Crawford School Quarterly Newsletter - Autumn 2011

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Contact Details, please see page 3 Crawford School Quarterly Newsletter 2011 Crawford School AUTUMN 2011 ANU COLLEGE OF ASIA & THE PACIFIC Quarterly Newsletter wwwcrawfordanueduau Crawford School Special Public Lecture – American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites America 2 Message from the Director 3 Gendering in the Field 4 Making Policy Change: Researching Important Policy Questions 5 Indian Public Sector Media and Broadcasting Chiefs Attend Crawford School Course 6 Crawford School Dialogue – Asia’s Economic Transformation: Implications for Australia 7 The Mekong Alliance 8 Can Family Policy Entice the Stork and Boost Education? 9 Discipline, Enthusiasm and Energy 10 Environment and Economics 2011 12 Tales from an Imaginary Country 14 The Future of Disability Employment 15 Driving Change 16 Selected Recent Publications 18 Honours and Awards 19 PhD Induction 19 Event Highlights 20

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Autumn 2011

Transcript of Crawford School Quarterly Newsletter - Autumn 2011

Page 1: Crawford School Quarterly Newsletter - Autumn 2011

Contact Details, please see page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

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Crawford School Quarterly Newsletter 2011

Crawford School

AUTUMN 2011ANU College of ASiA & the PACifiC

Quarterly Newsletter

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Crawford School Special Public Lecture – American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Message from the Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Gendering in the Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Making Policy Change: Researching Important

Policy Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Indian Public Sector Media and Broadcasting Chiefs

Attend Crawford School Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Crawford School Dialogue – Asia’s Economic

Transformation: Implications for Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7The Mekong Alliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Can Family Policy Entice the Stork and Boost Education? . . .9Discipline, Enthusiasm and Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Environment and Economics 2011 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Tales from an Imaginary Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14The Future of Disability Employment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Driving Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Selected Recent Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Honours and Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19PhD Induction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Event Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

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On 5 April 2011 Professor Robert Putnam from Harvard University’s John F . Kennedy School of

Government delivered a special public lecture at the Crawford School titled ‘American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites America’ . Professor Putnam talked about the role of religion in people’s lives, and the relationship between religion and politics, in the United States . The presentation was based on a comprehensive study of religion in America undertaken by Professor Putnam and his colleagues over the last decade . Professor Putnam has authored more than a dozen books, including Bowling Alone and Making Democracy Work, both among the most cited publications in the social sciences in the last half-century . He was the 2006 recipient of the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science and has served as an advisor to presidents and national leaders around the world .

The lecture was co-hosted by the ANU’s H .C . Coombs Policy Forum and was presented in partnership with the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney .

Crawford School Special Public Lecture:

ProfeSSor robert D. PUtNAm hArvArD UNiverSity

American Grace: How Religion

Divides and Unites America

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Message from the Director

It has been an extraordinarily busy and successful quarter at the Crawford School . The Environment and Economics 2011

Conference, featuring high-level policy debate on biosecurity, water and climate change, attracted 500 participants from all over Australia . The School continues to make progress in its three core missions: providing world-class graduate and professional education, encouraging high-quality research and making a substantial policy impact . I am delighted that the Productivity Commission has accepted a recommendation put forward by our colleague, Emma Aisbett, in her submission to the Review into Bilateral and Regional Trade Agreements . That recommendation also forms part of the Gillard government’s recently released Trade Policy Statement (see http://www.dfat.gov.au/publications/trade/trading-our-way-to-more-jobs-and-prosperity.pdf, page 14) .

On the education front, I am pleased to announce the Crawford School Graduate Attributes . The five attributes - Analysis, Knowledge, Diversity, Communication, and Contribution - reflect the broad skills, abilities, qualities and values that students in our coursework programs will develop and display . In the coming year we will use Graduate Attributes to guide a school-wide curriculum renewal which will ensure we deliver a world-class educational experience for our students .

A new Crawford School policy brief – ‘Asia’s Economic Transformation: Implications for Australia’ – was launched on 12 April following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan . It assesses recent economic developments in Japan, India, China and Indonesia . In the case of Japan, Jenny Corbett recommends a ‘smart’ rebuilding process that includes the relocation of manufacturing; further integration into trade and production networks in neighbouring Asia; more flexible agriculture; and a modernised service economy .

