A Fair Society

Investigators: Piyush Sharma, Russel Kingshott, Amy Tian and Julia Backmann

Optimizing benefits of cultural diversity in Australian healthcare sector. Australian society and workplaces are increasingly becoming culturally diverse with growing numbers of immigrants from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds. However, it is not clear to what extent this diversity is being harnessed to improve organisational performance by leveraging the diverse range of knowledge and skills of CaLD customers and employees. This project aims to use social identity theory and role theory to develop a comprehensive conceptual model for the process by which organisations identify, acknowledge, engage, accept, and adapt to cultural and linguistic diversity among their customers and employees. We also plan to test this model with data from customers and employees in Australian service sector.

This project is funded by the Australian Research Council.

Investigators: Rachel Ong ViforJ

This project plans to fill major research gaps by delivering new evidence on the drivers of intergenerational housing wealth inequality. It aims to generate new knowledge on the ways in which baby boomers manage housing wealth, and shed light on their experiences of using wealth transfers to improve their children’s housing outcomes. The project offers innovative cross-national analyses that should produce internationally relevant findings and foster collaborations on a significant scale. It is expected to provide major national benefits by promoting a shift away from short-term policy planning that unintentionally set generations against each other towards a more holistic policy perspective that meet the needs of co-existing generations.

This project is funded by the Australian Research Council.

Investigators: S Zaung Nau, Isaac Cheah, Anwar Sadat Shimul and Leah Meng

This project empowers CaLD women by equipping them with financial literacy, digital skills, and personal branding expertise to enhance their economic independence. CaLD women face disproportionately high unemployment rates and financial literacy gaps, limiting their ability to build financial security and career pathways. This project is aimed to support CaLD women to gain confidence in financial decision-making, improve employability, and explore entrepreneurship. By addressing systemic barriers, this project fosters long-term economic participation and self-sufficiency. A final report will provide evidence-based insights for policymakers and community leaders to drive further support. With capacity for 30 participants, this initiative creates lasting change for CaLD women.

This project is funded by the Department of Communities.