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Papers by Danielle Thornton
Australian Journal of Politics & History, 2011
Recent public debates about family law reform have revealed both support for and criticism of leg... more Recent public debates about family law reform have revealed both support for and criticism of legislative policies that seek to shape social norms. Amidst this debate was a suggestion from some quarters that the Whitlam Government's removal of fault-based divorce is responsible for the gendered tensions that characterise modern reform debates. This article draws on archival records and interviews conducted with family law professionals who worked in the system in the 1970s and experienced the transition to the no-fault system, to explore the principles underlying the introduction of the Family Law Act of 1975 and to identify the sources of continuing dissension about its impact.
Yet no formal, comprehensive response to this problem exists in any state or territory. Programs ... more Yet no formal, comprehensive response to this problem exists in any state or territory. Programs to identify children and young people at risk are patchy and under-resourced, and specialist crisis services non-existent. Because no department or agency holds sole responsibility for their welfare, children may be referred back and forth between service sectors without receiving the care and support they need. We identify this problem as one of systemic carelessness.
Labour History, 2009
By examining on the role played by rank-and-file activists and their leaders, this article seeks ... more By examining on the role played by rank-and-file activists and their leaders, this article seeks to balance the institutional focus of existing accounts of the 1883-3 Melbourne Tailoresses' Strike. Placing the strike in the broader context of the emergence of a woman-centred trade unionism, it argues that while the strike ultimately failed in its goal of improving the tailoresses' wages, it marked a major turning-point in public perceptions of female factory workers. Whereas the popular stereotype of the 'factory girl' was of a feckless adolescent who jeopardised her morals for a 'pernicious freedom', the striking tailoresses presented themselves as redoubtable activists, responsible for the support of young families, younger siblings and aging parents. In claiming the status of breadwinners in their own right, they challenged their exclusion from the 'brotherhood' of organised labour and won the support of the Victorian public. By examining on the ro...
Australia's current social security system is ill equipped to respond to the technological, demog... more Australia's current social security system is ill equipped to respond to the technological, demographic, environmental and geopolitical challenges we face. It is time to reclaim the right to social security. We propose five principles to guide and underpin our social security system so that it contributes to a just, fair and compassionate society. Key points A strong, fair and supportive system of social protection is the precondition for a just and compassionate society, and the foundation of every open, inclusive and stable democracy. A principled approach to social security is also a precondition for economic productivity and social mobility. To tackle the intersecting issues of economic insecurity, the changing nature of work, technological change, environmental crisis and the loss of trust in institutions requires a principled approach. Principles to guide social security We propose five interrelated and indivisible principles: • Adequacy: Economic security is a human right and a precondition for wellbeing (International Labour Organization 2012). There is extensive evidence that the rate of Newstart Allowance is inadequate, being well below various poverty lines (Davidson et al. 2018; Melbourne Institute 2019). To prevent poverty and enable economic and social participation, social security payments must be adequate for people to live with dignity. • Dignity and autonomy: Individual dignity and autonomy are fundamental to human rights. As the UN collaborative platform Social Protection & Human Rights (2015) points out, these are ' inextricably linked to the principles of equality and non-discrimination'. The principle of dignity and autonomy also respects the right to privacy.
The Brotherhood of St Laurence is a non-government, community-based organisation concerned with s... more The Brotherhood of St Laurence is a non-government, community-based organisation concerned with social justice. Based in Melbourne, but with programs and services throughout Australia, the Brotherhood is working for a better deal for disadvantaged people. It undertakes research, service development and delivery, and advocacy, with the objective of addressing unmet needs and translating learning into new policies, programs and practices for implementation by government and others. For more information visit <www.bsl.org.au>.
Review(s) of: Rebel Girls: Their Fight for the Vote, by Jill Liddington (London: Virago, 2006) 40... more Review(s) of: Rebel Girls: Their Fight for the Vote, by Jill Liddington (London: Virago, 2006) 402pp, $29.95 Paperback.
