Getting welfare to work: A research program on governance reforms
This program of research, underway for more than two decades, aims to model and explain the governance dynamics of welfare to work in Australia and comparator nations. Australia regularly undertakes major governance reforms in providing welfare to the unemployed and this program of research has tracked these reforms since the late 1990s.
Overview
This program of research aims to model and explain the governance dynamics of welfare to work in Australia and comparator nations, particularly the UK. Australia regularly undertakes major governance reforms in providing welfare to the unemployed and other groups in need. In this dynamic environment, welfare agencies are struggling to deliver benefits to the most disadvantaged people. Services must balance the need to meet central performance requirements against the desire to help clients. The latest project will examine the most recent reform, with an introduction of digital services.
Outcomes / activities
For more information please see the Getting Welfare to Work website
Impact
Knowledge
This program of research has produced numerous publications and industry reports, which represent cutting edge research on welfare reform. This work has been published in leading public administration and social policy journals and in book form.
Engagement
We work with many academic and non-academic partners:
- the project team works with employment service provider peak groups on this project
- we work with several related projects in the UK, Ireland, Denmark and Norway
- we regularly present our results to the Australian Government Department with responsibility for employment services
- members of the team have presented several times on this work to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Paris
Policy
Members of the project team are regularly invited to contribute to government, academic, and industry roundtables and conferences, and to provide evidence via submissions and in person to inquiries and re-design processes in Australia and internationally.