BCEC Newsletter Spring 2019 Edition

Welcome to the Spring 2019 edition of the BCEC tri-annual newsletter.

We’re delighted to be reporting to you on a very active period during our 2019 calendar year.

BCEC researchers have been working hard at the intersection of academia and policy, providing the evidence-base needed for future directions for Western Australia.

Launched in September 2019 by Minister for Women, Simone McGurk, the 2019 Women’s Report Card is a great example of our combined efforts to address issues critical to WA, contributing an invaluable evidence base that underpins actions to address the barriers to women’s progress and promote the benefits of greater gender equity. This project has been a fantastic collaboration between BCEC and the Department of Communities and provides a central resource to shape the development of the State Government’s first 10-year Women’s Plan.

The BCEC Future-Proofing the WA Economy report is another great example of our intention to make sure that policy-makers have the best available evidence at their fingertips. Our report maps a pathway for the State’s decision-makers to ensure every Western Australian benefits from the opportunities presented by new and developing industries. Importantly, we find that there are opportunities to diversify the State’s economy and to create more than 163,000 new jobs in WA over the next five years.

In this edition, you’ll also read about the Better Together report, which examines the wellbeing and social emotional development of infants, young children and their caregivers. This project delivered in partnership with Edith Cowan University, Michigan State University and the Western Australian Primary Health Alliance.

At BCEC, our commitment to making a difference to WA businesses, people and communities remains at the forefront of everything we do. As a result, we continue to forge out partnerships with organisations that harbour similar aspirations and will work with us to achieve this mission.

As always, the Centre is passionate in combining rigorous research with a fierce commitment to effective communication and engagement. Speaking of fierce, you might enjoy reading our staff in focus article featuring BCEC’s Dr Silvia Salazar speaking about her career motivations and research pursuits.

We hope you enjoy reading about the Centre’s recent activities, research and achievements, and thank you for your continued support of BCEC in 2019.