Deakin Policy Forum

What is the Deakin Policy Forum?
Australia faces the most unusual political, economic, and international setting for many decades and the Deakin Policy Forum (DPF) aims to help others make sense of our policy predicaments – economic, social and political.

Deakin Policy Forum will be a new bridge between the 'ideas communities', interested observers and those who make or administer policy. We seek to invite and broker debate; draw on the best available expertise and offer critique or alternative views to those that may have political traction at the time. 

The Forum, aimed to be framed in sound economics, will traverse key policy sectors. In areas such as water, broadband, education, health, population and taxation; getting the economics wrong can be lethal. But, of course there is always far more than just an economic perspective, and Alfred Deakin Research Institute in particular is across the disciplines.

Where is the Deakin Policy Forum?
The Forum is hosted by the Alfred Deakin Research Institute with events often taking place at the Deakin University Melbourne City Centre.

Governance
An Advisory Council has been formed with a strong base of economic; health, energy, labour market, state enterprise and water sector expertise.

The Council through its meetings, often electronic, and as an adjunct to policy forums, will also seek and generate topics and contributors.

Regular membership in the DPF will be sought from individuals, corporate, and institutions including NGOs and government agencies. DPF events will be designed for follow-on workshops, as suits the situation, often after the breakfast meetings and with electronic or web-based access.

There will be a process where particular sub-themes can create flow-on research funding, but in a way that will not constrain outcome.

Forum update

The inaugural Deakin Policy Forum (DPF) 'The State of the Economic Debate' was held at the Deakin University Melbourne City Centre in the form of a breakfast in early December 2011.

The speakers, Professor Judith Sloan and Professor Henry Ergas covered the key underlying issues with great insight, and there is a piece from Professor Sloan in the Australian (site requires a login to access the full article).

The site includes a link to Blog material (see Quick Links above) from Professor Porter's desk and others on future and past Forum related themes.

Future plans include a suggested young economist and policy focused residential retreat and is one of the early tasks of the recently formed Deakin Policy Forum Advisory Council.

Other Forums planned include Federal/State (March 2012), Banking, Finance and Euro Crisis issues, Health Policy and Financing and Nuclear Power issues; all of which promise presentations from field experts, in-depth discussion and opportunity for lively debate.

A full video recording of the speakers at the inaugural Forum is now available; Inaugural Deakin Policy Forum December 2 2011