Brotherhood Comment November 2004

ISSN 1320 8632A REGULAR UPDATE FROM SOCIAL ACTION AND RESEARCHNovember 2004Reading the signsProspects for social investment2004 will be remembered as an aberration, or a mere lapse into Certainly the election showed the the year of decisive election fiscal irresponsibility as many have importance of an approach to victory of the returning Howard said. We think these sorts of social social policy which makes sense Government. But what will it mean investment in infrastructure may in economic terms. Interest rates for Australian social policy? Here well point the way towards a new were undoubtedly a factor raising the implications of the victory social policy future for Australia. the issue of credibility of economic are less clear. After a campaign in management. Australians clearly which all parties made unparallelled We think this because these sorts have a deeply ingrained fear of commitments in the social policy of new social commitments reflect social promises which might arena, many have interpreted the a larger global trend. We have undermine economic strength. election result in terms of people tried to capture this trend in the voting for themselves. We believe notion of a shift from a welfare Here, the social investment state that judgment is too simplistic. state to a social investment state. reveals an emerging integration of As Perkins, Nelms and Smyth social with economic policy. Fiona We should not forget that this was (2004) have shown, ...