CPUR News
Melbourne's Second Speed Economy
December 2006 By Bob
Birrell, Ernest Healy and T. Fred Smith
Could Melbourne be left behind as the resource rich states of Western Australia and Queensland siphon off capital and manpower? So far it has not happened. Melbourne has ridden on the back of a property and associated construction and business services boom. The Victorian Government has successfully pursued policies of high population growth and cheap land and housing in order to keep the boom going. The report questions whether these policies will continue to work.
More information including availability and order form
Clearing the Myths Away: Higher Education's Place in Meeting Workforce Demands
October 2006
By Bob Birrell, and Virginia Rapson
Australia 's higher education and training policies are misguided and based on myths that will not meet the future demands of the workforce, says leading Australian social scientist, Dr Bob Birrell, in a major new report released today.
Clearing the Myths Away: Higher Education's Place in Meeting Workforce Demands , from the Dusseldorp Skills Forum and the Centre for Population and Urban Research at Monash University, debunks three myths that have underpinned recent policy and debate:More information including availability
Chances for Children: Analysis of socioeconomic indicators of North West Victoria and South West New South Wales and recipient and community perceptions of the program
June 2006
By Daniel Edwards and Bob Birrell
This report was prepared for the Chances for Children charity that operates in the north-west region of Victoria and south-west New South Wales. It includes an analysis of key demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the area served by the charity, as well as an evaluation of the organisation's program using surveys of recipients and interviews with key community stakeholders.
More information including availability
Australia's net gains from international skilled movement
May 2006
By Bob Birrell, Virginia Rapson and T. Fred Smith
The Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs has just released the most recent review of the movement of skilled persons to and from Australia undertaken by the Centre for Population and Urban Research. The report covers movements up to the year 2004-05.
More information including availability
Immigration Rules and the Overseas Student Market in Australia
December 2005
By Bob Birrell
This report examines the extent to which enrolments of overseas students at Australia's universities are being driven by opportunities for Permanent Residence on completion of their Australian courses
More information including availability
Unequal Access to University Places
October 2005
By Daniel Edwards, Bob Birrell and T. Fred Smith
Researchers from the Centre for Population and Urban Research (CPUR) have published a report showing a growing divergence in access to university places and that for a large proportion of Government school students, access to higher education has declined since the current Government came to office in 1999.
More information including availability
Impact of Demographic Change and Urban Consolidation on Domestic Water Use
June 2005
By Bob Birrell, Virginia Rapson and T. Fred Smith
Published by Water Services Association of Australia Inc
Researchers from the Centre for Population and Urban Research (CPUR) have published a report for the Water Services Association of Australia estimating the impact of demographic change and urban consolidation on domestic water consumption. The findings have significant implications for the future planning of water consumption. The report suggest that merely relying on population figures alone will understate the likely future demand for water.
More information including contact details for the Water Services Association
Immigration in a Time of Domestic Skilled Shortages
Skilled Movements in 2003 - 2004
May 2005
By Bob Birrell, Virginia Rapson and T. Fred Smith
Published by Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA)
This report describes the movement of skilled workers to and from Australia over the period 1995 to 2003-2004 by major occupation. It shows that there has been a growing surplus of skilled workers into Australia compared with those moving from Australia over this period.
More information including contact details for the report on the DIMIA website
Book Launch Melbourne 2030: Planning Rhetoric Versus Urban Reality
22 March 2005
By Bob Birrell, Kevin O'Connor, Virginia Rapson and Ernest Healy
Published by Monash University ePress
Researchers from the Centre for Population and Urban Research (CPUR) and the University of Melbourne have published a book examining the Bracks Government's Melbourne 2030 planning scheme.
Their book explores:
- Intellectual origins of the planning scheme
- Demographic assumptions of Melbourne 2030
- Mode of implementation
- Likely impact on the built environment of Melbourne 2030
- Environmental and social consequences, heritage outcomes, and alternative planning options
More information including online availability
men + women apart Partnering in Australia
By Bob Birrell, Virginia Rapson and Clare Hourigan
Published by Australian Family Association and Centre for Population and Urban Research, Monash University
Researchers from the Centre for Population and Urban Research (CPUR) have published research on partnering rates in Australia with profound implications for Australian social policy.
A precis of the research and a link to the full report can be found on the CPUR 's publications page Links to some of the many news articles on the research are below.
A new breed of women settling down by degrees By Farah Farouque The Age March 29 2004
The great Australian social divide Analysis by Bettina Arndt The Age March 29 2004
The Outlook for Surgical Services in Australia
June 2003
By Bob Birrell, Lesleyanne Hawthorne and Virginia Rapson
Published by Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
In both New Zealand and Australia the provision of surgical services is a matter of some controversy. In each country, there is concern that sections of the public do not have adequate access to such services and that in the context of an ageing society the situation could worsen.
This report addresses the extent and causes of current shortages and the future outlook in the light of current training levels and the prospective demand for surgical services.
The full report is available as a PDF from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Birrell Report June 2003