeking as well as general populations. This suggests that gambling treatment services have a need for resources to help identify and address FDV, while conversely, FDV services would benefit from programs aimed at identifying and managing co-occurring problems with gambling. In addition, geographical areas that have more gambling opportunities also have higher rates of gambling participation and harm and may potentially have higher levels of FDV. Any geographic association between gambling behaviours and gambling-related FDV will have significant policy relevance. These literature signal a pressing need for multi-level strategies to address co-occurring gambling and violent behaviours, which may involve limiting exposures to hazardous gambling products, as well as resourcing support services to respond to the co-occurring gambling harm and FDV at the community level. The current study aims to address this clearly identified gap in policy and practice that may be relevant to sectors operating at the intersection of gambling harms and FDV.Publication Open Access A Fairer Tax and Welfare System for Australia(Canberra, ACT: Australian National University, POLIS Centre for Indigenous Policy Research, 2025-07-25) Phillips, BenThis research examines the Australian welfare system's inadequacies, particularly for JobSeeker and pension recipients, renters, single parents, and youth, who face high rates of poverty and financial stress. It proposes four budget-neutral reforms, primarily funded by reducing superannuation tax concessions or tightening means testing arrangements for the Age Pension and the Child Care Subsidy. These reforms could increase average household incomes by up to $3,800 annually for lower income households and reduce poverty rates by up to a third. The GST's regressive nature is highlighted, disproportionately impacting low-income households. The reforms target low income regions, enhancing equity while maintaining fiscal responsibility.Publication Open Access A review of remote employment policy: Where are we, and how did we get here?(Canberra, ACT: Australian National University, POLIS Centre for Indigenous Policy Research, 2025-08-01) Klein, Elise; Markham, FrancisDrawing on qualitative and quantitative data, this paper critically examines the trajectory and impacts of employment policies in remote Indigenous Australia. It first provides a snapshot of the current remote employment crisis. By tracing policy developments from historical contexts to current practices, including the compined impacts of trends in Indigenous affairs and mainstream social security policies, the paper identifies persistent challenges and potential avenues for substantive change. The analysis reveals that despite recent policy shifts, remote Indigenous communities continue to face structural employment barriers that are poorly addressed by governmental approaches that often do not align with community needs or aspirations. The paper argues for a reevaluation of policy frameworks, advocating for strategies that address the lack of employment options in remote communities, rather than assuming that providing training and pathways is sufficient in the absence of jobs. This review highlights the disconnect between stated policy intentions and outcomes and underscores the importance of community-led initiatives and Indigenous self-determination in shaping effective employment strategies.Publication Open Access High Balance Superannuation Holders: A Statistical Overview(Canberra, ACT: Australian National University, POLIS Centre for Indigenous Policy Research, 2025-06-27) Phillips, Ben; Webster, RichardPublication Open Access Indigenous Employment 1981–2021(Canberra, ACT: Australian National University, POLIS Centre for Indigenous Policy Research, 2025-06-05) Eva, Christian; Gray, Matthew; Hunter, Boyd; Leroy-Dyer, SharleneThere is a significant body of research which attempts to quantify rates of Indigenous employment. However, previous estimates offer an often-inconsistent depiction across recent decades, with the specifications of analysis both by researchers and government changing, and the data environment developing. An oversight in previous estimations has been failing to analyse Indigenous employment in the context of the machinations of the broader labour market, such as the increase of women in the workforce, changing education rates, and age profiles of employment. This paper produces the largest scale estimation of Indigenous employment to date, across the period of 1981–2021, using nine iterations of 5-yearly Census data. This analysis reaffirms the associations between factors such as geography and education with rates of employment but highlights the significant extent to which the increase of Indigenous women in the workforce has contributed to the overall increase in Indigenous employment. Overall, this paper provides a comprehensive view of the Indigenous labour market over a 40-year period in the context of the Australian labour market as a whole. Inevitably, the findings of this paper point to a lingering stagnation in employment in key areas, and the crucial need for more insightful and relevant data beyond the CensusPublication Open Access Responding to the needs of women and girls involved with court services(Canberra, ACT: Australian National University, POLIS Centre for Indigenous Policy Research, 2025-04-30) Bartels, Lorana; Gelb, Karen; Eales, Sally ; Corcoran, Lydia ; Cooms, ValeriePOLIS: the ANU Centre for Social Policy Research, Australian National University (ANU) was engaged by the Department of Justice (then the Department of Justice and Attorney-General) to conduct a literature review, based on specific recommendations made by the Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce in Hear her voice Report two – Women and girls’ experiences of the criminal justice system (Report 2). The purpose of the literature review is to outline current evidence-based research that identifies the needs and experiences of women and girls involved with courts and applies gender and cultural lenses to examine the efficacy of court-based interventions.Publication Open Access Rights, Relationships and Respect Evaluation(Canberra, ACT: Australian National University, POLIS Centre for Indigenous Policy Research, 2025) Robertson, Hannah; Rossner, Meredith; Gadow, FriederikeThe ANU Sexual Violence Prevention Strategy (2019-2026) envisions a violence-free campus, emphasising primary prevention of sexual violence. This includes addressing systemic power imbalances and social norms that drive violence. In response to a 2021 internal review identifying gaps in respectful relationships and consent education, the