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Expert comment – action on child poverty
The Salvation Army has called on the Gillard Government to act on child poverty.
RMIT University Senior Lecturer, Dr Andrew Scott, said the 12 per cent of
Australian children living in poverty was five times the rate in Denmark, where only
2.4 per cent of now lived in income poverty.
“On average the proportion of children living in poverty in Denmark, Sweden,
Norway and Finland is just over 3 per cent,” he said.
“This highlights the need for the Government to support detailed research on the
policy lessons for Australia from the outstanding success of the Nordic nations in
reducing child poverty.
Dr Scott is an expert on Australian politics, economic policy, social policy and
political history. He has researched widely on alternatives to neoliberal economic
policies and the lessons for Australia from the policy achievements of Sweden and
other social-democratic Nordic countries.
He is the author of three books, including the comprehensive textbook Politics,
Parties and Issues in Australia – An Introduction (Pearson Education Australia,
2009).
A Senior Lecturer in the School of Global Studies, Social Science and Planning, Dr
Scott is available for interview on the issue of child poverty.
A policy briefing at RMIT’s European Union (EU) Centre on 15 November will hear
from the Danish and Swedish Ambassadors to Australia and discuss in detail ideas
about what Australia might now learn from Nordic European nations’ experiences
to cut child poverty in this country.
For interviews: Dr Andrew Scott, 0412 210 283.
For general media enquiries: University Communications, David Glanz, (03)
9925 2807 or 0438 547 723.
18 October, 2010
NEWS 