I hope you enjoy the stories in this edition, and can see why we are very proud of the directions that the School is taking .

tom Kompas

DireCtor CrAwforD SChool of eCoNomiCS AND goverNmeNt

ProfeSSor tom KomPAS

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To the uninitiated, mining generally offers a hyper-masculine image – in the way miners are represented, in the industry’s extensive use

of tools and technology, and because large-scale mining operations are so capital-intensive . Above all, new mining projects completely change the social relationships within host communities, alter gender roles and introduce new power structures . Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt’s recently published book, Gendering the Field, aims to demolish this image of excessive masculinity . Lahiri-Dutt brings to her topic extensive experience of research on collieries and informal mining in India and Indonesia; her understanding of chronically poor communities in areas where large-scale mines have introduced new ways of life, turning women into scavengers; and her research – under an Australian Research Council grant – on one of the world’s largest coalmining companies, operating in forest-covered rural Kalimantan .The book presents an innovative, theoretically informed and contemporary argument . It argues that a more ‘pro-people’ view of sustainability in mining areas would be to sustain the livelihoods of communities, within the theoretical framework of gender and development . The book presents a selection of papers by national and international scholars and experts highlighting some of the key issues surrounding gender and mining in different parts of the world, and the implications for fostering sustainable livelihoods in both large and small-scale mining . Some of the papers offer a variety of practical strategies . The book therefore shifts the centre of attention from sustaining the ‘development’ project (which is often a controversial issue) to sustaining the livelihoods of women and men living in the surrounding communities . This opens up the space to allow a range of practical initiatives .

As Professor Katherine Gibson says in her foreword to this book, the most difficult issue confronting social scientists concerned about gender equality, economic justice and sustainability in the global mining industry is the non-renewable and thus inherently unsustainable nature of mining activity . The book offers a solution to this challenge by outlining ways of thinking about community livelihoods that might be supported alongside minerals development by mining companies .

for further information or to download a copy of the book, visit ANU e Press at: http://epress.anu.edu.au/

KUnTALA LAHIRI-DUTT

Gendering in the Field

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Making Policy Change: Researching Important Policy Questions

DR EMMA AISBETT

The Crawford School is an inspiring place for an early-career academic interested in having a policy

impact . At the end of almost four years with the school, perhaps the most important (and heartening) lesson Emma Aisbett has learned about making a policy impact is this: don’t give up researching important questions of public policy simply because – at the time – there seems to be little interest from policy-makers . If they truly are important issues, their time will come . A recent example of this comes from Aisbett’s work on international investment agreements (IIAs) . Particularly when they include investor–state dispute settlement mechanisms, IIAs confer substantive international legal rights on foreign investors who find themselves in dispute with host governments . IIAs are generally promoted as economic policy tools that can promote investment and enhance welfare for both host states and investors . In a series of papers (some co-authored by academics at the University of California Berkeley and the University of British Columbia), Aisbett shows that neither of these claims can be substantiated .

The arguments and evidence in these papers form the basis of a submission – co-authored by Jonathan Bonnitcha from Oxford University – to the Productivity Commission’s Review into Bilateral and Regional Trade Agreements . The review’s reports make clear reference to the submission and are ultimately sceptical of the benefits of including investor–state dispute settlement procedures in free trade agreements . The Gillard government’s recently released Trade Policy Statement (p .14) concurs with the review’s recommendations:

In the past, Australian Governments have sought the inclusion of investor–state dispute resolution procedures in trade agreements with developing countries at the behest of Australian businesses . The Gillard Government will discontinue this practice . If Australian businesses are concerned about sovereign risk in Australian trading partner countries, they will need to make their own assessments about whether they want to commit to investing in those countries .

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Indian Public Sector Media and Broadcasting Chiefs Attend Crawford School Course

In late March to early April, Crawford School Executive Education ran a two-week,

intensive course on Trends in Media Policy, Regulation and Management for the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting . Eight senior officials, equivalent in rank to APS First Assistant Secretary or Deputy Secretary, attended the program . It was conducted in Canberra and Sydney . The principal objective of the program was to give participants an understanding of media regulation in Australia, including emerging trends in Web 2 .0 and Gov 2 .0 . Members of the delegation were introduced to current trends and best practices in the area of media regulation, institutional arrangements for government publications, and the use of advertising and media tools to communicate government policy to the public . They showed keen interest in Australia’s broadband infrastructure implementation strategy and how the policy and its benefits have been sold to the Australian public .

During their time in Australia, participants were given a presentation on terrorism and crisis communications management . They also met with Sandi Logan, the Head of Communications Strategy at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship . The department maintains a strong presence on new media such as Twitter and YouTube, with departmental videos broadcast regularly and in multilingual formats . Participants were briefed on the e-governance strategy currently being rolled out by the Australian government, and shown how new electronic media were used by field agencies during the Queensland floods in January to counter rumours and furnish timely and reliable information .

In India, the irregular allocation of 2G licences and spectrum at low market prices in 2008 is estimated to have cost Indian taxpayers about US$39 billion, according to a November 2010 report to the Indian parliament by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India . The handling of media enquiries after the 2G scandal became the responsibility of one of the participants in the Crawford School Executive Education course . According to this highly experienced officer, the trick to handling the robust Indian media with their aggressive questioning methods was to make oneself fully available to the media, provide plenty of detail, and maintain a policy of openness and transparency . Much of this was dependent on persuading reluctant ministers to adopt the approach and on restraining ministerial advisors from announcing policy on the run . A close relationship with the minister and department heads was vital to the success of the strategy, as was developing trust and relationships with key media commentators and news anchors .

