2024 Policy Challenge Grant Winners

The JMI 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 JMI’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, JMI 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 1

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 

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.

  • Dr Matthew Daly
  • Josh Gilbert
  • Gordon Noble

Housing affordability and the teacher shortage: systemic implications

Lead researcher: Professor Scott Eacott, University of New South Wales

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.

  • 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

The project aims to support the formation of community land trusts that offer an alternative form of affordable housing for NSW.

  • Emeritus Professor Peter Phibbs
  • Honorary Professor Vivienne Milligan
  • Kerry Pearse
  • Genevieve Murray
  • Michael McElligott

Theme 2

Integrated strategies for Net Zero: from housing to renewable energy

Integrated policies for affordable and Net-Zero housing

Lead researcher: Dr Eshan Noroozinejad, Western Sydney University 

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.

  • 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

Lead researcher: Associate Professor Amanda Tattersall, University of Sydney 

The project will build capability within the NSW Government to bring community voices into policy processes, focusing on renewable energy projects in the Hunter.

  • 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 

The project aims to address the deficit of social licence in the energy sector and bring more community benefits to Net Zero initiatives.

  • Dr Madeline Taylor
  • Professor Kevin Parton
  • Andrew Bray

Theme 3

Innovative solutions in justice and early intervention

Aboriginal-led justice solutions: strategies for reinvestment

Lead researcher: Associate Professor Fiona Allison, University of Technology Sydney

The project will focus on design of a reinvestment mechanism to support Aboriginal-led justice reinvestment in NSW.

  • 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

Lead researchers: Dr Angela Smith and Dr Rhonda Itaoui, Western Sydney University 

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.

  • Professor Kate Huppatz
  • Dr Teddy Nagaddya
  • Professor Neil Perry
  • Dr Jenna Condie
  • A/Professor Sriram Shankah

Integrating evidence on early intervention in government policy

Lead researcher: Associate Professor Alfredo Paloyo, University of Wollongong 

The project will explore how new approaches to early intervention investment frameworks can support the NSW Government in making more strategic investment decisions.

  • A/Professor Alfredo Paloyo