Discusses World War I British poet Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) and his views about how masculinity p... more Discusses World War I British poet Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) and his views about how masculinity provided opportunities for various types of self-expression; Owen realized that poetry was not usually associated with a "normal, manly fellow," as he wrote in
Australian Journal of Politics & History, 2011
Recent public debates about family law reform have revealed both support for and criticism of leg... more Recent public debates about family law reform have revealed both support for and criticism of legislative policies that seek to shape social norms. Amidst this debate was a suggestion from some quarters that the Whitlam Government's removal of fault-based divorce is responsible for the gendered tensions that characterise modern reform debates. This article draws on archival records and interviews conducted with family law professionals who worked in the system in the 1970s and experienced the transition to the no-fault system, to explore the principles underlying the introduction of the Family Law Act of 1975 and to identify the sources of continuing dissension about its impact.
Yet no formal, comprehensive response to this problem exists in any state or territory. Programs ... more Yet no formal, comprehensive response to this problem exists in any state or territory. Programs to identify children and young people at risk are patchy and under-resourced, and specialist crisis services non-existent. Because no department or agency holds sole responsibility for their welfare, children may be referred back and forth between service sectors without receiving the care and support they need. We identify this problem as one of systemic carelessness.
Labour History, 2009
By examining on the role played by rank-and-file activists and their leaders, this article seeks ... more By examining on the role played by rank-and-file activists and their leaders, this article seeks to balance the institutional focus of existing accounts of the 1883-3 Melbourne Tailoresses' Strike. Placing the strike in the broader context of the emergence of a woman-centred trade unionism, it argues that while the strike ultimately failed in its goal of improving the tailoresses' wages, it marked a major turning-point in public perceptions of female factory workers. Whereas the popular stereotype of the 'factory girl' was of a feckless adolescent who jeopardised her morals for a 'pernicious freedom', the striking tailoresses presented themselves as redoubtable activists, responsible for the support of young families, younger siblings and aging parents. In claiming the status of breadwinners in their own right, they challenged their exclusion from the 'brotherhood' of organised labour and won the support of the Victorian public. By examining on the ro...
Australia's current social security system is ill equipped to respond to the technological, demog... more Australia's current social security system is ill equipped to respond to the technological, demographic, environmental and geopolitical challenges we face. It is time to reclaim the right to social security. We propose five principles to guide and underpin our social security system so that it contributes to a just, fair and compassionate society. Key points A strong, fair and supportive system of social protection is the precondition for a just and compassionate society, and the foundation of every open, inclusive and stable democracy. A principled approach to social security is also a precondition for economic productivity and social mobility. To tackle the intersecting issues of economic insecurity, the changing nature of work, technological change, environmental crisis and the loss of trust in institutions requires a principled approach. Principles to guide social security We propose five interrelated and indivisible principles: • Adequacy: Economic security is a human right and a precondition for wellbeing (International Labour Organization 2012). There is extensive evidence that the rate of Newstart Allowance is inadequate, being well below various poverty lines (Davidson et al. 2018; Melbourne Institute 2019). To prevent poverty and enable economic and social participation, social security payments must be adequate for people to live with dignity. • Dignity and autonomy: Individual dignity and autonomy are fundamental to human rights. As the UN collaborative platform Social Protection & Human Rights (2015) points out, these are ' inextricably linked to the principles of equality and non-discrimination'. The principle of dignity and autonomy also respects the right to privacy.
The Brotherhood of St Laurence is a non-government, community-based organisation concerned with s... more The Brotherhood of St Laurence is a non-government, community-based organisation concerned with social justice. Based in Melbourne, but with programs and services throughout Australia, the Brotherhood is working for a better deal for disadvantaged people. It undertakes research, service development and delivery, and advocacy, with the objective of addressing unmet needs and translating learning into new policies, programs and practices for implementation by government and others. For more information visit <www.bsl.org.au>.
Review(s) of: Rebel Girls: Their Fight for the Vote, by Jill Liddington (London: Virago, 2006) 40... more Review(s) of: Rebel Girls: Their Fight for the Vote, by Jill Liddington (London: Virago, 2006) 402pp, $29.95 Paperback.
Discusses World War I British poet Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) and his views about how masculinity p... more Discusses World War I British poet Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) and his views about how masculinity provided opportunities for various types of self-expression; Owen realized that poetry was not usually associated with a "normal, manly fellow," as he wrote in