Restructuring the male breadwinner model: New challenges for a rapidly changing Australia. This project investigates changes to the Australian male breadwinner gender order in the key spheres of labour markets, households and public policies. Gender arrangements in these spheres play a key role in economic development reflecting the intertwining of economic and social processes in a country's well-being. Increased understanding of the implications of current changes affecting the gender order an ....Restructuring the male breadwinner model: New challenges for a rapidly changing Australia. This project investigates changes to the Australian male breadwinner gender order in the key spheres of labour markets, households and public policies. Gender arrangements in these spheres play a key role in economic development reflecting the intertwining of economic and social processes in a country's well-being. Increased understanding of the implications of current changes affecting the gender order and social reproduction will enhance economic well-being for both individuals and society in Australia. 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.Read moreRead less
Industrial relations, gender equity and work/family balance: assessing the impact of changing law and practice in Queensland. The project has potential to contribute to improvements in the economic and social well-being of Australian families and communities by identifying effective strategies to enhance gender equity in employment and work/family balance. It seeks to extend understanding of how these outcomes vary across regions and sectors of the Queensland economy in the context of a changing ....Industrial relations, gender equity and work/family balance: assessing the impact of changing law and practice in Queensland. The project has potential to contribute to improvements in the economic and social well-being of Australian families and communities by identifying effective strategies to enhance gender equity in employment and work/family balance. It seeks to extend understanding of how these outcomes vary across regions and sectors of the Queensland economy in the context of a changing industrial relations framework, and to provide an evidence-base to inform the best ways to secure high quality employment and labour force attachment over the life course.Read moreRead less
Parental leave: access, utilisation and efficacy in Australia. This project addresses significant gaps in knowledge about the use of parental leave and the work/family preferences of men and women in Australia. It aims to advance current theoretical debates on how preferences are shaped in workplaces and households, and provide detailed data to inform policy processes. These are highly significant goals as Australian governments prioritise work/family issues in the context of changing household ....Parental leave: access, utilisation and efficacy in Australia. This project addresses significant gaps in knowledge about the use of parental leave and the work/family preferences of men and women in Australia. It aims to advance current theoretical debates on how preferences are shaped in workplaces and households, and provide detailed data to inform policy processes. These are highly significant goals as Australian governments prioritise work/family issues in the context of changing household structures, falling fertility rates, ageing populations and working time pressures. Expected outcomes include benchmarks for policy evaluation, improved understanding of preferences and enhanced policy frameworks to facilitate a gender egalitarian work/family balance.Read moreRead less
Engineering diversity: An investigation of gender, workplace culture and change. Workplaces are changing rapidly in restructuring economies, but equity and diversity remain elusive. The engineering profession continues to experience difficulty attracting and retaining women. Gender equity programs that focus on women's training, socialisation and non-traditional 'choices' overlook the centrality of workplace cultures. This study reframes the issue, problematising the work context, rather than wo ....Engineering diversity: An investigation of gender, workplace culture and change. Workplaces are changing rapidly in restructuring economies, but equity and diversity remain elusive. The engineering profession continues to experience difficulty attracting and retaining women. Gender equity programs that focus on women's training, socialisation and non-traditional 'choices' overlook the centrality of workplace cultures. This study reframes the issue, problematising the work context, rather than women themselves. A qualitative investigation of discourses and practices at a range of engineering sites will be conducted. As the first major study of the work place culture in Australian engineering the findings will provide a basis for change in engineering industry, policy, and education settings.Read moreRead less
The meaning of work, well-being and the changing terms, times and spaces of service sector jobs. This research investigates how work and its terms, timing, technologies and location are changing, and how these affect well-being. It will analyse the meaning that service sector workers draw from work, and how workers at the top (like professionals and consultants) compare with those at the lower end (like carers and cleaners).
Missing workers: retaining mature age women workers to ensure future labour security. This project will generate new data and analyses of the factors affecting the retention of mature age women in paid work. It will produce an evidence base on mature age women's employment for the development of policy frameworks aimed at strengthening labour security in the aged care and other sectors.
Work, care, retirement and health: ageing agendas. This project will undertake a gendered analysis of how Australians can retire well, taking account of their key resources (such as work, superannuation, the aged pension, and other assets) and key demands (such as to work longer and to care for others in the context of an ageing population and a more feminised workforce).
Early intervention in stopping gendered violence: developing an evidence based intervention program for young men using violence against their girlfriends. This research aims to develop and evaluate an intervention program targeted to 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 universa ....Early intervention in stopping gendered violence: developing an evidence based intervention program for young men using violence against their girlfriends. This research aims to develop and evaluate an intervention program targeted to 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.Read moreRead less
Stopping domestic violence in urban and rural areas: evaluating and improving the effectiveness of domestic violence perpetrator programs. Domestic violence affects up to 36% of women (Mouzos et.al 2004). Its annual economic cost is $8.1b (Access Economics 2004). In 66% of cases children are present (Bagshaw et.al 1999). Effects on women and children are poor mental health, homelessness and impaired work/education performance (VicHealth 2004). As male perpetrators tend to be serial offenders (Ha ....Stopping domestic violence in urban and rural areas: evaluating and improving the effectiveness of domestic violence perpetrator programs. Domestic violence affects up to 36% of women (Mouzos et.al 2004). Its annual economic cost is $8.1b (Access Economics 2004). In 66% of cases children are present (Bagshaw et.al 1999). Effects on women and children are poor mental health, homelessness and impaired work/education performance (VicHealth 2004). As male perpetrators tend to be serial offenders (Hansen et al 2004), there are Australian programs to stop the violence. There are limited and contentious findings about their value and no published evaluation of programs in rural Australia. This research addresses these significant knowledge gaps and is nationally beneficial as the knowledge can ultimately reduce domestic violence prevalence.Read moreRead less
From margins to mainstream: gender equality and employment regulation. Progress towards gender equality in employment has stalled, despite anti-discrimination laws. This investigation of alternative regulatory strategies will build Australian expertise and contribute to knowledge about the relationships between gender equality and employment regulation, generating policy options for employment and human rights bodies.