The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective

Impact summary

While the whole world was struggling with COVID-19 pandemic and it impact, Australia was one the best examples of pandemic control measures in terms of maintaining physical distance, testing and tracing and supporting with extraordinary welfare measures. But little systematic and scholarly information was available at the time. CSU Professors Dominic O’Sullivan and Manohar Pawar along with Dr. Mubarak Ali analysed the impact of COVID 19 in Australia. Their analysis has influenced the non-academic community, including, a speech by the Governor of New South Wales, Government of Western Australia and several professional bodies such as Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association, Western Australia Primary Health Alliance, Victorian Aboriginal Executive Council, Oxfam Australia, Mission Australia, Ombudsman New South Wales, Health Employees’ Superannuation Trust Australia, CSIRO Australia’s National Science Agency and so on. Internationally it has influenced Ontario Public Schools’ Boards Association, Institute of African Studies, Hamburg, and Small Enterprise Association of Australia and New Zealand

Research and engagement activities leading to impact

On invitation of the guest editor of the special issue, The Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic: Implications for Community and Social Development, a research team consisting of Prof. Manohar Pawar, Prof. Dominic O’Sullivan and an external partner, Dr. Mubarak Ali was formed. By following the secondary data analysis method, the team developed, and shred drafts and the final version was submitted for publication in the International Journal of Community and Social Development. The published work has influenced individuals and institutions, including government and non-government organisations.

Research outputs associated with the impact

O’Sullivan, D., Rahamathulla, M. and Pawar, M. (2021). The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective. The International Journal of Community and Social Development. Vol 2 (2), pp. 134-151. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2516602620937922

Researcher involvement

At the time, since there was so much confusion and no systematic information was available, researchers significantly engaged in collaboratively discovering:
• Initial government responses to the pandemic and controversies surrounding those responses.
• The impact on Australian individuals and families, particularly, on the marginalised and the poor.
• Economic and social responses of the government and non-government organisations.
• Community rebuilding approaches to recovery.

Outcomes of research leading to impact

The use of the analysis by individuals, governments and nongovernment organisations.
Greater awareness of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and responses by the government and non-government organisations.
Total views and downloads recorded were: 133,237.
Google has recorded 174 citations.

Beneficiaries of the impact

The public
Governments and non-government organisations

Details of the impact achieved

Our work is cited in the following non-academic activities:

2020

1. Vice-Chancellor’s Gender Equality Fund Final Report 2020.
2. (O’Sullivan, Pawar and Mubarak).
3. WA Primary Health Alliance (2020). Needs Assessment Update 2020 The impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Natural Disaster on Primary Care in WA.
4. (The impact and implications of COVID-19: an Australian perspective).
5. AHHA Submission to the Consultation Paper for the National Preventive Health Strategy (2020). (The impact and implications of COVID-19: an Australian perspective).
6. Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (2020). (The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective).
7. Beazey, M. (2020). Speech by the Governor of New South Wales ‘2020 Royal Society of NSW and Four Academies Forum: ‘After COVID-19: Creating the Best of Times from the Worst of Times’, 5 November 2020 (The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective).
8. Illawarra Legal Centre (2020). Annual Report. (The impact and implications of COVID-19: An Australian perspective).
9. Queensland Health (2020). Community Maternity Hubs Model Evaluation 30/10/2020 (The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective).

2021

10. O’Connor, A., Soosay, C., and Hallak, R. (2021). ‘What are the most effective ways of building business resilience in regional communities?’ The Centre for Enterprise Dynamics, University of South Australia, published by the Regional Australia Institute, Canberra
11. (O’Sullivan, Pawar and Mubarak).
12. IZA Institute of Labor Economics (2021). Assaults during Lockdown in NSW and Victoria.
13. (The impact and implications of COVID-19: an Australian perspective).
14. O’Connor, A., Soosay, C., and Hallak, R. (2021). ‘What are the most effective ways of building business resilience in regional communities?’ Regional Australia Institute.
15. (The impact and implications of COVID-19: an Australian perspective).
16. National Growth Areas Alliance (2021). 2022 Policy Platform – Draft for Consultation.
a. (The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective).
17. Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (2021). Intimate Partner Violence during the COVID-19 Pandemic. (The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective).
18. Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (2021). 2021-22 Pre-Budget Submission to Treasury 29 January 2021.
a. (The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective).
19. Evans, Z & Borrell, J (2021) Change & Resilience During COVID-19: How CISVic Member Agencies Experienced the Pandemic and Adapted to Support Local Communities, Community Information & Support Victoria (CISVic), Melbourne.
a. (The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective).
20. CSIRO Australia’s National Science Agency (2021). Infectious disease resilience Co-developing a national Mission. (The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective).
21. Deeble Institute for Health Policy Research, Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (2021). Universal Healthcare in Australia: Prof John Deeble’s legacy more relevant than ever. (The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective).
22. Foundations for Tomorrow (2021). Awareness to Action: A youth-informed proposal for a more just, equitable and sustainable Australian future. (The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective).
23. Government of Western Australia, Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (2021). Breathing through the pandemic: Performing arts challenges and responses to the mental health implications of COVID-19. (The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective).
24. Health Employees’ Superannuation Trust Australia (2021). State of the sector: 2021 community and disability services workforce insights. (The impact and implications of COVID-19: An Australian perspective).
25. Institute of African Studies, Hamburg (2021). The socio-economic impact of Brexit on CANZUK and the Anglosphere in times of Corona : The case of Canada, Australia and New Zealand. (The impact and implications of COVID-19: An Australian perspective).
26. Mission Australia (2021). Economic Disadvantage…
a. (The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective).
27. Ombudsman New South Wales (2021). 2020 hindsight: the first 12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic A special report under section 31 of the Ombudsman Act 197 (The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective).
28. Ontario Public Schools’ Boards Association (2021). Transitioning from the COVID-19 School Experience an OPSBA Discussion Paper. (The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective).
29. Oxfam Australia (2021). Volunteer Impact Quarterly Report. (The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective).
30. Small Enterprise Association of Australia and New Zealand (2021). (The impact and implications of COVID-19: An Australian perspective).
31. Victorian Aboriginal Executive Council (2021). Submission – Indigenous Skills and Employment Program. (The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective).

2022

32. and Diverse Young Australians. Centre for Resilient and Inclusive Societies. Melbourne.
33. (The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective).
34. National Growth Areas Alliance (2022). 2022-2023 Pre-Budget Submission.
a. (The Impact and Implications of COVID-19: An Australian Perspective).
35. National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (2022). Towards an Inclusive Analytics for Australian Higher Education.
a. (The impact and implications of COVID-19: An Australian perspective).
36. Black Rainbow (2022). Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander LGBTQISB+ People and the COVlD-19 Pandemic A SURVEY OF IMPACTS EXPERIENCED AS AT MID-2021.
37. (O’Sullivan, Pawar and Mubarak).

Impact date	2020
Category of impact	Social Impact
Impact level	International