Course participants commended the balance of classroom presentations, agency visits and intensive workshop/discussion sessions . Among the highlights were site visits and briefing sessions provided by the ABC, the National Press Club, the National Film and Sound Archive, SBS Audio and Language Content (formerly SBS Radio), the Community Broadcasting Station Radio, the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia and the Australian Press Council .

Participants unanimously agreed that the Crawford School Executive Education course had been very effective, particularly in expanding their perspectives on media and broadcasting work . The Crawford School is currently in discussions with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to repeat the course in September 2011 .

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The Crawford School’s Arndt-Corden Department of Economics hosted the second Crawford School Dialogue for 2011 on 12 April . The Dialogue

examined major economic developments across four of the largest and most dynamic economies in Asia, and assessed the impact of those developments for Australia . It featured presentations by specialists on the economies of Japan, China, India and Indonesia as well as a panel discussion on cross-cutting issues . Mr Tetsuro Amano, the Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Japan, opened the proceedings by discussing recent economic developments in Japan, including the consequences of the recent earthquake and tsunami, as well as the state of trade relations between Japan and Australia .

This was followed by presentations on the four countries . Professor Jenny Corbett spoke about how the recent events in Japan might affect economic growth in that country . Associate Professor Ligang Song detailed the economic situation in China . Professor Raghbendra Jha provided an update on the drivers and consequences of rapid economic growth in India, and Dr Ross McLeod outlined developments in the Indonesian economy . The panel, which included Professor Peter Warr, then addressed common themes affecting the four countries .

A video of the proceedings is available online. visit: http://www.crawford.anu.edu.au/media/policy_forum/

Policy brief: http://www.crawford.anu.edu.au/pdf/policy_briefs/2011/implications_for_australia.pdf

from left to right: Ligang Song, Creina Day,

Prema-chandra Athukorala, Paul Burke.

Crawford School Dialogue

Asia’s Economic Transformation: Implications for Australia

Photo by Amy Nichole harris / Shutterstock.com

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In August 2011, 20 academics from universities in China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos will start

a four-month program at the Crawford School . The aim is to develop a package of cooperative research and teaching activities for themselves and the School focusing on climate change and development issues in the Mekong region . Climate change is predicted to significantly affect the volume and annual distribution of rainfall in the Mekong catchment and threaten the large population in the Mekong Delta through sea-level rise and saline intrusion into fresh groundwater systems . The construction of an extensive network of large dams to generate hydro-power is also expected to have severe social, economic and environmental consequences . Even if international negotiations to limit carbon emissions are successful, it will still be necessary to adapt to substantial climate change and intensified development . Cross-border cooperation between research and teaching institutions in the region will play an important role in managing these pressures .

The program will be built around a package of Crawford School courses tailored to support the above themes . These courses will include environmental governance, climate change policy economics, natural hazards, and environmental policy and communications . Participants will also take part in weekly sessions where they will discuss major issues affecting the Mekong region and work on proposals for cooperation when they return to their home institutions . As coordinator of the program, I will take the group to Sydney to meet with other researchers working on Mekong issues, and organise a field trip to sites of interest in the Murray–Darling Basin .

The participants already hold leadership positions as professors, lecturers and researchers in their home institutions . Their selection reflects a commitment by their employers to increase their efforts to work on Mekong-related issues . In practice it would have been impossible for such senior staff to work together on this project within the region, because of the distractions that inevitably result from day-to-day work duties and local political environments . The Crawford School will provide a supportive venue for collaboration . According to the Vice Rector of the Beijing Forestry University, Professor Qixiang Zhang, ‘This initiative is very timely, and my academics welcome the opportunity to liaise with others from neighbouring countries and the academic experts from the ANU concerning the Mekong’ .

ALA Fellowship programs are approved by AusAID as one-off proposals and the Crawford School has been very successful in this competitive annual process . The proposal for the Mekong Alliance was initiated by Billie Headon and Ngan Le and is the fifth successful ALA Fellowship application that the Recruitment unit has organised for the Crawford School . For 2012, a proposal is being developed in combination with the ANU’s UNESCO Water Chair, also based at the Crawford School . Intended for staff in universities in southern Africa, it will focus on water economics and governance .

