Public Policy, Stakeholders, and Social Change

Researchers, individuals, and governments engage stakeholders through town halls and submissions from individuals, groups, religious organizations, and schools.
This contrasts with top-down decision-making, where a small group makes decisions that bureaucrats execute.
Stakeholders address problems by considering solutions and incorporating expert ideas and research.

This example serves as preparation for a campaign report assessment.
Consider the roles of individuals and groups, especially stakeholder groups that pressure governments (pressure groups).

Identify stakeholder groups involved.
Identify relevant research.
Analyze activities and tactics used to convey issue significance to decision-makers.
Consider campaign strategies.

Advocates fought for ten years to achieve universal access to paid leave for domestic violence victims.
The change aims to prevent employees from having to choose between safety and wages.
Domestic violence rates in Australia remain high, with women at increased risk of murder when leaving violent situations.
A woman is killed weekly by a partner or family member, highlighting the epidemic nature of domestic violence.
Advocates push for a minimum of ten days of paid leave to empower victims to reclaim their lives, ensure children's safety, secure housing, and change locks.
Escaping a violent situation costs nearly $20,000$ .
Paid domestic violence leave supports women during work hours and saves lives.

For over a decade, unionists campaigned for paid leave, starting with a win in Victoria by ASU activists.
The victory catalyzed a nationwide union movement involving rallies and lobbying.
In 2015, Rosie Batty's recognition as Australian of the Year amplified the national conversation on family violence.
The We Won't Wait campaign, led by the ASU, gained thousands of supporters.
By February 2015, unions secured paid leave agreements covering 2,000,000 workers, though it wasn't universal.
Initial efforts at the Fair Work Commission resulted in ten days paid leave and five days unpaid leave, but unions persisted.
In 2020, Labour MP Linda Burney introduced a bill, signaling a turning point.
In 2022, the newly elected Labour government implemented ten days paid leave for all workers as a national standard.
This was their first piece of new industrial legislation.

Public awareness and personal stories, such as Rosie Batty's, played a vital role.
It took around 10-12 years for the policy to come into effect.
The second dimension of power highlights why some policy decisions are delayed or not made.
Policy changes occurred gradually in individual workplaces through union advocacy.
The 2022 change of government, with a more sympathetic Labour government, was pivotal.
Professor Jan Breckenridge provides insights on the specific policy window and conditions at the time.

Challenges include the need for victims to disclose their situation to employers and the policy not fully addressing the financial costs of leaving.
Workplaces may sometimes be the safest place for victims, and the policy places the onus on the victim rather than the perpetrator.
The policy doesn't address the core issues of needing to leave home or the overall situation of family and domestic violence.
The importance of pushing the government to create more effective policies is emphasized.

Pressure groups, such as the ASU and the broader trade union movement, seek to affect policy change.
A pressure group is defined as a group representing a section of society that pressures government to affect policy.
These groups can be interest groups (people with their own interests) or advocacy groups (those advocating on behalf of others).
The ASRC is an example of an advocacy group, while refugee-led groups like RACS are both.
Pressure groups use collective power to influence policy.
Participation occurs at all levels, including religious groups, conservation groups, unions, and professional associations.
Collective action makes claims more difficult to dismiss.
Insiders have more access to government than outsiders, which is a shifting political definition.

Social movements mobilize change through widespread protests and direct action.
Individuals can participate without formal affiliation.
Examples include the school strike for climate, Black Lives Matter protests, and anti-war protests.
These movements attempt to affect change collectively.

'Not My Debt' exemplified grassroots collective action against RoboDebt, a policy that collected debts from welfare recipients through income averaging.
The automated system lacked oversight and resulted in debt collection notices ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars.
Debt collection agencies had a material interest in collecting as much debt as possible.
Some recipients committed suicide due to the debt burden.
Mothers who lost their sons joined activists in the hashtag #NotMyDebt campaign.
RoboDebt was eventually canned, a royal commission was held, and ministers faced action.
Personal stories motivated the government to affect change.

Advocacy plays a significant role in getting issues on the public agenda.
It's essential to agree on a problem, advocate for a solution, and identify who the issue affects.
Policy experts need to advocate for the best possible solution using research, voice, and media connections.
Social change requires coalitions, pressure groups, lobbyists, and social movements.
The Change We Can't Wait campaign relied on protests, direct action, vigils, and petitions.

Governments can act to curb the right to protest, such as the Black Lives Matter protest in 2020, the police harmed protestors by kettling them and using pepper spray.
The New South Wales Labour government introduced anti-protest laws, with fines of up to $22,000$ and two years in jail for blocking traffic or infrastructure.
In 2024, this was extended to protests outside places of worship.
Stakeholders like Amnesty International and the Human Rights Law Center have called these laws undemocratic.
The anti-protest laws were passed in thirty hours without consultation.

Social change involves using voices and experiences, with grassroots campaigns employing personal stories.
Choose campaigns grounded in personal stories.
Examples include Grace Tame and Malala.