Student Policy Papers

25/05/2022

24/05/2022

21 May 2022 marks a historic day in which the Labor Party formed government from opposition for only the 4th time since the second world war. Labor are known as the party of reform but after a campaign focussed upon the shortcomings of former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, it is unclear what Labor's plan is for Australia.

To help answer this question, KPMG have released their review of the election results and the key policy outcomes. We have taken the key points from this paper and present an easy to follow guide of key policy observations and election promises.

Have your say on the key election outcomes by publishing your own policy analysis with the Student Policy Papers!

To publish a paper with the Student Policy Papers, please email it to us at [email protected] with a copy of your reference list.

22/05/2022

Lauren Halvorson's paper provides an in-depth analysis of how the ‘Identify and Disrupt’ Bill effects everyday Australians.

Exploring the Data Disruption Warrant, a spotlight is placed upon the power of the AFP and ACIC power to ‘modify, add, copy or delete data’ on devices where a law enforcement officer ‘reasonably suspects’ that one or more relevant offences are ‘being, are about to be, or are likely to be committed’.

The extension of the definition of 'networks', in the context of the power granted under a “Network Activity Warrant” is found to mean that such a warrant does not only enable the monitoring of ‘serious criminal activity carried out by criminal networks operating online’ but also the monitoring of anyone who uses the same electronic service as a suspected group or individual.

This paper is a must read for those concerned with government overreach and online surveillance!

To publish a paper with the Student Policy Papers, please email it to us at [email protected] with a copy of your reference list.

https://www.studentpolicypapers.com.au/the-policy-papers/responding-to-the-threat-of-terrorism-in-the-digital-age-how-the-identify-and-disrupt-bill-effects-everyday-australians

We demand action from our government, not to ensure we have adequate housing or income, but to prevent ‘bad’ things from occurring. In what is typically a frenzied scramble to not present as soft on crime, the online platforms upon which global political, economic and social life are increasingl...

05/05/2022

In her paper, Ellie Newton considers how Artificial Intelligence could be utilised to increase access-to-justice for middle-income Australians who are unable to access traditional legal services but who do not qualify for legal aid. She discusses how the relaxation of regulatory standards to permit a new tier of software-based, competent legal service provider could meet the needs of the 'missing middle'.

To publish a paper with the Student Policy Papers, please email it to us at [email protected] with a copy of your reference list.


https://www.studentpolicypapers.com.au/the-policy-papers/a-new-tier-of-legal-service-provider-how-regulation-can-enable-software-based-assistance-for-the-missing-middle

The introduction of a new tier of legal service provider is a topic that often sparks debate in the legal community. Concerns are founded in the belief that such a shift in legal professional regulation would create a two-tiered justice system; one in which people who cannot afford traditional legal

03/05/2022

Food for Thought VI: Will Labor's Home Equity Scheme Increase House Prices Further?

Labor has outlined a new "shared-equity" scheme that it would enact in government, essentially buying 30 or 40 per cent of a property with the buyer. That portion of the property would then be owned by the government, and could be bought by the home owner over time.

Labor estimates that it could cut the cost of a new home by up to $380,000 for some buyers in the most-expensive markets, and reduce the burden of mortgage repayments. However, basic microeconomic theory suggests that subsidising a market creates a pareto inefficiency, resulting in the long-term price increase of an asset. This has the practical implication of potentially further entrenching the housing affordability crisis in Australia.

To publish a paper with the Student Policy Papers, please email it to us at [email protected] with a copy of your reference list.

15/04/2022

In her second paper with the Student Policy Papers, Kate Mesaglio provides a thorough analysis of the issues facing pregnant indigenous women in remote areas of Australia. In addressing the issue, Kate recommends the development of remote birthing facilities and the establishment of pre-natal and post-natal health promotion outreach workshops for indigenous women and healthcare professionals.