Respectful Relationships Unit (RRU) and Student Safety and Wellbeing (SSW) developed the Rights, Relationships and Respect (RRR) program. The program includes a compulsory online module for incoming residential students and a pilot curriculum of workshops in select halls. ANU POLIS: The Centre for Social Policy Research conducted an evaluation to assess the program’s implementation and effectiveness. RRR Online Module Findings In 2023, two-thirds of incoming students (4,494) completed the online module. Key survey results from 1,284 respondents indicate: • 89% completed the module due to its perceived importance. • 85% rated it as clear and valuable, with positive feedback from female, postgraduate, and international students. • Students expressed trust in ANU support services, especially among male and international students. • Learning activities revealed strong student understanding of sexual misconduct policies, consent, and bystander action. However, students requested clearer guidance on sensitive topics and managing personal boundaries in professional settings. RRR Workshop Findings The workshops targeted three residential halls, offering progressive learning on identity, sexual violence prevention, and empowerment. The evaluation highlighted four key themes: 1. Engagement: Attendance decreased across workshops (394 → 130). Challenges included session timing, content relevance, and mandatory attendance policies. Female students noted a need for greater male participation. Language and cultural barriers appeared to hinder engagement among international students. 2. Culture: Cultural differences across halls appeared to impact engagement. Self-catered and catered halls reported stronger community ties, while the privately-operated hall displayed a dominant party culture, overshadowing inclusivity efforts. Addressing such cultural dynamics is critical to fostering respect. 3. Development and Implementation: Co-designed workshops with peer facilitators were well-received for their adaptability and safe learning environment. Continued feedback-driven development was seen as a strength. 4. Student Experience and Learning: Reactions were mixed. Some students found content too simple, while others, particularly international students, encountered it for the first time. The workshops raised awareness of consent and gendered violence but called for more actionable strategies and deeper discussions on hall culture. Conclusion and Recommendations The RRR program showed positive engagement, particularly through the online module, and has potential to shape a respectful campus culture. However, face-to-face workshops faced challenges in sustaining participation and addressing cultural and language barriers. Future efforts should focus on flexible scheduling, tailoring content to student demographics, and addressing hall-specific cultural dynamics. Key Recommendations: • Continue co-designing workshops with peer facilitators. • Expand workshop topics, including masculinity, coercive behaviour, and alcohol use. • Tailor approaches for different hall cultures and foster leadership training. • Monitor and evaluate ongoing program development. With thoughtful implementation, these recommendations will strengthen the University’s violence prevention efforts and compliance with the upcoming National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence.Publication Open Access Analysis of 2025 Budget and Albanese Government Tax and Welfare Changes(Canberra, ACT: Australian National University, POLIS Centre for Indigenous Policy Research, 2025-04-10) Phillips, Ben; Joseph, Cukkoo; Webster, Richard; Gray, MatthewThis paper analyses the distributional impact of the Albanese Government's Commonwealth Budgets (2022 to 2025) and also considers the impact of the 2026 and 2027 tax cuts outlined in the 2025 Commonwealth Budget. The analysis of the impacts of the Commonwealth Budgets is limited to changes in the personal Income tax and social security policies. It is estimated that the Albanese government added around $7.5 billion per year in 2025-26 to household disposable income through changes to the tax and welfare system. Lower- and middle-income households were the main beneficiaries while high income households were the most likely to be worse off through the altered 'Stage 3 Tax Cuts'. The 2026 and 2027 tax cuts will benefit middle- and high-income households the most in dollar terms but mostly middle-income households with regard the per cent of income.Publication Open Access Trends in Civic Engagement in Australia(Canberra, ACT: Australian National University, POLIS Centre for Indigenous Policy Research, 2025-02-24) Cameron, SarahA longstanding debate concerns whether civic engagement is in decline in the advanced democracies and whether this forms part of a crisis of democracy. This paper situates Australia within this debate by providing a broad overview of the state of civic engagement in Australia. To do so, this paper analyses data from the World Values Survey with a focus on voluntary association memberships. The results show that civic engagement in Australia is high in comparison to other democracies around the world. Although civic engagement is relatively high, it has declined to some degree over the past few decades. There is considerable variation in who participates in civic life, with the university-educated and those on higher incomes more likely to be members of associations. This suggests that the benefits of civic engagement are not distributed evenly across the population. Ongoing data collection is needed to continue to track Australia’s civic engagement over time, in comparison to other countries, and across different indicators of engagement.Publication Open Access Adult Restorative Justice Conferencing in Queensland: Research on Best Practice and Expansion(Canberra, ACT: Australian National University, POLIS Centre for Indigenous Policy Research, 2024-11) Rossner, Meredith; Eales, Sally; Bartels, Lorana; Gelb, Karen; Taylor, Helen; Ruddy, RebekahThis report considers the expansion of Adult Restorative Justice Conferencing (ARJC) in Queensland. It presents the findings of a review of best practice and scholarly research. It also presents the findings of consultations with restorative justice staff and other relevant stakeholders and service providers across Queensland, including those who support vulnerable participants, such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and victim-survivors of family and sexual violence. We also validate two previously published reports: a 2019 evidence analysis of restorative justice conferencing and a 2020 report on options for ARJC expansion.