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The Hawke Institute’s collaborative and innovative research covers a wide range of topics. Here are some highlights of current research. To find out more, please see the research concentration web pages.

Work–life balance, well-being and health: theory, practice and policy

Centre for Work + Life (more CWL projects)
Prof Barbara Pocock

ARC Linkage project 2008–2010
Partner organisations: State Health Advisory Committee on Work Life: Creating Family Friendly Workplaces, and SafeWork SA.

This project links to the national research priority of promoting and maintaining good health in two ways. It establishes a new annual national measure of work–life balance, a critical element of good health and well-being, assisting understanding about work–life conflict and informing workplace and government policy responses to it, strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric. Deep study of work–life issues in the health sector will also inform recruitment, retention and well-being in the health workforce, with flow-on to the health system more broadly. The project includes analysis of 'pre-retirement' work–life issues, also linking to the 'ageing well, ageing productively' priority.
 

Restructuring the male breadwinner model? New challenges for a rapidly changing Australia

Research Centre for Gender Studies (more RCGS projects)
Prof Rhonda Sharp (with Assoc Prof Ray Broomhill, University of Adelaide, and Prof Janine Brodie, University of Alberta, Canada)

ARC Discovery Grant 2008–2010

This project investigates changes to the Australian male breadwinner gender order in the key spheres of the labour market, household and policy by combining quantitative and qualitative research methods with theoretical and policy analysis. Australia's postwar prosperity was underpinned by a male breadwinner model that, though problematic, provided social stability. These gender arrangements have undergone dramatic changes, raising concerns about work–life balance, care provisioning, fertility rates and social cohesiveness. The impact of these changes are vital policy issues. This international collaboration will develop a conceptual framework for identifying policy reform to strengthen Australia's social and economic sustainability.

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Early intervention in stopping gendered violence: developing an evidence-based intervention program for young men using violence against their girlfriends

Research Centre for Gender Studies
Dr Donna Chung, Dr Patrick O'Leary and Dr L Zannettino (with Ms D Odgers and Ms S Wight)

ARC Linkage project 2005–2008
Industry partner: Northern Metropolitan Community Health Service

This research aims to develop and evaluate an intervention program targeting young men using violence against their girlfriends. This intervention program focuses on dating violence with young men who are not yet involved with the criminal justice system. This innovation addresses a gap in stopping male violence, positioned between universal primary violence prevention programs and the tertiary prevention of the criminal justice system's adult domestic violence perpetrator programs. The research outcomes include: an evidence-based intervention program aimed at stopping young men's violence against women; a training program for professionals; and documented standards of practice for working with young men and gendered violence.
 

Indigenous mental health in remote communities: applying a contextual model of community research and intervention

Social Policy Research Group (more SPRG projects)
Deirdre Tedmanson (with Prof B Guerin, Dr PB Guerin and Ms YL Clark)

ARC Discovery project 2008–2010

This project will make an international advance in understanding Indigenous mental health that will be of interest to many groups around the world. The main specifically national benefit will flow from contextual knowledge on how to improve mental health for remote Indigenous communities that also allows strengthening of communities and their economic and social enterprises. We will also build capacity in the communities for research skills, documentation skills, and writing skills. The types of contextual information collected will provide recommendations to mental health service providers about how to incorporate local forms of knowledge when dealing with issues of well‑being.

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Exploring new opportunities for local government to facilitate innovative partnership options that link social, economic and employment development

Social Policy Research Group
Prof Ed Carson (with Dr Lorraine Kerr)

ARC Linkage project 2006–08
Partner organisation: City of Salisbury

The project seeks to formulate an expanded role for Australian local government in light of OECD debates on localism in the formation of partnerships for economic, employment and social development. It will redress the under-utilisation of local government's specific knowledge and resources that could facilitate economic, employment and social development, particularly in disadvantaged communities. In addition to the theoretical and practical knowledge gained regarding localism and partnerships, which has immediate community benefit, it is expected that the project's outcomes will have the potential to be transferable to other local government jurisdictions in Australia and hence be of national benefit.
 

Parents' networks: the circulation of knowledge about children's literacy learning

Centre for Studies in Literacy, Policy and Learning Cultures (more CSLPLC projects)
Sue Nichols and Helen Nixon (with Jennifer Rowsell, Rutgers University)

ARC Discovery project 2007–2009

This international and longitudinal study will investigate the networks accessed by parents in different socio-cultural locations searching for knowledge and resources about children’s literacy learning, the roles of organisations in these networks, and the ideas about literacy, pedagogy and parents’ roles circulating through these networks. It is significant in using an innovative methodology to study texts, images, objects, accounts and practices as they flow through family, community and broader national and global networks. It will inform policy and practice in public community service provision and family literacy, enabling social programs to engage all parents more effectively.

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Education investment in Australian schooling: serving public purposes

Centre for Research in Education, Equity and Work (more CREEW projects)
Prof Alan Reid (with Assoc Prof NC Cranston, Prof JP Keating and Prof WR Mulford)

ARC Linkage project 2007–2009
Partner organisations: Australian Government Primary Principals Association and Education Foundation

The public purposes of schooling are central to the social and economic health of Australian society, since they provide a basis for realising the goals and aspirations of that society. This project will use the insights and current practices of many school communities to establish how the purposes of schooling are currently understood and enacted. This clarification will be used as the basis for (a) a reassessment and refinement of such policy statements as the National Goals of Schooling; (b) professional development activities and resources and sharing of good practice; and (c) the development of instruments for assessing the achievement of public purposes.

Developing and testing a best practice model of enterprise bargaining in the retail sector

Group for Research in Integrity and Governance (more GIG projects)
Assoc Prof Chris Provis

ARC Linkage project 2008–2010
Partner organisation: Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association

Recently, the Australian labour market has seen a decrease in the manufacturing sector and an increase in the retail sector. The SDA with over 230,000 members is the largest trade and industrial union in Australia. It negotiates EB agreements on behalf of employees. This research will assess improved job satisfaction and job conditions, a key EB goal, which will have tangible benefits in reducing turnover of retail sector employees, recognised as a major problem for employers. This research will enhance effectiveness for unions and employers in the implementation of agreements commensurate with the needs of employees, the findings of which will have broad applicability across Australian industry.
 

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