To publish a paper with the Student Policy Papers, please email it to us at [email protected] with a copy of your reference list.




https://www.studentpolicypapers.com.au/the-policy-papers/maternal-health-of-indigenous-women-living-in-remote-areas

Australia has considerably improved maternal mortality rates in the last few decades, and currently has one of the lowest maternal mortality rates in the world, with 6.8 deaths per 100,000 women giving birth. However, this rate is more than double for Indigenous women, and this inequitable health di

11/04/2022

Food for Thought V: The Consequences of an Election Decided on Personality, not Policy

With the Australian federal election having been called for the 21st May, many are left without a clear idea of what the major parties stand for, with the exchange of personal barbs seemingly having taken the place of meaningful policy debate.

Morrison was successful in the 2019 election after turning it into a personal popularity contest between himself and Bill Shorten, with policy playing a small part.

The Conversation reports that "The great drawback of democracy is that while voters get to decide who forms government, we have little power to set the agenda. Yet if we can’t have a proper policy debate during a campaign, we waste a precious chance to talk about the things that matter most to us."

The Student Policy Papers publish Food for Thought to start your week every Monday.

To publish a paper with the Student Policy Papers, please email it to us at [email protected] with a copy of your reference list.

04/04/2022

Food for Thought IV:
The Australian Government Temporarily Halves the Fuel Excise Tax

In last week's budget, the Australian Government announced the halving of the excise tax levied on unleaded petrol and diesel, from 44.2 cents per litre to 22.1 cents per litre (plus 10% GST). This announcement sees Australia follow the lead of the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

Though the ACCC insist that they will ensure that retailers pass this saving onto consumers, the effectiveness of this tax cut has been widely debated. Both the RACV and NRMA have welcomed

The Student Policy Papers publish Food for Thought to start your week every Monday.

To publish a paper with the Student Policy Papers, please email it to us at [email protected] with a copy of your reference list.

31/03/2022

In his paper, Ben Pimley explores the three major sanction placed upon Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine from a historical perspective. Looking to where similar sanctions have previously been placed upon Iran and Venezuela, the paper purposes to provide a perspective on the sanctioning of Russia which is free from the hyperbole often circulated in an understandably emotionally charged environment.

In his concluding remarks, Ben observes how, though economic sanctions doubtlessly inflict economic pain upon the sanctioned country, there exists limited evidence to suggest that economic sanctions are effective in achieving their geopolitical aims.

To read the paper in full, please follow the link in our description.

To publish a paper with the Student Policy Papers, please email it to us at [email protected] with a copy of your reference list.




https://www.studentpolicypapers.com.au/the-policy-papers/sanctioning-russia-a-historical-perspective-on-the-effectiveness-of-economic-sanctions

This paper explores the three major sanction placed upon Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine from a historical perspective, looking to where such sanctions have been implemented in the past and how this impacted the sanctioned country.

30/03/2022

In her paper exploring vaccine hesitancy among people who inject drugs, Kate Mesaglio places a spotlight on an issues affecting a demographic which is too often overlooked in the Australian policy debate. Kate provides an in-depth exploration of why there is a greater hesitancy among these individuals, before providing actionable policy options to address the issue.

Please follow the link below to read Kate's insightful paper in full!

To publish a paper with the Student Policy Papers, please email it to [email protected] with a copy of your reference list. Even if you haven't drafted a policy paper before, the Student Policy Paper team will help your paper reach the highest standard before publication!


https://www.studentpolicypapers.com.au/the-policy-papers/vaccine-hesitancy-among-people-who-inject-drugs

COVID-19 Vaccine hesitancy rates have been identified as being higher among people who inject drugs compared to the general population, with 57% of people who inject drugs expressing vaccine willingness versus 77% of the general Australian public. This statistic is concerning because people who inje

27/03/2022

Food for Thought III: The Australian Greens Have Promised to Wipe Student Debt

The Australian Greens have promised to wipe student debt should they hold the balance of power after the next election. This election promise is of particular note as, in the instance of a Labor government, Labor will likely require the votes of the Greens to pass legislation through the Senate.

