Emeritus Professor Andrew Scott

Lead editor, The Nordic Edge: Policy Possibilities for Australia, still no. 1 bestselling political book of Melbourne University Press 3 years after publication

[Peter Whiteford @WhitefordPeter]

If you become unemployed in Australia your income drops more than in any other country in the OECD apart from the UK, so the idea that people come here to access unemployment payments is doubtful - apart from the fact that you have to be here for 4 years to get JobSeeker.

[Emeritus Professor Andrew Scott @ascottnlights]

A very powerful and perceptive story written here by @1RossGittins Wishing him continuing recovery to stronger walking and mobility after this significant health setback.

[Mike Carlton @MikeCarlton01]

A chill, sobering story. So glad he’s back. Ross Gittins is a national treasure. https://t.co/unYk0nkjqB

[Michael Pascoe @MichaelPascoe01]

Dreadful way to lose a bit of weight @1RossGittins - welcome back to the keyboard. Go well.

Ross Gittins spent 44 days in ICU and almost died. This is his story https://t.co/ygKucRM8oU

[Alan Kohler @AlanKohler]

My video piece for tonight's @abcnews in which I suggest that childcare and kinder be nationalised, and made free. That is, free education should be extended to kids under 5.
https://t.co/WW84ddGVps

[Emeritus Professor Andrew Scott @ascottnlights]

@JoshBBornstein Yes but childcare is the LEAST popular place that citizens and voters want neoliberalism so it is the FIRST place that the national Labor gov't can and must roll back neoliberalism. See my speech here: https://t.co/GaddlEaGVc

[Emeritus Professor Andrew Scott @ascottnlights]

Yes but childcare is the LEAST popular place that citizens and voters want neoliberalism so it is the FIRST place the national Labor government must now act to roll back neoliberalism: see my speech here https://t.co/GaddlEaGVc

[Emeritus Professor Andrew Scott @ascottnlights]

Here’s a link to a speech I’ve just given to a social policy conference: https://t.co/R0oinm1nEy
I caution it contains distressing subject matter as it discusses things needed to tackle the current childcare crisis in Australia.

[David Rolph @dkrolph]

Tim Winton among 100 high-profile Australians calling for university fees that don’t ‘punish’ arts students https://t.co/Ac9bRsZRyt

[Emeritus Professor Andrew Scott @ascottnlights]

August roundtable must tackle things that stop early learning being universal + affordable. See e.g. Nobel prize economist Prof James Heckman: every $ invested in quality early learning = $7-12 dollars back to society; + Dr Angela Jackson’s report ‘Throwing Good Money after Bad’.

[Emeritus Professor Andrew Scott @ascottnlights]

I'm pleased the PM’s speech today highlighted how “Australians voted for new investment + new reform in every stage of education from” – or starting with – “early childhood”, + how “education enriches our human potential” starting with “UNIVERSAL AFFORDABLE EARLY LEARNING”.

[Emeritus Professor Andrew Scott @ascottnlights]

@crikey_news What a joke! A sure way to further devalue awards which should be going to the real heroes and heroines in our society who we DON'T normally hear of who do amazingly positive things from the goodness of their hearts.

[Emeritus Professor Andrew Scott @ascottnlights]

Pushing back with new urgency against neoliberalism https://t.co/gJynnsfv0y My article here discusses the renewed relevance of last year's book 'Captured', published by @SydneyUniPress, edited by Phillip Toner and Michael Rafferty, following the 3 May 2025 Australian election.

[Emeritus Professor Andrew Scott @ascottnlights]

Tonight = a new national Minister for Early Childhood Education, @JessWalshVic. I've messaged congrats to Jess on her appointment. I'm now urgently seeking to contact her about ending violence against children in for-profit dominated childcare, exposed further tonight by #abc730.

[Emeritus Professor Andrew Scott @ascottnlights]

I agree with this excellent article: by @mds49 https://t.co/9uJdfaBa0f

[Emeritus Professor Andrew Scott @ascottnlights]

@Calliope1925 @adele_ferguson SA now moving to universal 3-year-old preschool: those in long day care get preschool there; those not in long day care get government preschool; + place-based commissioning of integrated service hubs to give preschool for 3-year-olds in areas of high developmental vulnerability.

[Emeritus Professor Andrew Scott @ascottnlights]

Tonight's further, deeply distressing revelations by @adele_ferguson on #abc730 of the extent of mistreatment of children in PROFIT-DOMINATED early childhood education and care providers in Australia mean IT'S TIME to shift from demand-side subsidies which attract such profiteers

[Emeritus Professor Andrew Scott @ascottnlights]

IT’S TIME after #abc730 to move to a supply-side set-up in which all early childhood education + care providers receive base level of funding provided they meet stricter quality rules, + extra funds ONLY go to quality, humane providers which meet the needs of vulnerable children

[Monica @AttardMon]

What a great night of excellent journalism on @abcnews tonight. Oz Story ✔️ Four Corners - devastating but let’s face the awful truth of our history. And Media Watch - keeping up the pressure. 🙏🙏ABC

[Emeritus Professor Andrew Scott @ascottnlights]

https://t.co/o3ZGjanugN just now SHREDS the PATHETIC Australian 'newspaper' for their fabricated story last week that the operations of the Yallourn coal power station will be extended beyond 2028: an attempted hit job against vitally needed renewable energy.

[Emeritus Professor Andrew Scott @ascottnlights]

@BenPhillips_ANU We may need to shift from demand-side subsidies for childcare paid to parents, to a supply-side set-up in which all providers receive a base level of funding if they meet stricter quality rules, with extra support only given to those which care for and educate vulnerable children