The Mekong AllianceDAnIEL COnnELL, COORDInATOR, CRAwFORD ALA FELLOwSHIP PROGRAM, 2011

DAnIEL COnnELL

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The United nations’ recent world population forecasts for 2050 vary by as much as 1

billion, reminding us that small changes in fertility can have a major impact on future population size . Birth rates and fertility have become part of the Australian economic policy debate since the release of the Treasury’s first Intergenerational Report in 2003 . More recently, interest has moved to the question of whether government policy can actually reverse a long-run decline in fertility, spurred by the observation that such a reversal is actually occurring . At 1 .97 births per woman, Australia’s fertility is now close to replacement level – the level at which enough children are born to replace their parents .In a recent paper, Creina Day and Steve Dowrick model substitution of bought-in services for parental time in the rearing and education of children, in an economy where technological progress leads households to choose fewer but better educated children . Within this climate of economic growth and declining fertility, they analyse the effects on fertility and education of three types of family policy operating in Australia: a cash payment (baby bonus), a child-care subsidy and maternity pay for working mothers .

A particularly interesting result of the model is that the education–fertility trade-off need not apply in the case of policy intervention . Where raising and educating children is costly, budget-constrained parents are faced with a trade-off . However, by relaxing the budget constraint, the three forms of family payment allow parents to choose both more and better educated children . By implication, policies designed to boost fertility may also enhance economic growth .

The paper also finds that, whilst the introduction of a lump-sum baby bonus increases fertility, any further increase in fertility would require the lump-sum bonus to rise faster than household income . The relative effectiveness of child-care

subsidies and paid maternity leave in raising fertility depends on the relative efficiency of child care and the prevailing rates of subsidy and maternity pay . Since 1 January 2011, Australian working mothers of a newborn child have received 18 weeks maternity leave paid at the minimum wage . The model uses numerical examples to explore whether the existing rate of maternity pay is sufficiently high to render it the more effective lever to raise fertility .

‘what entices the Stork? fertility, education and family Payments’ by C. Day and S. Dowrick was published in the economic record in September 2010 (86 (Special issue): 69–79).

Staff profile: http://www.crawford.anu.edu.au/staff/acde/cday.php

Can Family Policy Entice the Stork and Boost Education?

CREInA DAY

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ALAn MORRISOn, CRAwFORD SCHOOL ALUMnI

Discipline, Enthusiasm and Energy

Dr Alan Morrison is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors at Standards Australia . From 2009

to 2011 he served as President of the International Organization for Standardization, the first Australian to do so in the organisation’s 64-year history . He graduated from the Crawford School with a PhD in Public Policy in 2005 .Dr Morrison has served in a number of senior positions, including Deputy Chairman and Managing Director of ACTEW Energy Ltd; Corporate General Manager, General Manager Engineering and General Manager Retail of ACTEW Corporation; Chair of Standards Australia Business and Governance Committee; Chair of Standards Australia Certification and Testing Standing Forum; ACT Chair of the Executive Connection; National Council Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors; President, ACT and SE Region, Council of the Australian Institute of Company Directors; founder and chief executive of a design engineering company and a management consultancy company; First Assistant Secretary [Radio communications] and Principal Policy Advisor to the Minister for

Transport and Communications; Member of the Department of Defence Weapons Materials Management Board; and Vice Chairman of the Energy Council of Australia .

We spoke recently with Dr Morrison to discuss his experiences at the Crawford School .

Q Tell us a little bit about your experiences while studying at the Crawford School .

I was a mature student when I enrolled to study for my PhD and did not spend as much time at the Crawford School as most of the students, as I preferred to work in my own office . However, I was well nurtured and challenged in my work by Dr Suiwah Leung and Professor Christopher Findlay, with whom I met regularly . I probably missed out on the more social and personally interactive aspects of the school, which I would have enjoyed had I been nearer the age group of the general body of students .

Q what motivated you to enrol as a PhD student at the Crawford School?

For some years I had been curious about whether policies developed by governments actually achieved their objectives . This curiosity developed in the period I spent as a Principal Policy Advisor to the commonwealth government . Before enrolling to study and write my thesis, I had spent ten years helping to develop a national market for electricity, and I decided to use this experience to see if the government policies at the start of that period had achieved their intended results ten years later – or, were they still even the same policies?

Q what do you feel were the main attributes you gained from your study?

The studies helped my ability to undertake research in a disciplined way and gave me the time to do so in some depth . I also learned to organise my thoughts and present them in a way which withstood the challenges presented by the academic community .

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Q what can a school like Crawford do to prepare students for entry into the workplace?

Most study is about discipline, mainly self-discipline, which is encouraged at schools like the Crawford School . Self-discipline to work and organise thoughts is essential for success in the workplace . This, together with the opportunity to develop your skill in presenting your work in a confident way to a critical audience, is one of the essentials for successful entry to the workplace .

Q The Crawford School is committed to bringing academic expertise and research into the policy-making process . As somebody who has worked on policy, do you see benefits from greater interaction between universities and government in policy formation?

