Leading minds from across Australia are gathered at Parliament House today for the third Churchill Policy Room, a forum where Churchill Fellows tackle the country’s biggest challenges, including housing, homelessness, mental health and youth crime.
The Churchill Policy Room is a concept modelled on the Churchill War Rooms in London, where experts gathered at a time of need to resolve a path forward, and is part of a valued partnership between the University of Queensland and the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.
CEO of The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, Dr Rachael Coghlan said the initiative brought Churchill Fellows together to share their expertise and broaden Australia’s policy platform.
“Our Fellows are renowned for their critical thinking, which is more important than ever before due to the many challenges Australia is currently facing. State, Territory and Federal governments are having to make quick policy decisions that have long-term and wide-ranging implications, with little time to develop the policy foundation that will ensure positive change and sustained success,” Dr Coghlan said.
“The Winston Churchill Trust was established in 1965 with the specific purpose of enriching Australia and, 59 years on, that mission has never been more important.”
The Churchill Policy Room event is part of the Policy Impact Program, developed by the University of Queensland and the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust to showcase the research and recommendations of Churchill Fellows working in policy reform.
“By bringing these bright minds together in a forum like the Churchill Policy Room, we benefit from their insights and ideas across industries and sectors, which fuels a policy agenda that governments can rely on and build on for future success,” Dr Coghlan said.
The Policy Impact Program develops the flagship publication Policy Futures: A Reform Agenda. This publication features succinct and timely policy articles written by Churchill Fellows and the third edition will be released at today’s event.
The Trust provides Churchill Fellows with resources to travel overseas and investigate their industry’s international best practices. Over the past six decades, over 4,700 Australians have received a Fellowship, bringing back incredible insights from their travels around the world and contributing to the rich fabric of Australian society with their learnings.
“We send our Fellows overseas to investigate better ways of doing things and incorporate that into their knowledge and expertise so that when they come back to Australia, they can make a significant contribution to bettering our way of life,” Dr Coghlan said.
The Churchill Fellows showcasing their work at the Churchill Policy Room will be:
Kate Bjur (QLD, 2022) The Donald Mackay Churchill Fellowship to investigate effective responses to youth gangs for use in youth detention centres
Glen Blackwell (WA, 2020) The Churchill Fellows Association of Western Australia Churchill Fellowship to establish diversionary practices for mentally and intellectually disabled persons engaging police
John Chesterman (VIC, 2012) To investigate the abuse, exploitation, and neglect of at-risk adults
Victoria Cornell (SA, 2019) The AV Jennings Churchill Fellowship to investigate alternative, affordable models of housing that could help older Australians age-in-place
David Cowan (VIC, 2020) To investigate the development of evidence-based policing across police agencies worldwide
Margie Danchin (VIC, 2020) The Bob and June Prickett Churchill Fellowship to improve vaccine and risk communication to optimize COVID and routine vaccine acceptance and uptake
Leanne Mitchell (VIC, 2019) The Jack Brockhoff Foundation Churchill Fellowship to investigate how councils respond to rough sleeping while balancing responsibilities to the wider community
Matt Wilson (VIC, 2020) To investigate innovative court-based approaches to infants in care and protection proceedings
