The Social Justice Project (SJP) was established in 2000 and has three principal roles.
It undertakes research, writing and advocacy on a range of issues affecting social justice in Australia and overseas.
It develops and coordinates joint activities on social justice issues with other centres, staff and students at the University.
It contributes to teaching in the Law Faculty and elsewhere on subjects relating to social justice.
The Project has a Director and several full or part-time staff and interns.
It also has a number of paid and honorary consultants, and some access to
staff of other centres.
The SJP specialises in a number of different areas, including
Social Welfare and Social Development
- especially social security, welfare reform, and employment assistance
Economic Development and Taxation
- especially tax reform, financial regulation, and public investment
Governance and Civil Society
- especially in relation to the United Nations and Asia-Pacific regional groupings
Within these specialist areas, the SJP undertakes research, writes articles, publishes papers and books, organises seminars and workshops, makes written and oral submissions, and participates in delegations and conferences. These activities are often undertaken in conjunction with other centres at UNSW or with governmental and non-governmental organisations at state, national and international levels.
The SJP is the main base of the Community Tax Project which conducts seminars and publishes papers and books on aspects of taxation reform in Australia and overseas. Areas of taxation covered by the Project include, superannuation and other forms of saving, financial transactions, housing and international tax avoidance. The Community Tax Project is closely involved in promoting greater international cooperation on tax reform and the Director has been invited to address a number of UN and other international meetings on the topic.
In 2001, Tax Watch was commenced by the SJP as a service for gathering and analysing information and ideas about taxation in Australia and internationally. It assists policy analysts and advocates who are not technical tax experts to identify possible weaknesses in design and administration of taxation systems and to promote appropriate reforms. Tax Watch is being expanded to operate through a network of independent experts across the world.
The SJP is closely engaged in developing and advising on proposals to improve assistance for unemployed people, sole parents, people with disabilities, age pensioners and other people on low incomes. The SJP Director has served on several government advisory committees in this area and is also engaged in international projects aimed at strengthening social security systems, especially in developing countries. The Project works closely on these issues with the Social Policy Research Centre at UNSW as well as several community welfare organisations.
The SJP is undertaking a major three-year project aimed at strengthening governmental and non-governmental cooperation between countries within the Asia-Pacific region on matters affecting social justice. The project involves research into relevant institutions and processes, both within that region and elsewhere around the world, and their interaction with the UN and other aspects of global governance. It also involves convening informal workshops of regional leaders of non-governmental organisations, developing and advocating proposals for strengthening regional cooperation, and engaging with key regional groupings such as the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). The project is funded principally by the Myer Foundation and is being conducted in close cooperation with the governance project at the Asia-Australia Institute and with the International Council on Social Welfare.
As part of a Centenary of Federation project, the SJP is coordinating a program of activities aimed at identifying priorities for social investment in areas such as education, housing, health and community services. The program includes organising Round Tables of leading experts from around Australia, preparing and publishing papers, and coordinating a series of chapters in the final project report. Related projects have also been undertaken for or in conjunction with organisations like the Business Council of Australia and the Brotherhood of St Laurence.
The SJP organises a series of Social Justice Seminars on campus, and occasionally in downtown locations, with prominent speakers from Australia and overseas. It also established and continues to coordinate the Social Justice Intern Program that gives UNSW law students an opportunity as part of their courses to gain experience working at one of the centres affiliated with the Law Faculty. In 2001, the SJP took the initiative in establishing a Social Justice Network which brings together staff and students from a wide range of disciplines across the University who have an interest in aspects of social justice. The Network exchanges information and ideas through a website and regular forums, promotes cooperative activities between different UNSW centres, and has initiated an Anti-Poverty Week in which many different parts of the university community organise seminars, public meetings and other activities on poverty-related themes.