Needless to say, the policy-making process is complex and subject to political process and even personal ambitions . The benefits of unbiased and critical analyses of factual information as practised at universities can aid government in policy formation .

Q what advice would you offer students currently studying at the School, both at Master and PhD level?

Students tend to form their own methods of study and I am always reluctant to give much advice, although I do advocate that they choose a subject for their thesis which is of deep personal interest to them, as this will give them the enthusiasm and energy to keep going even when they are subjected to criticism which can be debilitating and make it hard to keep going .

My own approach was to develop a framework for my thesis and have it tested and agreed upon by my supervisors . I then set to work on individual chapters, researching and writing down as much as I could, even if I did not use all of the material . Following this I tested what I had written with my supervisors, then edited the material ruthlessly . I did not necessarily work through the chapters in order . Finally, I re-read the whole thesis and edited it to ensure the consistency of the logic . This approach would not suit a student who likes to work in an orderly way from start to finish .

To keep in contact with Crawford School Alumni you can visit: http://www .crawford .anu .edu .au/alumni/

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On 29 March, the Crawford School launched the Environment and Economics 2011 conference . The three-day conference focused on three significant

themes facing Australia: biosecurity, water and climate change . The aim was to address Australia’s major environmental management challenges with integrated economic research, and to provide an opportunity for informed debate of the issues . The theme of the first day of the conference was biosecurity and environmental economics . Led by Crawford School Director Tom Kompas, research associates from the Australian Centre for Biosecurity and Environmental Economics, leading experts in biosecurity and policy-makers discussed containment and eradication measures, optimal local surveillance, environmental valuation, cost–benefit analysis, bioeconomic modelling, and natural resource management and marine reserve design . Professor James Wilen, a distinguished environmental economist from the University of California Davis, delivered the keynote address: ‘Optimal Management of Established Bioinvasives .

Emerging policy issues in water was the theme for day 2 . Led by Professor Quentin Grafton, a group of experienced water policy specialists, scientists and economists from across Australia and around the world addressed this challenging issue . The major topics of discussion included governance, the Murray–Darling Basin, water reform, climate variability, climate change and water, and the economics of managing urban water .

The topic for the final day of the conference was Australia’s climate policy options . Professor Ross Garnaut delivered a report on the updated Garnaut Climate Change Review 2011 . Dr Andrew Leigh MP was joined by former Opposition Leader Dr John Hewson and Sydney Morning Herald National Affairs Correspondent Lenore Taylor in a panel discussion on the politics of climate change policy reform . The opening remarks were given by the Secretary of the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Mr Blair Comley .

Environment and Economics 2011

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The Economics and Environment Network – comprising the Australian Centre for Biosecurity and Environmental Economics, the Centre for Water Economics, Environment and Policy, and the Centre for Climate Economics and Policy – was launched at the conference . Its mission is to deliver economic analysis and insight to inform, shape and contribute to policy on better economic environmental outcomes for societies .

the presentations from the conference can be viewed online, visit: http://www.crawford.anu.edu.au/media/news/ee2011.php?day=one

for further information about the economics and environment Network, visit: http://een.anu.edu.au/

media articles related to the conference can be found at: http://afr.com/p/national/mckibbin_turns_up_heat_on_tax_rQQ6v84gihz2pzeiofPu0l

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/garnaut-tackles-energy-critics/story-fn59niix-1226031627745

left: Anita Talberg presents her talk, Party divides: expertise in and attitude towards climate change among Australian Members of Parliament .

Anita is a former student of the Master of Climate Change at the Crawford School who currently works as a Senior Researcher for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Library .

top from far left to right: Blair Comley presenting to the day three audience, Professor Ross Garnaut . Andrew Leigh MP, Dr Frank Jotzo, Professor Tom Kompas, Professor Quentin Grafton .

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I want to describe an imaginary country . This country has a population of more than 500

million . That would make it the third most populated country in the world .There is a lot wrong in our imaginary country . Under-five mortality is reported to be as high as 80 per cent . UNESCO says 90 per cent of the children do not attend school . The UNDP reports that the literacy rate for adults is as low as 3 per cent overall and 1 per cent for women . The ILO measures unemployment at 80 per cent in some areas .

A small survey in one region suggests that virtually all of the women and girls had been beaten at home; 25 per cent of women had been raped; and 6 per cent of women had been forcibly sterilised .

This imaginary country certainly sounds as though it would be the international development community’s top priority . But it isn’t!

This may be an imaginary country but these are not imaginary statistics . They tell the real but under-recognised story of people with disabilities in developing countries .

The statistics quoted above are not the product of an overheated imagination . They are official figures from the United Nations and its various agencies .

As soon as the stark reality is illustrated, the case for a special priority in development programs for people with disabilities becomes obvious . No other group with such statistical evidence to show their absolute and relative disadvantage would suffer such a lack of attention .

So, what is to be done?

