Australian Journal of Social Issues最新文献

Australians with disability have inequitable access to assistive technology (AT) and home modifications (HMs). This is inconsistent with human rights obligations and fails to capitalise on internationally recognised potential return on investment. Co-designed with a consortium of AT stakeholders, this study quantifies the public provision of AT and HM in Australia by identifying all publicly funded national and state-/territory-based schemes and reporting and comparing available data on the spend per person. An environmental scan and data survey identified 88 government funders administering 109 schemes. Data were available for 1/3 of schemes. Economic evaluation of available cost and participant data estimated the annual AT/HM and wrap-around support spend per person per scheme and organisational costs. Data demonstrated significant AT/HM spend variability across schemes, for example a 50-fold difference between Aged Care ($51) and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS, $2500). Modelled costs are presented for a $16 billion national scheme where all Australians with disability are funded NDIS-equivalent. These foundation data demonstrate substantial service provision gaps and an urgent need for change in disability policy. A cost model and policy principles have been proposed to achieve economies of scale and equity in the provision of AT and HM.

This article explores the concept of conviviality: the practice and negotiation of sharing space in suburbs with diverse populations. Australia has a growing Muslim population and reports of Islamophobia remain widespread. While there is some evidence, however, that forming intercultural connections can foster more positive attitudes toward religious minority groups, we know little about how Muslim and non-Muslim communities share space in Australia. This paper presents the findings of a qualitative investigation into how conviviality is perceived in Australian suburbs with high concentrations of Muslim residents. Following qualitative, thematic analysis of 15 interviews with multicultural service providers who work with Muslims in Melbourne, Victoria, we conclude that conviviality is fostered by a sense of community between people who share similar backgrounds as well as increased opportunities to form intercultural social connections. We discuss the scholarly and policy implications of these findings, with consideration of existing arguments about the practices of sharing space in Australian cities.

While there is much research on the topic of child maltreatment more broadly in Australia, a nuanced understanding of intergenerational child maltreatment is needed to improve our responses. Little work has considered all four intergenerational patterns of child maltreatment: cycle maintainers (maltreated parents with maltreated children), cycle breakers (maltreated parents with non-maltreated children), cycle initiators (non-maltreated parents with maltreated children) and a comparison group (non-maltreated parents with non-maltreated children). We use this terminology to maintain consistency with international literature, but acknowledge that these terms minimise the complexity inherent in contact with child protection systems. Research has mainly focused on maintainers, which hinders our ability to appropriately support all families and limits our understanding of individuals breaking the cycle. This paper outlines key knowledge gaps and identifies strategic areas of focus for researchers and policymakers. There is an urgent need for more emphasis on building resilience and strengths, the provision of more integrated and holistic support for families, and consideration of sex differences. We highlight the need for more research on this topic, particularly led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and hope that the recommendations in this paper can be revisited and updated as this important research base grows.

In 2022, a new Federal Labor government introduced an NDIA Act amendment and initiatives that indicate a reorientation to partnership working and integration of co-design principles. “Partnership working” reflects collaborative aspirations where parties commit to trust, shared goals and respect for diverse knowledges and experiences. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) espouses a partnership approach and rights-based values, yet the neoliberal emphasis on individual choice and marketisation within a social insurance model can privilege certain voices and produce adversarial processes and dynamics. Our focus group research with disability leaders, family carers and disability service professionals explored experiences in the NDIS planning phase with a focus on the extent to which partnership principles operated in practice. Our findings suggest embedded paradoxes; time and resources are required to build the trust and relationships central to interpersonal partnerships between individuals, carers and services but are undermined by organisational and structural factors such as workload pressures, administrative burden and adversarial practices produced in a cost containment context. Tensions in partnership working must also negotiate carers' workload and responsibilities with the autonomy of people with disability. We argue that partnership working is difficult to achieve where structural and systemic limitations and assumptions influence everyday practices. Partnership must operate from empowerment and relational, rather than transactional, principles if genuine participatory and inclusive practice is to be achieved.

Corporal punishment (CP) is the most common and socially normative form of violence perpetrated against children and is legal in the home and some other settings in Australia. CP was made a common practice through its introduction by European settlers and Christian missionaries during colonisation. Furthermore, the defence of reasonable chastisement became part of the Australian common law in 1860 and is still used in some jurisdictions. Other jurisdictions have enacted criminal laws that have entrenched the defence in legislation. This article gives a brief historical overview of the origin of CP in the English common law, the defence of reasonable chastisement and how these concepts came to be entrenched in Australian law and culture. Moreover, this contribution examines the recognition of children's rights in international law and the significant global impact this has had in elevating the status of children. Then, this article analyses the current legal framework and the permissiveness of CP in Australian states and territories. Consequently, it is argued that states and territories ought to repeal legislation that permits CP, and all jurisdictions should insert a positive statement into civil laws that CP is no longer acceptable as a disciplinary measure.

In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are much more likely to be arrested, charged with criminal offences and imprisoned than other Australians. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders comprise 49% of young people in detention but only 5.8% of the Australian population aged 10–17. This study investigated changes between 1997 and 2019 in the interaction of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal young people with the justice system in the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia. The prevalence of young people being charged with an alleged offence decreased by more than 60% between 1999 and 2001, co-incident with the introduction of the Juvenile Diversion Scheme in August 2000. Thereafter, for non-Aboriginal young people there was a small and temporary increase, but for Aboriginal young people prevalence increased almost back to pre-2000 levels by 2015 before starting to decrease. Aboriginal young people comprised 57% of those charged with any offence in 1997, rising to 88% in 2019. Further investigation is needed to understand the reasons for divergent trends in the prevalence of alleged offending for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal young people, which may include the role of diversion, differences in the nature of offences and systemic bias and racism.

The National Disability Scheme began implementation in 2013 and in this article we reflect on its first decade. We explore why the National Disability Scheme was introduced and key design elements of the scheme before examining significant areas of debates that have emerged over this period, namely: co-design of the scheme with people with disability; scheme costs; Tier 2 services; administrative burden and its unequal impact on different groups of participants; and market stewardship. We argue that many people accessing the NDIS have seen their lives transformed in a positive sense, but this is not the case for all and there remain some significant challenges with the scheme. The paper concludes by looking ahead and thinking about what might happen next for the NDIS to realise its full potential for all participants.