As the world around us continues to grapple with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CPD team have been using our unique create, connect, convince model to tackle a range of long term policy challenges across our program areas.
This month, we provide an update from our Sustainable Economy program, introduce you to some new members of the CPD team, and announce the launch of our Cities and Settlement Knowledge Hub.
Here is your July update.
Cities and Settlement Initiative
We will also be producing a quarterly digital newsletter which will provide updates on the latest Knowledge Hub content, selected media, and other items of note from the Cities and Settlement Initiative. We will be providing further details ahead of the first mail out to give you the opportunity to join the mailing list.
As Australia enters a period of growing uncertainty, this initiative is more vital than ever. CPD is excited to be launching this valuable resource at such an important time.
As Australia faces up to the twin perils of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, our Climate Recovery Initiative (CRI) is highlighting how a faster and fairer zero carbon transition can turbocharge Australia’s recovery and build resilience by identifying innovative and forward-thinking ways of shaping Australia’s economic recovery alongside a net zero emissions trajectory. In partnership with ClimateWorks Australia, our goal is to get these ideas into the right hands so they can help to define our short and long-term future.
With this initiative continuing to accelerate, we are delighted to announce that Matt Wenham and Ryan Carters have joined the CPD team.
Matt has an academic background in biomedical science and was most recently director of policy at the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE). He has also worked at a US science policy think tank in Washington DC, and has a PhD from the University of Oxford.
Ryan recently completed a Master in Public Policy at Harvard University as a John Monash Scholar, and has also worked as a consultant at state and federal government level on education and innovation policy. He is also the founder and leader of Batting for Change, a charity which supports access to high education for disadvantaged young people in India, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
Staff Announcements
This month we have farewelled Shivani Nadan, who has left CPD to pursue an exciting new role in the public service. Having started as an intern with us all the way back in August 2014, Shivani made an incredible contribution across the organisation as our Engagement Manager. Many of you would’ve encountered Shivani in your dealings with us and can attest to her professionalism, engaging personality, and deep commitment to CPD’s policy work. The CPD team wishes Shivani the very best as she takes this next step in her career.
We’re excited to welcome Nicky Woods to the CPD team as an Executive Assistant. Nicky has been based in Thailand for the past four years working in the tourism industry. Prior to her time overseas, Nicky spent over ten years at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in a variety of project management and executive assistant roles.
CPD in the Media
- Our CEO Travers McLeod wrote in The Australian about how Australians view service delivery in the wake of COVID-19. Drawing on research conducted by CPD via Essential Media over several years on the role of government in service delivery, it highlighted that nine in ten people now believe that government should have the capability to deliver services directly. The article also revealed that ensuring all people are treated fairly and equally, including the most vulnerable in our community, was the most popular answer when participants were asked what the main purpose of our democracy is. Travers will be speaking at the FEAL Virtual Conference 2020 on Thursday 6 August alongside Dr Julia Baird and Samantha Herbert, where he will be expanding on his article Here are 10 steps to build a stronger Australia after coronavirus.
- CPD Chair Terry Moran was quoted in an article for The Australian on how prioritising local service delivery should be a central focus of Australia’s economic recovery from COVID-19. Both Terry and our Program Director, Annabel Brown, also appeared as speakers at the Australia Together National Community Recovery Summit which discussed how we can build back better from the pandemic.
- Board Member Zoe Whitton was quoted in a piece for The Guardian that highlighted the negative effects of COVID-19 and the climate crisis on the oil and gas industry.
- CPD Deputy Chair Sam Mostyn featured in an article for The Australian Financial Review about the Climate Council’s Clean Jobs Plan. The plan highlights 12 policy steps that can create 76,000 new jobs, reboot the economy, and tackle climate change.
- Housing the Australian Nation, a four-part series on ABC Radio National hosted by Research Committee Member Peter Mares, concluded with a look at the not for profit community housing model in Brisbane.
- Roy Green, a member of our Research Committee, was featured in an article for Innovation Aus where he talked about how Australia was “in danger of being left behind” as other nations invest in research and development as part of their COVID-19 recovery.
- CPD Fellow Peter Whiteford was quoted in an article for The Australian that analysed the prospect of over one million Australian children potentially living below the poverty line if the federal government’s coronavirus supplement is withdrawn in September.