First, a proper recognition of the priority owed to those who are the most disadvantaged amongst the poor and needy of the world should be established .

Second, all development agencies should develop a strategy to guide their approach to the issue of people with a disability . The strategy needs to be not just about the delivery of services but to focus also on the rights of people with disabilities . These rights are set out in the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD) to which all the major donor countries are signatories .

Article 32 of the CRPD commits developed countries to ensuring that their development programs reflect the rights set out in the convention . But we shouldn’t need a convention to tell us that the most disadvantaged of all should be a focus of our attention .

Australia has taken a worthwhile lead in the development of a sound strategy for placing this disadvantaged group at the centre of its aid program . That strategy, ‘Development for All’, has been reviewed positively by the World Bank in a recent review of policies and practices of donors around the world . A key feature of the strategy is the ‘twin track’ approach, which recognises the need both to mainstream disability within existing programs and to provide for disability-specific initiatives .

A medium-sized country like Australia can’t lead on every issue . But this is an issue on which the world should follow Australia’s lead . Otherwise my imaginary country will continue to receive too little attention, its citizens’ rights will not be recognised and their opportunities will remain unfairly constrained .

Tales from an Imaginary Country

BOB McMULLAn

Photo by Killroy Productions / Shutterstock.com

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The Future of Disability Employment

On 1 March 2010, the Australian government introduced a new Disability Employment

Service (DES) designed to increase the employment of job seekers with disability in the open labour market . In the lead-up to the introduction of the DES, the government promised service providers less administration and red tape so that they could provide job seekers with flexible, tailored employment assistance . However, the first independent review of the impact of the new service on service providers, clients and employers, by two Crawford School academics, Dr Ann nevile and Dr Janine O’Flynn, finds that the government has failed to deliver on its promises .Nevile and O’Flynn find that administration and reporting/compliance requirements have increased while the level of autonomy given to service providers to tailor assistance to individual needs has decreased . New rules surrounding the payment structure also make it more difficult for service providers to deliver a flexible, individualised service . For example, under the new contract, outcome payments are linked to the achievement of future rather than current benchmarks . This means, in effect, that the future benchmark (work capacity with intervention) is being treated as current capacity .

Service providers are very much aware that, in many cases, intervention is not as simple as merely modifying the workplace . Capacity building can take months or years, and in the meantime staff have to choose between pushing a client to take on more hours than they are presently capable of sustaining and receiving an outcome payment, or working with the client to slowly increase capacity but not being paid

for that work because the hours are less than the client’s designated future benchmark . Professional norms mean staff are reluctant to ‘set clients up to fail’, but financial pressures are hard to resist .

We just had one the other day, a guy that is working at his current benchmark, but not his future . He basically said, ‘I can’t work 30 hours . I’m here at 15 and that’s it . I physically cannot do it . … I’d love to work [more], but I can only work the 15 hours’ . … So we’re not going to get any kudos for that because it’s not 30, even though it’s the right thing for them and it’s their current capacity; we have to get them a job in their future capacity .

(Focus group of senior managers, inner metropolitan agency)

The administrative systems of the DES have been more closely aligned with those of the mainstream employment service, Job Services Australia (JSA), despite the fundamental difference in the two agencies’ processes of employment search and consolidation . This means that the DES cannot deliver optimal outcomes for its clients, particularly the most vulnerable and disadvantaged .

Rectifying this situation will involve more than the adaptation of current arrangements . A re-assessment of the appropriate structure for the DES is required in order to provide flexible service provision that meets individual needs and capacities within a sustainable compliance framework .

the full report can be accessed at: http://crawford.anu.edu.au/sparc/

Ann nEVILE

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Crawford School Quarterly Newsletter 2011 15

Page 16: Crawford School Quarterly Newsletter - Autumn 2011

mr yoshio ishizaka, former President and Ceo of toyota motor Sales, USA, inc. and now executive Advisor at toyota motor Corporation in Japan, shares his insights into the toyota Corporation and offers advice to aspiring leaders.

yoShio iShizAKA, CrAwforD SChool ADviSory CoUNCil

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Page 17: Crawford School Quarterly Newsletter - Autumn 2011

Yoshio Ishizaka joined Toyota in 1964 when the company had sold 24,380 cars outside Japan .

Today Toyota employs over 300,000 people and is the world’s largest automobile manufacturer . It sold 8 .4 million cars in 2010 . Mr Ishizaka attributes the company’s success to its commitment to providing ‘quality products for customers’ .

In the auto industry, quality is of upmost importance . Core to the Toyota philosophy is what we call QDR: quality, reliability and durability . By sticking to these fundamental values Toyota has provided customers with quality products that they trust . We’ve built customer confidence .

