Learning from Labor? Welfare policy transfer between Australia and Britain

Abstract

The evidence is examined for (and against) a process of policy transfer in the early 1990s between the Australian Labor Party (then in government) and policy reformers in the Labour Party in the UK in the two areas of ‘welfare to work’ (especially the JET initiative) and, rather more briefly, child support. Policy transfer of the JET was broadly successful while the transfer of the CSA initiative failed. Policy transfer is a real process but also complex and uncertain. The extent of transfer is conditioned by factors such as the extent of dissatisfaction with existing arrangements and the adequacy of local policy advice.