Analysis & Policy Observatory (APO)

JUST RELEASED: Procurement by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through its Australian Passport Office➡️apo.org.au/node/328882 Read the report that's making news. This performance audit report examines the Australian Passport Office's compliance with Commonwealth Procurement Rules, finding that procurement processes were not open and competitive and decision-making was not sufficiently accountable or transparent. The report makes seven recommendations to improve processes and strengthen oversight by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: the Department has agreed to all recommendations.

❗The most disadvantaged Australians are 50% more likely to die prematurely from chronic conditions. This week’s Analysis & Policy Observatory (APO) top report is: Australia's health tracker: chronic conditions by socioeconomic status ➡️ bit.ly/3NOqgvE The Australian Health Policy Collaboration AHPC tracker compiles disease prevalence data to show the strong association between chronic disease and premature death with socioeconomic status. More than 10 million Australians live in disadvantaged communities, and are at significantly higher risk of preventable chronic disease and poor health. In these communities: 🩺 Cancer rates are almost twice as high 🩸 Diabetes cases are almost three times higher 🫀Heart disease and stroke are twice as likely, and 🫁 Lung disease is three times higher. The authors tackle the complex social and economic risk factors that contribute to the problem with a suite of evidence-informed policy proposals, developed collaboratively by AHPC’s network of health policy experts, led by Victoria University. Rosemary V Calder, Erin Lalor AM, Tracey Johnson, Tim Gill

OUT TODAY: State of the climate 2024 ➡️apo.org.au/node/328866 "Australia’s weather and climate has continued to change, with an increase in extreme heat events, longer fire seasons, more intense heavy rainfall, and sea level rise". CSIRO Bureau of Meteorology #climatecrisis

The NDRP has partnered with the Analysis & Policy Observatory (APO) to build a Disability Research Collection, designed to improve policies and practices. 📚 The Collection aims to share evidence and knowledge on a range of topics to help advance the rights of people with disability. Explore the collection and subscribe to receive all the latest updates: https://lnkd.in/gvQP3NpY    

NEW RELEASE on Analysis & Policy Observatory (APO): NACC’s decision not to investigate referrals from the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme ➡️ apo.org.au/node/328856 The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) will appoint an independent person to reconsider the decision, after the Inspector's investigation found several areas of concern but no intentional wrongdoing. The investigation found that the Commissioner's involvement in the decision-making process (after disclosing a potential conflict of interest) could give the impression of bias; it also found that the NACC's media release contained a misleading statement. 

NEW RELEASE: COVID-19 Response Inquiry report ➡️apo.org.au/node/328838 The inquiry "heard a recognition that Australia was one of the most successful countries in its pandemic response & yet, like other countries, was not adequately prepared for a pandemic". Robyn Kruk, Dr Angela Jackson, Professor Catherine Bennett

Out today and on Analysis & Policy Observatory (APO): Young people under youth justice supervision and their interaction with the child protection system 2022-23 from Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) ➡ apo.org.au/node/328776 The statistics are gut-wrenching, particularly when considering the hardline approach of newly elected governments... 🚸 About one half of young people in community-based supervision (45%) and detention (50%) were the subject of a substantiated notification for abuse or neglect. 🚸 The younger a person was when they first entered youth justice supervision, the more likely they were to have had an interaction with the child protection system. 🚸 About 3 in 4 (76%) First Nations young people under youth justice supervision had an interaction with child protection services in the last 10 years. 🚸 About 1 in 4 young people under youth justice supervision had at least one placement in out-of-home care at some point in the last 10 years; of these, about two-thirds had at least one placement in residential care. #RaiseTheAge #prevention #compassion

OUT TODAY: Young people under youth justice supervision and their interaction with the child protection system 2022-23 ➡ apo.org.au/node/328776 For the first time, this Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report applies 10 years worth of child protection and youth justice data to show that children and young people who have been maltreated are at greater risk of entering the youth justice system. ❗About one half of young people in community-based supervision (45%) and detention (50%) were the subject of a substantiated notification for abuse or neglect. ❗The younger a person was when they first entered youth justice supervision, the more likely they were to have had an interaction with the child protection system. ❗About 3 in 4 (76%) First Nations young people under youth justice supervision had an interaction with child protection services in the last 10 years.

“Evidence-informed policymaking is a deliberate and rigorous approach that seeks to support policy with the best available evidence, rather than intuition, ideology, anecdote, or short-term political expediency.” In This Week’s Top Report (actually a speech given to The South Australian Centre for Economic Studies) Steven Kennedy makes the case that by grounding policy decisions in robust evidence policymakers can not only enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of public interventions but increase transparency and accountability in the process ➡ apo.org.au/node/328751 Our democratic system, the Commonwealth Treasury Secretary observes, relies on trust as much as it does on market mechanisms. As we face complex environmental, demographic, geopolitical and technological challenges, we can build and maintain that trust by embedding evidence in every stage of policy development. Eleanor Williams, Nathan Deutscher, Harry Greenwell Andrew Leigh MP, University of Adelaide

OUT TODAY: the second interim report into digital platforms and the traditional news media ➡ apo.org.au/node/328741 The second interim report (the final one is due in March, 2025) finds that the dominance of digital platforms and the unchecked spread of misinformation present significant challenges for public interest journalism (and democracy) in Australia. The report finds that sector self-regulation is inadequate and recommends a comprehensive policy response encompassing alternative funding models, #transparency requirements, and #medialiteracy initiatives. The coalition dissent, rejecting the claim that the News Media Bargaining Code is no longer fit to purpose and arguing instead that the Albanese government has been weak on the issue, failing to take sufficient action in the dispute with Meta. The Australian Greens argue that that Meta's decision not to renew deals under the Code shows a disregard for Australian law and the Australian people. They say that serious reform is urgently needed to protect Australians from the predatory business models of digital giants.