Toyota has a very customer-driven focus . We believe in building the vehicles where the markets are, in Australia, the USA, Asia, China and Europe . One of Toyota’s guiding principles is to always provide outstanding products and services that fulfil the needs of customers worldwide .

This customer-driven focus, coupled with a desire to exceed expectations, led Toyota to initiate a move into the premium car market, creating the first Japanese luxury vehicle, the Lexus . The introduction of the Lexus to the United States in 1988 marked a pinnacle in Mr Ishizaka’s career . He led the sales and marketing initiative that resulted in huge success for the corporation .

Toyota had the reputation, but people were thinking, ‘What’s next?’ . The Lexus was born as a new attraction which appealed to the American public . The strategy used in the USA was based on Toyota’s philosophy of QDR [quality, durability and reliability], along with careful selection of the key customer-focused dealerships in affluent areas . On top of that, and very importantly, the Toyota staff understood the requirement to treat customers like guests in their own homes rather than pushing sales . Customers were invited to taste the luxury and comfort; we offered them the best purchasing experience .

To fully understand Mr Ishizaka’s methods, not just in the United States but globally, one would need to read his book, The Toyota Way in Sales and Marketing . The book was created to help employees understand and share in the spirit of Toyota, and to help communicate the company’s vision and mission globally . According to Mr Ishizaka:

Toyota became a global corporation but the Toyota philosophy continued to be passed down by voice,

gesture and example . The book discusses the vision and mission of Toyota, which was to become the most successful and respected car company around the world .

As well as consolidating its position as a leader in the motor industry, Toyota has focused on adapting to the changing demands of the twenty-first century . Most notably, the company has committed itself to making a strong contribution to reducing the impact of climate change .

Toyota is dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint . If we look back to 1995, a very visionary man, H . Okuda, became president of Toyota . Okuda understood that the twenty-first century would be very different from the twentieth century . He knew the importance for Toyota to be a driving force in the reduction of CO2 and the need to utilise emerging technology to do so . This is how the Toyota Prius was created .

The Prius was the world’s first mass-produced gasoline–electric hybrid car designed specifically to reduce emissions . It was introduced into the Japanese market in 1997 .

The environmental challenge faced by the motor industry is just one of many Mr Ishizaka has witnessed during his 40 plus years with the corporation . He describes his term as president of Toyota USA as his most challenging and rewarding time with the company .

When I began as president of Toyota USA [in 1996] I challenged myself and my associates . It was during a time when the company had become very stagnant . I wanted to regrow the company and my motto became ‘Grow, change and develop’ . Grow as humans and as a company, earn a reputation and make a profit . Change and adapt to the environment and accommodate Y2K . Develop as people and develop human resources .

By conveying his motto to his colleagues and associates and encouraging staff to set a mission for themselves each year, Mr Ishizaka quickly developed a more united and motivated company . He puts his accomplishments down to a few key attributes .

I have never been an exclusive leader; I’ve always aimed to be very inclusive . I would encourage anyone aspiring to become a good leader to be more inclusive, and more communicative . To be successful you need to gain trust and you need to be caring . Most importantly, you need to tell others your vision .

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Page 18: Crawford School Quarterly Newsletter - Autumn 2011

BOOKSeditor: Kuntala Lahiri-Dutttitle: Gendering the Field: Towards Sustainable Livelihoods for Mining Communities

JOURnAL ARTICLEStitle: ‘Trade Liberalization and Poverty of Nations: A Review Article’Author: Prema-chandra AthukoralaJournal: Journal of Development Studies

title: ‘Complementarity of No-take Marine Reserves and Individual Transferable Catch Quotas for Managing the Line Fishery of the Great Barrier Reef’

Authors: L .R . Little, R . Quentin Grafton, Tom Kompas, A .D .M . Smith, A .E . Punt and B .D . Mapstone

Journal: Conservation Biology

title: ‘Divorce and the Wellbeing of Older Australians’Authors: Matthew Gray, David de Vaus, Lixia Qu and David StantonJournal: Ageing & Society

title: ‘Household Perceptions of Climate Change and Preferences for Mitigation Action: The Case of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme in Australia’

Authors: Sonia Akter and Jeff BennettJournal: Climatic Change

title: ‘The Impact of Trade Costs on Exports: An Empirical Modelling’Authors: Imran Ullah Khan and Kaliappa KalirajanJournal: Economic Modelling

title: ‘Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin’Authors: Daniel Connell and R . Quentin GraftonJournal: Water Resources Research

Selected recent publications

right, from top to bottom: David Stanton, Jeff Bennett, Kaliappa Kalirajan, Quentin Grafton .

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Page 19: Crawford School Quarterly Newsletter - Autumn 2011

Honours and Awards

PhD Induction Each semester the Crawford Research Committee hosts a major event for PhD students . In first semester, Research Day–Induction is traditionally held as an opportunity to welcome new PhD students to the Crawford community and discuss issues of relevance to students and supervisors .

