Introduction to Parliament, Policy
Enrol
This course currently has no scheduled dates. To express interest in this course or to discuss bespoke options for yourself or your organisation, please submit an expression of interest or contact the Short Courses Team on +61 2 5114 5573 or shortcourses.cbr@unsw.edu.au
2 days
In-person
Old Parliament House Canberra
$2090.00
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Overview
This program is designed to provide learners with a new perspective on the relationship between politics and evidence to inform their understanding of policy work and the role of advocacy work.
Throughout the program, ‘taken for granted’ assumptions about Ministers having the final say, policy being apolitical, and that growing bodies of evidence drive policy acceptance, will be challenged through contemporary examples. In response, participants will be provided with practical strategies and tools to enhance their policy work and understand the role of advocacy in parliament.
Course content
This course is broken into the following core topics:
Understanding parliament & policy
“No, Minister” – the new parliamentary norm
Understanding the crossbench and back bench
A new perspective on policy and evidence
Applying the ‘marginal member’ heuristic to policy and advocacy work
Learning outcomes
By completing this course, learners will be able to:
Explain parliamentary and policy ideals, as well as critique them with real-world practicalities.
Analyse the relative influence of politics and evidence for their policy and advocacy work.
Design approaches to lift the influence of evidence in political settings.
Deliver plans to support policy success with different political audiences.
Apply a ‘marginal member’ heuristic to design policy and understand to role of advocacy.
Who should attend
This short course is best suited for mid-level public sector employees, government relations managers, and advocacy groups who seek to use evidence to inform their policy and to better understand the role and influence of advocacy. It will also be of interest to peak body or agency executives who are interested in lifting their influence within parliament.
Prerequisites:
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Facilitators
Prof Brenton Prosser
Brenton Prosser is Professor of Public Policy and Leadership at UNSW Canberra. He has worked in senior leadership roles across public, private, health and social service sectors, as well as at leading Australian and UK universities. He was Chief of Staff to Senator Nick Xenophon during the period when he held the balance of power. He was also senior policy and media advisor to the parliamentary leader of the South Australian Democrats.
Brenton has also been a senior executive in the APS, Director with a peak social services body and Director (Policy) with an international management consultancy agency where he specialised in national policy evaluations and helping non-government bodies to build their evidence-base. He was co-author, with Richard Denniss, of Minority Policy: Rethinking Governance when Parliament Matters, which examined the implications of minority government on public policy theory and practice.
Cancellation policy
Courses will be held subject to sufficient registrations. UNSW Canberra reserves the right to cancel a course up to five working days prior to commencement of the course. If a course is cancelled, you will have the opportunity to transfer your registration or be issued a full refund. If registrant cancels within 10 days of course commencement, a 50% registration fee will apply. UNSW Canberra is a registered ACT provider under ESOS Act 2000-CRICOS provider Code 00098G.