CASR News and Events

NEWS

GSSSP Working Paper Series 2008

The launch of the GSSSP Working Paper Series 2008on Monday 14 July was a great success, with CASR introducing the new internet-based series to the School. The Working Paper Series (WPS) offers the opportunity for researchers to publish works-in-progress on an online feedback forum, and offers the opportunity for readers to access new directions in research.

If you would like to more about the WPS or to access our current working papers, visit www.rmit.edu.au/casr/workingpaperseries or contact the series' editor, Susie Elliott at susie.elliott@rmit.edu.au.

A Raw Deal?

Dr James Rowe of CASR, in partnership with the Salvation Army’s Research and Advocacy Unit, launched the research report A Raw Deal: Impact on the health of consumers relative to the cost of pharmacotherapy on June 24^th 2008.

The research found the cost of dispensing fees for opioid maintenance treatment programs was driving some recovering users to crime and sex work, while others were going without meals and struggled to find stable accommodation.

Dr Rowe said many patients on limited incomes had their treatment discontinued against their will because they were unable to continue paying dispensing fees.

He said the Federal Government’s failure to subsidise pharmacist dispensing fees – which average about $60 a fortnight for opioid maintenance programs – was hurting some of the most vulnerable people in the community.

The research was based on an in-depth survey of 120 recovering drug users undergoing treatment through methadone programs, whose main source of income was government welfare payments.

You can download the report here:

Call for Expressions of Interest – The Rudd Revolution?

This is an exciting one day public policy conference to be held on Friday 28 November, the week of the anniversary of the election of the Rudd Labor Government. The Rudd Government has promised major changes in public policy which some believe heralds a ‘Rudd Revolution’. This conference will bring together leading scholars and policymakers to critically assess the first 12 months of the Rudd Government.

If you would like to deliver a paper and/or convene a panel session, please email Benno Engels, benno.engels@rmit.edu.au with the title of your paper and/or panel title by Friday 15 August 2008. Please note places are limited.

What: The Rudd Revolution – One Day Public Policy Conference

When: Friday 28 November 2008, 9am to 5pm

Where: RMIT Storey Hall, RMIT University, 360 Swanston Street, Melbourne.

(Further details on registration for this event will be available shortly. You can download the Call for Expressions of Interest flyer here .)

Senior Research Associate Appointment

CASR is pleased to announce that Kerry Haynes has been appointed to the position of Senior Research Associate to work on the Linkage grant Dr Iain Campbell and Dr Sara Charlesworth have together with ASSOC PROF Marian Baird from the University of Sydney.

The Linkage Project is formally entitled: ‘A Regional Perspective on Work & Family Balance and Changes in Employment Regulation’. The main aims of the project are to investigate how regional and industry differences in employment conditions are associated with the capacity to balance work and family life, and to analyse the particular impact of changing employment regulation on working time arrangements and work/family balance outcomes in a range of specific regional and industry contexts.

Kerry comes to CASR after working as the Senior Evaluation Officer in the Research, Strategy and Policy Unit at The Victorian Health Promotion Foundation.

Farewell to Annette Bando and welcome Yee Man Louie

On 29 June 2008, CASR staff held a ‘Bye Bye Bash’ for its Coordinator, Annette Bando. Annette is making a major transition in her life (‘retirement’) and will be moving on to ‘bigger and better’ things. At the farewell party, Annette was presented with a leaving gift and many people spoke of her enormous contribution to the research centre. Everyone will remember Annette with great affection and we hope she will visit us regularly. A BBQ was also held at the weekend to celebrate Annette entering the new chapter of her life (see photos). We wish Annette all the best with her future endeavours.

Ms Yee Man Louie has been appointed as the new CASR Coordinator.

Associate Professor Chris Chamberlain selected to attend 2020 Summit

From the Vice Chancellor’s message 1 April 2008:
The following RMIT staff have been selected from more than 10,000 nominations to be among the 1000 who will contribute to the 2020 Summit deliberations. It is a great opportunity for them to contribute to new ideas for Australia’s future and great recognition of their ability to do so.

Professor Daine Alcorn (A long-term national health strategy)
Dr Sarah Bekessy (Australia’s future security and prosperity in a rapidly changing region and world)
Dr Simon Feeny (Australia’s future security and prosperity in a rapidly changing region and world)
Professor Margaret Jackson (Future directions for the Australian economy)
Associate Professor Chris Chamberlain (Strengthening communities, supporting families and social inclusion)Professor Leon van Schaik (The productivity agenda, education, skills, training, science and innovation)

I congratulate them all on their selection and wish them well for Summit discussions.

Applied Social Science Seminar Series

CASR is pleased to host this programme of seminars for 2008.
The School of Global Studies Social Science and Planning has an ‘Applied Social Science’ research cluster. This seminar program is supported by Criminal Justice and Administration, Social Work, Legal Science and Dispute Studies and the Centre of Applied Social Research (CASR).The aim is to provide a forum for the research cluster, promote dialogue and to bring people together.
Graduate students are welcome to attend.

Full details of the programme

‘Women and Work Current RMIT Research 2007’ launch March 4

RMIT Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Margaret Gardner AO, was present at the launch of the third volume of the ‘Women and Work’ series of research papers.
The event was well attended and both Professor Gardner and Professor Bruce Wilson, Head of GSSSP spoke of the issues confronting women in the workplace today.

The research highlights unfair work practices that disadvantage women and the flawed national and international legislation that enables discriminatory practices against women to continue.

For more details, see RMIT Openline.

New edition of Labour & Industry now available

Volume 18.1 will be available from 11 February 2008.
To place an order, please go to the Labour and Industry web page.

Patricia Rogers – Project Director of the award winning team for the Evaluation of the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy 2000-2004

Patricia Rogers of CASR was the Project Director of a research team, led by RMIT University, which was awarded the Best Evaluation Study Award for 2007 by the Australasian Evaluation Society at its recent international evaluation conference in Melbourne.
The award was presented for the Evaluation of the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy 2000-2004, which was conducted for the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
For full details, check RMIT’s Openline report dated 23 October 2007.

Recent Appointments

Sara Charlesworth has been recently appointed to the Victorian Government’s Working Families Council.
The Council’s members represent a broad range of unions, employer groups and academics. It will work with industry and community groups to champion the issues of working families and help employers with strategies to improve work and family balance.

Further details

Sara has also recently been appointed by the Victorian Attorney General as a member of the Advisory Committee for the Equal Opportunity Act Review.
The Review will investigate and assess a range of options to improve the fairness, effectiveness and efficiency of the ‘Equal Opportunity Act 1995’.

A Word document containing the background and terms of reference of the Review is available from the Human Rights Commission web site

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EVENTS

Book launch: ‘Women and Work Current RMIT Research 2007’

This monograph brings together eight articles, most of which were originally presented as papers at the third annual Women and Work conference at RMIT University

The Women and Work 2007 book launch will be held:

Date: Tuesday March 4 2008

Time: 4.30pm to 6.00pm

Location: Research Lounge

Building 28, Level 5, (Opposite Library), Melbourne

This seminar is free and open to the public.
Refreshments will be provided
For catering purposes, please RSVP:Annette Bando 9925 5067Email annette.bando@rmit.edu.au

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