The early twentieth century has been a wretched time for many advanced economies, with stagnant real wages and widening inequality opening deep divisions in many societies. It has been suggested that the reality of how many people live is no longer captured by objective indicators of progress such as gross domestic product growth. The lives of many are being shaped by a different set of circumstances, including a health experience which is resulting in a lower life expectancy and in some cases heightened levels of physical and psychological pain.

Don Russell, Leadership, Monash University Publishing, In the National Interest, 2021 pp.54-5} citing William Davies, Nervous States: How Feeling Took Over the World,  Vintage Books, London, 2018

Latest Papers

The working papers collection comprises historical papers as well as current ideas and works in progress on some of the major issues and topics of our times.

This month in Australia - Weather & Seasons - March 2008 (released 30 March 2008)
An alternative 'podcast' summary of events and news from Australia for the months of February and March 2008. Featuring the music and songs of Andrew Baylor, Slim Dusty, Rochelle Watson, the Pigram Brothers, Paul Kelly, Mervyn Mullardy, the Warumpi Band. This month's podcast includes: Part One - Weather and Seasons, Part Two - Howard and Rudd, Benevolent Murder, Part Three - Revenge and Football. Just double click the links!
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2020 Vision and Walking Around Blind (released 5 March 2008)
Jimmy Martin a member of the Sneedville branch of the NSW Labor Party has dedicated this little ditty to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. He is very upset about recent events. You can download the mp3 file and hear his haunting song.
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Who better than Joe Scimone to check your credentials comrade? (released 4 March 2008)
Who better than Joe Scimone to Chair the NSW ALP Credentials Committee, one of the most important "machine" committees of the NSW Labor Party. This is the Committee that determines the eligibility of members to vote in the selection of Labor parliamentary representatives.
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De-Toxing NSW Labor (released 4 March 2008)
It is time to get into the detailed task of reforming the NSW Branch of the Australian Labor Party. In the accompanying 55,000 word rule re-write "Australian Labor Rules Reconstructed" and Commentary the entire body of rules of the Australian Labor Party (NSW Branch) have been re-written to: a) bring union membership in line with ordinary individual branch party membership; b) de-politicise the administration of the party; c) streamline and depoliticise the role of the officers of the party and d) bring more power back to rank and file members of the party. This rule re-write and commentary is part of a succession of papers which have been titled "Project for a Revolution of the Australian Labor Party". Other papers may be found here on the working papers site and on the Australian Prospect website under the title "Democratising Labor".
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The Social Billionaire (released 23 February 2008)
Andrew Mawson is a billion dollar social entrepreneur. His ventures rival those of the most successful private entrepreneurs (See the appendix to this review). World wide there are plenty of church, government and voluntary bosses who run billion dollar budgets. But there are very few who have generated those funds. Mawson’s billion is not accrued as his own personal wealth, it accrued as community wealth. He is the prototype of a new social and community activist that supports people and community development by literally manufacturing resources, environments, funds, possibilities... He represents, hopefully, a glimpse into our future. But there are plenty of rivers to cross before the Mawson approach is understood or embraced by governments or their gate-keeping minders and bureaucrats. I suspect it will be a matter of communities and tough minded people doing it for themselves, despite the rhetoric and meddling of governments. Mawson is coming to Australia later in 2008 for a limited series of talks and discussions. So his book The Social Entrepreneur - Making Communities Work, Atlantic Books, London, 2008 is a must read for anyone interested in innovative work within the community sector.
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Prime Ministerial Lessons in Hubris (released 19 February 2008)
The curse of the favourable opinion poll
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Apology Day Two: Six Critical Issues (released 14 February 2008)
Aboriginal social and economic development is littered with government waste and disaster. Lets not make the same mistakes again.
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Statement of Apology (Draft Thinking) (released 12 February 2008)
Issued two days before Prime Minister Rudd's Apology, this was the wish list: public acknowledgement of the eugenic thinking behind the removal of Aboriginal children, a full and comprehensive compensation strategy. It caused quite a stir among sections of the media when it was cheekily released as a first draft recovered from the Executive Wing shredder!
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Public Value: The New Agenda for Smaller Government (released 1 February 2008)
(or how to find $1.7 billion in Commonwealth Public Sector savings!) 10,550 words
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No More Shadowing John Howard (released 12 January 2008)
Wake up Kevin, Julia and Wayne you are now running the country!
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