RMIT experts available for comment on the Federal Election

Transport, infrastructure and planning

Professor Jago Dodson (0415 554 889, jago.dodson@rmit.edu.au)

Topics: infrastructure, transport, housing and metropolitan planning

“The election campaign has so far offered meagre policy ideas for those interested in cities, though there is more in the party platforms that could yet be given a campaign airing.

“There has been a predictable re-release of the 2019 federal budget announcements, including the expansion of car parking at suburban railway stations in Melbourne, and the Treasurer has pulled some local pork from the barrel for removal of the Kooyong level crossing.

“But there's been few new ideas about how to manage the rapid growth of Australia's cities so that they are more productive, equitable and sustainable.

“Labor's platform proposes to continue the Infrastructure Australia program with refinements to project assessment procedures to reduce politicised expenditure and would also reinstate the Major Cities

Unit to advise on urban policy. Notably Labor seeks to ensure neutrality in transport mode decisions.

“The Liberal platform is essentially unchanged from the budget, with new expenditure on arterial road widening and Geelong fast rail plus reaffirmation of the City Deals scheme. 

“It seems that the parties' main urban schemes comprise expenditure, whether on infrastructure or via subsidies. With Australia's cities among the fastest growing in the developed world, we might hope for a more systematic vision from our political representatives.”

Professor Jago Dodson is Director of the Centre for Urban Research at RMIT University. He has an extensive record of research into housing, transport, urban planning, infrastructure, energy and urban governance problems. He has authored more than 80 publications on urban topics, contributed to and commented on public debates about Australian cities and has advised national and international agencies on urban policy questions.

Climate change

Dr Blanche Verlie  (0409 352 261, blanche.verlie@rmit.edu.au)

Topics: climate change, community attitudes towards climate change

“Climate action is rating as a top priority among voters in the lead up to this year’s federal election.  

“Broadly speaking, people’s views on climate change are typically driven by their political ideology.

"Young people don’t necessarily care more than older people, but age often influences why and how people care about climate change.

“Older people are most likely to be concerned for their kids and grandkids' lives, while younger people, many who enrolled to vote following the 2017 marriage equality vote, are more likely to feel it’s a threat to their personal security and future.

“We know people may also care about different aspects depending on where they live. For example, people who live in drier, rural areas might be more concerned about drought or bushfires whereas someone living on the coast might be more concerned about flooding or cyclones.

"But overall, polling shows the majority of Australians are concerned about climate change as a 'big picture' issue affecting everyone, everywhere, and they want the Australian government to implement policies that will rapidly and radically decarbonise the economy.

"But both our major parties are out of touch with these community attitudes. The Coalition is simply not serious about addressing climate change, and while Labor has some promising policies, we need a rapid transition away from all fossil fuels, something neither party is yet committed to.

“Concerned voters should make this the #ClimateElection by contacting their candidates and encouraging them to aim higher on climate change."

Dr Blanche Verlie is an Associate Lecturer in RMIT’s Sustainability and Urban Planning team and has a PhD in climate change engagement. Her work focuses on people’s emotional responses to climate change.

Politicians in the media

Dr Vincent O’Donnell (03 9925 3028, from 6 May* +4479 3714 8770, vincent.odonnell@rmit.edu.au)

Topics: effective media communication, political interviews, media history, fake news

“Elections are a bad time for politicians to lose control of the message, but that’s the inevitable outcome of the tight controls now in place in political communication.

“The key to effective communication is in the reception, the way audiences read the messages.  Trust in politicians has collapsed, and political messages are distrusted, though fear still works.

“It is too late for this election, but a few steps politicians and minders could take to improve communication, would be remembering interviewers ask questions that they think the public wants to know and dropping the props like Akubras, baseball caps and hi-vis vests.

“You’d surprised how the public responds to truth.”

Dr Vincent O’Donnell is an Honorary Research Associate at RMIT and has spent most of his professional life in the media, in film, television and radio.  He is a regular radio commentator on the issues shaping the media, old and new: the politics, economics and technologies.

*Dr O’Donnell is overseas from 6 May. Please text +4479 3714 8770 and include deadline.

Gender equality, employment and social services

Professor Sara Charlesworth (0412 889 122, sara.charlesworth@rmit.edu.au)

Topics: gender (in)equality in employment, aged care, insecure work, equal pay, sexual harassment

“Australia needs an integrated work, care and family policy framework that creates smooth and secure transitions between work and care over the life course and promotes gender equality and good outcomes for households.

“A recent policy report from the Work + Family Policy Roundtable called for 12 weeks of paid end-of-life leave for carers and the inclusion of superannuation in paid parental leave among a suite of research-based recommendations.

“Australians are clear about their care preferences: family care is highly valued but so are high quality formal care services delivered professionally both in centre-based and in-home settings.

“Many jobs in the care workforce are undervalued, low paid, casual and insecure. Improved working conditions for the care workforce are essential for the delivery of high quality care services that are valued by the community and vital to individual and family well-being.

“Gender inequality at home and at work is driven by polarised working and caring time. Within couple families, long hours worked predominantly by men limit the working time of their partner and her career opportunities. This inhibits shared time available for unpaid work activities such as care, housework and contribution to the wider community. Countries that impose a clear maximum working week have lower gender gaps in working hours.

 “A key contributing factor to the persistent wage gap between women and men in Australia continues to be the undervaluation of feminised work and skills – reflected most vividly in low wage rates in childcare, aged care and disability support.

“Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s recent announcement to increase childcare educator’s pay is welcome, but there is still more both sides can do.

“Many vulnerable groups of children whose parents are not currently working or studying won’t benefit from the Government’s or Opposition’s current childcare policies.

“Parents looking for work or who work only occasionally don’t qualify for the Child Care subsidy and this means their children will miss out on the early childhood education and care that is so vital to their futures.” 

***

For general media enquiries, please contact RMIT: 0439 704 077 or news@rmit.edu.au.