All the COAG briefing papers

1. #JustJustice

The Federal Government has asked the Australian Law Reform Commission to report back by next December on law reforms that could help to address the over-incarceration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (see the draft terms of reference).

The Government notes there are many other reports and inquiries the Commission can draw upon. To this list we add the new #JustJustice book which contains a wealth of strengths-based ideas from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations for wide-ranging and holistic approaches. Download your free copy here.

The latest inquiry should be no excuse for delaying action. The Change the Record Coalition is urging Federal, State and Territory Governments to show leadership at COAG, and commit to developing national justice targets, focused on both violence and incarceration rates, and a nationally co-ordinated whole-of-government approach.

2. #Wonky Health

It is not only in the area of #JustJustice that whole-of-government approaches are needed to encourage health in all policies.

Dr Tim Senior’s #WonkyHealth will give COAG participants many insights into the importance of health in all policies and why governments need to develop new ways of working. Download a copy here and send it to your MPs.

3. The #SDOH Collection

It is a safe bet that every single item on the COAG agenda will have implications for the community’s health and wellbeing.

Every leader in that COAG room has the potential to be a Prime Minister or Premier for Health (to misappropriate the words of Dr Tim Senior and Professor Sir Michael Marmot, see p. 5).

This selection of articles on the social determinants of health was released to mark the 57th Boyer Lecture series by Marmot, the President of the World Medical Association, Director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity and a leading researcher on health inequality issues for more than four decades.

Perhaps it could be given to every new MP as part of their induction. Download a copy and send it to your local reps.

4. Climate and health

The Prime Minister is “talking rubbish” on climate change, according to a headline at The Guardian Australia today, which pretty well encapsulates Australia’s utter failures in public policy on climate change. Of course, he is far from Robinson Crusoe on this.

For those at COAG who do “get” the urgent necessity for climate action, there is plenty of background briefing in our climate and health articles.

Mental Health Victoria – Croakey Conference News Service coverage of #Lived Experience online forum
Mental Health Victoria, in partnership with the Victorian Healthcare Association, ran an online forum on the importance of embedding the voice of lived experience in mental health system reform.
Croakey journalist Marie McInerney did an exceptional job of covering the event through both real-time social media posts and a written article summarising the discussion and themes that arose during the forum.
Her regular Twitter posts throughout the event generated lively discussion and helped emphasise and elevate the important contributions from the consumer voices.
The article that Marie wrote on the event, titled “Imagine a mental health system that meets the needs of consumers and carers” took the reader on a journey through the forum’s key themes along with images and other media to supplement the discussion. It received very positive feedback from all involved.

Larissa Taylor

Director, Policy, Mental Health Victoria

The future of health care is too important to leave to the mainstream media. Croakey provides a platform for robust, respectful and inclusive debate on the health issues that really matter.

Jennifer Doggett

Croakey editor and health policy analyst

Croakey has served splendidly as an independent voice in the health policy arena. It provided a forum for people with ideas and passion about health, especially from a social perspective and policy position, but always with humane concern can find a home. We wish the re-platformed Croakey every success.

Emeritus Professor Stephen Leeder

The University of Sydney

Croakey gives us our daily dose of independent thinking, discussion and debate on all things public health. The broad mix of contributors, topics and prolific tweets combine to make it a valuable and lively source of news and food for thought for all Australians.

Shauna Hurley 

Monash University

Mainstream media usually only has the space and time to cover urgent health issues. Croakey has the space, time and expertise to cover the important issues which shape the health environment and our health system, and determine our health experience.

Charles Maskell-Knight PSM

A senior public servant in the Commonwealth Department of Health for over 25 years before retiring in 2021. He worked as a senior adviser to the Aged Care Royal Commission in 2019-20.

Croakey is an outstanding achievement and an absolutely essential part of the public health scene. It’s required reading for anyone who wants to know what’s happening, why, and what should be happening. Croakey is produced by an exceptional team of editors, authors and other contributors. Always a top read.

Emeritus Professor Mike Daube

Curtin University

One of my favourite things about Croakey is the active engagement of so many people with a passion for equity and public health.

Dr Melissa Sweet

public health journalist and Croakey founder

It was great to be able to collaborate with the Croakey team for the COVID-19 CaLD Community Think Tank. The event was aimed at hearing from those working in multicultural and community organisations about the challenges they have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic but to also capture lessons learnt and strategies that have enhanced engagement and to share those lessons. By working with Cate and the Croakey team we were able to capture those insights and to disseminate them in a timely way which is critical during a pandemic. The resulting article captured all of the key messages in a format that was relevant and tailored to the relevant audiences. The team were easy to connect and work with and I would certainly look to repeat the partnership again.

Associate Professor Holly Seale

School of Population Health at the University of New South Wales

Croakey! AHPA loves you for your independence, timeliness and collaboration across a range of issues with individuals and groups from population health and beyond. You are a launching pad for ideas, debate and innovation without fear or favour. Continue to bring it on.

Gemma Crawford

President, Australian Health Promotion Association

Croakey allows for independent voices to resonate in and through virtual time and space. Real people, real voices, real issues with independent oomph – that’s Croakey. Time and again I go to Croakey to understand the politics behind public health because Croakey sorts the wheat from the chaff. There is just one mob of journos to trust with my voice, and it’s the Croakey mob. In the surreal and disconnected world of academia I go to Croakey to get grounded in the real issues.

Dr Mark Lock

UTS

All the COAG briefing papers

1. #JustJustice

2. #Wonky Health

3. The #SDOH Collection

4. Climate and health

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