With approximately $58bn being owed to the federal government in the form of student debt, representing an average of $23,685 per student, wiping of this debt will doubtlessly provide financial relief for many. However, with the economy expanding, such a move seemingly flies in the face of traditional counter-cyclical fiscal policy, which would favour a decrease in fiscal expenditure to curb national debt and inflationary pressures.

The Student Policy Papers publish Food for Thought to start your week every Monday.

To publish a paper with the Student Policy Papers, please email it to us at [email protected] with a copy of your reference list.

23/03/2022

In his paper, Jack Motionn brilliantly explores the significant developments in the field of synthetic biology and the biosecurity implications of these developments. Specifically, the paper draws attention to the current cyber-security practices of facilities and how most biological protocols do not consider, or protect against, cyber threats, instead relying on physical perimeter security, further highlighting inherent cyber vulnerabilities.

This is a fantastic read on an area of research in need of significant policy reform to ensure the safety of those working within the field and society more generally.

https://www.studentpolicypapers.com.au/the-policy-papers/potential-security-implications-of-synthetic-biology

Analysis of the key disciplines within the field of synthetic biology, such as genome editing, cybersecurity, and biosecurity, reveal severe societal security implications requiring immediate policy attention from the Australian government. This paper places focus upon the application of synthetic b

21/03/2022

The Student Policy Papers are Live!!!

We are very happy to announce the launch of the Student Policy Papers! We have published papers on a range of topics, stretching from the threat of artificial biology to the history international of sanctions and their effectiveness. We will be placing a spotlight on the hard work of the authors who have featured in our launch over the coming days and cannot wait to see what the future entails for the publication!

Check out www.studentpolicypapers.com.au !

15/03/2022

We cannot wait to read your papers!

If you are intending to lodge a paper for the launch of the Student Policy Papers, please make sure to send it to [email protected] today!

We will continue to be publishing student work once we are up and running, so please don't stress if you don't have your work ready for today. There will be plenty of future opportunities to feature on the Student Policy Papers.

14/03/2022

1 Week until the launch of the Student Policy Papers! Lodge our policy paper at [email protected] to be featured in the launch!

Please lodge your paper by March 16 for the best opportunity of being featured on launch day!

08/03/2022

To mark International Women's Day, the team at the Student Policy Papers want to show respect to the ferocious women who climbed to the very top of their respective governments and effected some of the most successful and impactful policies in Australian history.

07/03/2022

The countdown is well and truly under way with only 2 weeks until the launch of the Student Policy Papers! We are still accepting papers to be featured in our launch, so make sure to send your paper to [email protected] before March 16 to be featured in the launch of this brand new student publication!

28/02/2022

Food for Thought II: The Wivenhoe Dam Upgrade

The Wivenhoe dam has played a critical role in the Brisbane floods in the 2011 and 2022.

The 2011 flood event has been characterised by the Insurance Council of Australia as a "dam release flood", meaning that the release of water from the Wivenhoe dam was a key contributor to the flooding between the 11th - 12th January 2011.

In the 2022 floods in SE Queensland, the Wivenhoe dam has persistently been at between 160% - 180% capacity, with controlled releases mitigating the risk of 2011 style disaster but nonetheless contributing to heightened river levels.

In 2017, upgrades to the Wivenhoe dam were promised to be completed 'well before 2030'. However, 5 years on, negligible progress has been made towards fulfilling this promise.

Upgrades to the dam have the potential to increase it's capacity by 900,000 megalitres (2 Sydney Harbours), reducing the effect of drought and flood events in Queensland. However, the potential upsides of the dam upgrade must be balanced with the potential impact on the local wildlife which accompanies the heightening of any dam.

If this is a topic which you find of particular interest, consider writing a policy paper exploring this issue and how it may be remedied. To have this paper featured at the launch of the Student Policy Papers, on 21 March 2022, please lodge it at [email protected] and one of our experienced editors will be in contact.

The team at the Student Policy Papers hopes that everyone in flood-effected areas have been able to remain safe during the events of the last few days and that those currently battling the weather in NSW are able to find a safe place to ride out the storm. We send our condolences to all those who have suffered loss in these tragic circumstances.