RETHINKING INDIGENOUS SOCIAL POLICY

Deputy Leader of the Australian Democrats, Senator Aden Ridgeway, tomorrow takes part in a discussion on the direction and impact of Indigenous welfare at the National Social Policy Conference at the University of New South Wales.

Also taking part in the forum, entitled "Welfare 'Poison' or Welfare Autonomy? Rethinking Indigenous Social Policy", are the Executive Director, Indigenous Services, Centrelink, Ms Patricia Turner; the Chief Executive Officer, Lumbu Indigenous Community Foundation, Mr Darren Godwell; and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Social Justice Commissioner, Dr Bill Jonas.

In the morning plenary session, US poverty expert Professor David Ellwood, a former official in the Clinton welfare administration, will explore the basic vision that drove the radical changes in social policy in the US in the mid to late 1990s. He will also review the impact of the welfare reforms and point to potential risks for the future.

The Conference is looking at a range of current controversies in social policy. Conference organiser Dr Tony Eardley said, "This is an election year which puts welfare reform is squarely on the agenda. It's important to debate these issues because they're crucial to where Australia is heading," he said. Dr Eardley is a Senior Research Fellow at UNSW's Social Policy Research Centre, which is hosting the conference.

Papers presented tomorrow will look at welfare and employment; participatory democracy in action; financial accountability and competition in service delivery; the educational performance of disadvantaged students; and the implementation of the NSW Youth Drug Court Pilot Program.

WHAT: National Social Policy Conference 2001. (Friday's program follows. See also www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/nspc2001/index.htm)
WHEN: 9.00am, Wednesday 4 July to 4.00pm, Friday 6 July
WHERE: The Clancy Auditorium, Kensington Campus (High Street entrance), UNSW

CONTACT DETAILS: Marilyn McHugh, SPRC, (02) 9385 7829, mob. 0401 609 108; Tony Eardley, SPRC, (02) 9385 7826; Amanda Hainsworth, UNSW Public Affairs, tel. (02) 9385 2873, mob. 0402 476 681.

Date issued: 5 July 2001