2024 Policy Challenge Grant Winners
The APPI Policy Challenge Grant is an annual award program to support applied public policy research addressing some of New South Wales’s biggest policy challenges. The program is open to researchers from APPI’s partner universities: The University of Sydney, Western Sydney University, the University of Technology Sydney, the University of New South Wales, Charles Sturt University and the University of Wollongong.
Guiding policymaking on housing, energy and social equity
In 2024, APPI awarded grants to nine innovative projects following a competitive and rigorous selection process. These projects aim to develop and advance policy solutions that align with key government priorities including addressing social and affordable housing, the transition to a Net Zero economy, and redirecting investment to early intervention and prevention.
THEME ONE
Reimagining affordable housing: community policy solutions
A new ‘build-to-rent-to-own’ model for ‘generation rent’
Lead researcher: Caitlin McGee, University of Technology Sydney
About the project
The project explores the potential of a “build-to-rent-to-own” housing model, which could offer previously excluded groups the opportunity to generate wealth from their housing.
Team members
- Dr Matthew Daly
- Josh Gilbert
- Gordon Noble
Housing affordability and the teacher shortage: systemic implications
About the project
The project combines two priority issues – the teacher shortage and the housing affordability crisis – with the potential to identify housing policy solutions relevant to other key workers.
Team members
- Professor Christopher Pettit
- Dr Catherine Gilbert
- Dr Katrina MacDonald
Generating affordable housing through community land trusts
Lead researcher: Professor Louise Crabtree-Hayes, Western Sydney University
About the project
The project aims to support the formation of community land trusts that offer an alternative form of affordable housing for NSW.
Team members
- Emeritus Professor Peter Phibbs
- Honorary Professor Vivienne Milligan
- Kerry Pearse
- Genevieve Murray
- Michael McElligott
THEME TWO
Integrated strategies for Net Zero: from housing to renewable energy
Integrated policies for affordable and Net-Zero housing
Lead researcher: Dr Ehsan Noroozinejad, Western Sydney University
About the project
The project focuses on modern construction methods (modular and pre-fabrication), and how they can increase the availability of sustainable, affordable and cost-effective housing in NSW.
Team members
- Professor Greg Morrison
- Professor Nicky Morrison
- A/Professor Pejman Sharafi
- Dr Aso Hajirasouli
- Dr Vanita Yadav
- Dr Linna Geng
- Dr Toktam Bashirzadeh Tabrizi
- A/Professor Hassan
- Gholipour Fereidouni
- Dr Samaneh Arasteh
- A/Professor Maria Rashidi
- Dr Qinjun (Lavender) Liu
Bringing community voices into policy: renewables in the Hunter
About the project
The project will build capability within the NSW Government to bring community voices into policy processes, focusing on renewable energy projects in the Hunter.
Team members
- Dr Claire Parfitt
- Dr Bow Wu
- Katie Moore
- David Barrow
Advancing the Net Zero energy transition through co-design
Lead researcher: Dr Simon Wright, Charles Sturt University
About the project
The project aims to address the deficit of social licence in the energy sector and bring more community benefits to Net Zero initiatives.
Team members
- Dr Madeline Taylor
- Professor Kevin Parton
- Andrew Bray
THEME THREE
Innovative solutions in justice and early intervention
Aboriginal-led justice solutions: strategies for reinvestment
Lead researcher: Associate Professor Fiona Allison, University of Technology Sydney
About the project
The project will focus on design of a reinvestment mechanism to support Aboriginal-led justice reinvestment in NSW.
Team members
- A/Professor Ben Spies-Butcher
- Dr Gareth Bryant
- Mark Riboldi
- Mekayla Cochrane
- Professor Daryle Rigney
- Daniel Daylight
- A/Professor Steven Hemming
Developing a place-based Childcare Stress Index
About the project
The project will develop a scalable place-based Childcare Stress Index to assist the NSW Government in directing investment to the areas most in need of quality childcare.
Team members
- Professor Kate Huppatz
- Dr Teddy Nagaddya
- Professor Neil Perry
- A/Professor Sriram Shankar
Integrating evidence on early intervention in government policy
Lead researcher: Associate Professor Alfredo Paloyo, University of Wollongong
About the project
The project will explore how new approaches to early intervention investment frameworks can support the NSW Government in making more strategic investment decisions.
Team members
- A/Professor Alfredo Paloy
