POLIS (Centre for Social Policy Research)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/1885/733724765
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Publication Open Access Rights, Relationships and Respect Evaluation(2025) Hannah Robertson; Meredith Rossner; Friederike GadowThe 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(2025-04-10) Ben Phillips; Cukkoo Joseph; Richard Webster; Matthew GrayThis 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(2025-02-24) Sarah CameronA 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(2024-11) Meredith Rossner; Sally Eales; Lorana Bartels; Karen Gelb; Helen Taylor; Rebekah RuddyThis 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.