http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/julie-novak/ Julie Novak is a Research Fellow with the Institute of Public Affairs. She has previously worked for Commonwealth and State public sector agencies, including the Commonwealth Treasury and Productivity Commission. Julie was also previously advisor to the Queensland Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Her opinion pieces have been published in The Australian, Australian Financial Review, The Age, and the Courier Mail, on issues ranging from state public finances to social services reform. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/government-bully-boys-just-as-bad-as-bully-boys/ In her recent contribution to the Punch, Tanja Kovac illuminates her readers with a startling observation. That the Institute of Public Affairs is talking about the risks of paternalist policies, colloquially labelled the “nanny state,” for our economic and social freedoms. Kovac singles out two of my colleagues – Chris Berg and Tim Wilson – for “whipping off articles condemning the nanny state quicker than you can say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” However she curiously omits the contributions to the public debate made by the IPA’s female staff, including Louise Staley and me, who object to state encroachments on our liberties as a matter of principle. So why were two IPA blokes singled out for special attention? feedback@thepunch.com.au (Julie Novak) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/government-bully-boys-just-as-bad-as-bully-boys/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/government-bully-boys-just-as-bad-as-bully-boys/#item6089 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 02:00:50 +0000 Julie Novak | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/nanny-states-thriving-on-tax-harvested-from-smokers/ The latest move by the Federal Government to make smoking a habit of the past is the latest salvo in the rapid expansion of the nanny state. Recently the Health Minister Nicola Roxon re‑announced the government’s intention to force tobacco companies to adopt plain packaging for all cigarette brands. From next year, smokers will be greeted with a standard olive‑green packet emblazoned with graphic health warnings screaming that “every cigarette is doing you damage”. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Julie Novak) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/nanny-states-thriving-on-tax-harvested-from-smokers/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/nanny-states-thriving-on-tax-harvested-from-smokers/#item5656 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 19:35:46 +0000 Julie Novak | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/its-better-to-take-qa-as-a-comment-not-democracy/ Why didn’t the Q&A shoe‑thrower Peter Gray toss former Prime Minister John Howard a lamington instead? Taking his cue from an Iraqi journalist, turned footwear rejecter, who flung his possessions at then‑US President George W Bush, Gray in one unoriginal act exposed the limitations of the Q&A program as an uninhibited experiment in deliberative democracy. According to the program’s website, Q&A aims to place punters, pollies and pundits together to ‘thrash out’ the hot issues of the week. Think of it as the political equivalent of a WWE steel cage match. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Julie Novak) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/its-better-to-take-qa-as-a-comment-not-democracy/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/its-better-to-take-qa-as-a-comment-not-democracy/#item4337 Tue, 26 Oct 2010 04:43:48 +0000 Julie Novak | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-perils-of-fat-tax/ If the legislation for the Orwellian­-sounding Australian National Preventive Health Agency passes, then expect an avalanche of make­-work exercises by the Agency all for the cause of making us healthier. Armed with a budget of $133 million of your money over four years, the agency would get to work advising commonwealth and state health ministers about health issues surrounding alcohol and tobacco consumption and obesity. It will look to create new policies about interventions in settings such as schools, workplaces and communities. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Julie Novak) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-perils-of-fat-tax/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-perils-of-fat-tax/#item1847 Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:55:33 +0000 Julie Novak | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Counterpunch-the-nanny-state-will-nag-you-to-death/ This week parliament will debate a bill to establish a national Preventive Health Agency, reminding of that classic Mark Twain observation: nobody is safe while the legislature is in session. On The Punch Federal health minister Nicola Roxon insisted that she was no nanny statist, and that the purpose of the Agency was about saving lives and reducing health costs. Most modern governments understand the follies of outright bans, such as the failed US Prohibition movement from 1919 to 1933. However, the Agency plans what it sees as the next best thing. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Julie Novak) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Counterpunch-the-nanny-state-will-nag-you-to-death/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Counterpunch-the-nanny-state-will-nag-you-to-death/#item1522 Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:05:08 +0000 Julie Novak | Author bios | The Punch