The Emotional Journey of Reconciliation

Every single action we take is driven by emotion. As much as we would like to believe we humans are compelled by logic, what we do (or do not) is a direct result of how we feel. Moreover, some emotions create compassionate action, and some manifest through acts of oppression. So while many commentators may...

Pauline Hanson – the dark side of white privilege

In my previous article, I discussed the insidious and constraining existence of white privilege. White privilege is where we are granted societal advantages due solely to our skin colour. I discussed the expressions of privilege (dominating and reframing conversations) and the darkness that ensues when it goes unseen. On Thursday, we witnessed a perfect example of...

Why Can’t We Close The Gap? Is White Privilege Getting In The Way?

Incredibly disturbing. These were the words Linda Burney used to describe the latest Closing The Gap results[i]. There was some progress on birthweight, preschool enrolments, youth detention and land rights, and all of these advancements must be celebrated. However, critical areas such as children's development level, children in out-of-home care, adult imprisonment and suicide had...

ESG – The Most Important Benefit

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting drives increased accountability for the consequences of organisational activities. However, it also has a more profound and exciting benefit. This is the recognition ESG gives to interdependence, which is necessary for the leap to the next level of human maturity. While ESG is not a panacea for the ails...

Covert Euthanasia – Australia’s System of Residential Aged Care

The Pope has stated that in today’s society, there is a system of covert euthanasia[1]. When I read this term, my mind immediately turned to the dire situation in Australia's aged care system. In my recent work on the Government Scorecard, I became appalled at how little funding is provided for a sector that we...

Government Scorecard – C4 Care for the Elderly

Over the term of the Coalition government, there has been a slight increase in societal participation, and most recent data shows steady performance in pressure injuries and weight loss.  However, for all other indicators, there is either no data available or decreased performance during the reporting period. Read the full scorecard here scorecard-c4-elderlyDownload

Government Scorecard – C3 Children Protected and Nurtured

Welcome to the third in this series of government scorecards. In this report we look at the performance of the government over the last nine years in providing protection and nurturing for our children. Based on the analysis presented here, it does appear that many children have not been given the support they have needed...

Government Scorecard – C2 Violence

Who have been the winners and losers over the past nine years? Even before the election date has formally been announced, the rhetoric from both major parties is whittling the complexity of our current condition to a simple set of key issues.  Our attention is being focused on the economy, climate, defence, and the cost...

Government Scorecard – C1 Housing

Who have been the winners and losers over the past nine years? Even before the election date has formally been announced, the rhetoric from both major parties is whittling the complexity of our current condition to a simple set of key issues.  Our attention is being focused on the economy, climate, defence, and the cost...

The Pandemic in the Public Sector

Every business has suffered from Covid-19. Organisations large and small have struggled with increased absenteeism, decreased productivity and disruption to customer services. Survey results show another pandemic rife in the Queensland Public Sector, and this one will take even longer than Covid to eradicate. It is the scourge of apathy. You may think that the...