This year, the event focused on the important theme of publication . Yusaku Horiuchi, Director of Research, gave a useful overview of how to target journals based on journal rankings . Supervisors and students then discussed the merits of co-authoring articles, and whether this was best done before or after students had submitted their theses . Janine O’Flynn reflected on her own student experience of publishing with her supervisor as a true partnership or apprenticeship, whereas Bruce Chapman found the best collaborations with students came after they had submitted their theses .

Guest speaker Andrew Walker, Associate Dean of Education at the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, led a lively forum on the topic ‘Thesis by Publication’, raising authorial freedom and co-authorship as some of the hard issues to consider . In defence of the traditional thesis, Peter Larmour described the history of the thesis as ‘a literary ballet’, with its core argument acting as linking architecture and going beyond the empirical .

Trevor Breusch spoke in support of the three-essay thesis, noting that this format leaves the student in control rather than dependent on acceptance or rejection by a publisher . From a student perspective, Jamie Pittock advised that ‘on balance the benefits of publication are exceptional: peer review before thesis submission, academic networking, establishing a publications record, and increasing examiners’ confidence in your text’ .

After all this food for thought, three brave students each presented a thesis-in-a-nutshell in the inaugural Crawford 3 Minute Thesis Competition, with Gabriela Scheufele winning first prize . Following an enjoyable lunch, new students met with the Research Team – Yusaku Horiuchi, Robyn Walter and Wendy Noble – to learn what research funds, resources and support the Crawford School can offer them during their studies .

Janine o’flynn was appointed Guest Editor of the first-ever virtual issue of the Australian Journal of Public Administration, launched in March 2011 . The special issue presented key papers from the journal’s archives on ideas, debates and applications of the concept of public value .

John burton from the Resource Management in Asia-Pacific Program (RMAP) was successful in obtaining an AusAID Public Sector Linkages grant for staff exchanges between RMAP and the Department of Communication and Development Studies (CDS) at the University of Technology, Lae, in Papua New Guinea . The grant, which is worth $204,000 over three years, will see two CDS staff visit the ANU for a month each year to work on course content, and two RMAP staff visit the University of Technology each year to contribute to CDS teaching . The first visitors from PNG are expected to arrive in November 2011 .

frank Jotzo was highlighted in the New York Review of Books for his contribution to the book Smart Solutions to Climate Change: Comparing Costs and Benefits by Bjørn Lomborg .

The article that was downloaded the most in 2010 was ‘Like the Drifting Grains of Sand: Vulnerability, Security and Adjustment by Communities in the Charlands of Damodar River, India’, by Kuntala lahiri-Dutt and gopa Samanta (South Asia, Journal of the South Asian Studies Association 32(2): 320–57) . It was downloaded 466 times . For more information or to download a copy of the article, visit http://www.crawford.anu.edu.au/staff/rmap/klahiridutt.php

right: 3 Minute Thesis Competition winner Gabriela Scheufele .

JANiNe o’flyNN JohN bUrtoN

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Page 20: Crawford School Quarterly Newsletter - Autumn 2011

2 march government delegation from Kingdom of bhutan

Bhutan’s Road to Democracy: Presentations and Discussion

9 march the world bank, AusAiD, the global facility for Disaster reduction and recovery and the Crawford School

Natural Hazards, Unnatural Disasters: The Economics of Effective Prevention

10 march luca tacconi Redefining Payments for Environmental Services11 march trevor breusch Is It Getting Hotter or Not?23 march Australian Services roundtable and

the Crawford School 2011 Services Symposium and Summit28-29 march Australia-Japan research Centre Australia, Japan & the Region 30 years on1 April Dr Cameron hepburn, oxford University Self-interested Climate Policy and

Emerging Markets

5 April Professor robert D. Putnam harvard University

American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites America

7 April John Conroy The Informal Economy: History of an Idea,

with a Case-Study of Papua New Guinea12 April Crawford School Dialogue Asia’s Economic Transformation: Implications

for Australia19 April emeritus Professor frank Castles The Real Issue for Future Comparative Policy

Research: Does Government Matter?19 April Dr Shenggen fan Preventing Recurring Food Crises13 may Crawford School Dialogue Australia’s Role in Reducing

Regional Deforestation19 may Dr frank Alcock Deepwater Horizon: What Happened, Why

and What Does It Mean for Offshore Drilling?

Crawford School

Event highlights

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CrAwforD SChool of eCoNomiCS AND goverNmeNt

CrAwforD SChool of eCoNomiCS AND goverNmeNt

College of Asia & the Pacific The Australian National University Building 132, Lennox Crossing Canberra 0200 ACT

PhoNe: +61 2 6125 4705 fAx: +61 2 6125 5570emAil (CrAwforD SChool ProgrAmS): [email protected]