In this fully revised third edition of Australia's Welfare Wars, Philip Mendes questions many of the key values and assumptions that determine contemporary social welfare policies, and the factors and forces that shape these policies in Australia. This text concentrates on the roles played by ideology and advocacy groups in determining welfare outcomes, with specific reference to up-to-date theories about globalisation.
Students are provided with relevant case study and source material, which is used to analyse and explain contemporary policies and outcomes in the Australian welfare state and to assist them to predict future policy directions. This 3rd edition includes documentation of current levels of welfare spending in Australia, a case study of the Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) and child welfare policy, and a study of social welfare alternatives from the Nordic states.
Target audience: Students, academics, social workers, and policy practitioners interested in Australian social policy.