Alcohol abuse undermines children’s sense of safety in their communities, writes Sharon Bessell.

Are water wars just the stuff of Hollywood melodrama, writes Paula Hanasz. 

Academia needs to find new ways to keep up with the pace of demand for evidence from policymakers, writes Belinda Thompson.

Storm clouds on the horizon, or plain sailing ahead? Quentin Grafton checks the economic forecast.

Is welfare growth really “unsustainable” asks Peter Whiteford.

Australia is good at responding to natural disasters, so why the public backlash against emergency services and political leaders each time one happens, asks Stephen Dovers.