Recent publications
Australia's Forgotten Future
Professor Geoffrey Blainey speaking at the launch of Mark Lopez's The Little Black Schoolbook: Vol. 2.
A real education revolution will need (yes, you guessed it...) vouchers
The big education talk started before the 2007 federal election. The opposition, led by Kevin Rudd, said in a discussion paper: ‘Australia needs nothing less than a revolution in education.' Certainly, since November 2007 the Rudd government...
A Real Education Revolution: Options for voucher funding reform
This paper examines key aspects of potential voucher reforms for the Australian school system. The next section will discuss some of the basic mechanics of voucher funding schemes. Some potential voucher options, and their budgetary cost to...
Can free markets be as interesting as regulated markets?
Sinclair Davidson reviews The Best Book on the Market: How to Stop Worrying and Love the Free Economyby Eamonn Butler (Capstone, 2008, 172 pages) Eamonn Butler has written a marvellous little book promoting the free market. The best book on...
The intellectual gap goes to university
Following a campaign by the Australian Liberal Students Federation, a Senate committee is investigating the level of intellectual diversity at Australian universities. It is well-known that academia-and more often than not those who are university...
Submission to the Inquiry into Academic Freedom
Fear of school profit holding quality back
In Australia, schools are operated either by the government or by not-for-profit private organisations. It is prohibited to run a school to make a financial profit. In the United States there is no such prohibition. And a recent study published by...
Top of the class: Making the most of Western Australia's school system
Policy makers now have a deeper awareness of the importance of good schools in underpinning economic prosperity. Western Australian schools enjoy a relatively high level of public funding support. On the other hand, WA has higher cost pressures...