Evidence Based Policy - where is it?

I don't mind any brand or colour of politician - providing they act in the best interests of their constituents and use evidence as the basis for their dialog and decision making.

Particularly when their decision making has the potential to impact many of us and to change the "rules of the game" in ways that disadvantage some of us.

A couple of examples:

Many state politicians are wringing their hands about the over representation of young adults in road fatalities this year. Who knows what they will come up with - but it won't be evidence based - simply because the evidence doesn't exist. Or rather it does exist but it hasn't been collected and analysed effectively. State governments have not done the work to understand the "root cause" of these road fatalities - and so the only way they can come up with something that is effective - is by *accident*. This is an example of a problem that has been so distorted by the political process - and other imperitives (state revenue raising) that there is zero chance that we will ever get a good outcome and reduce the risk of young adults being hurt. This is one policy area that is crying out for a paradigm shift.

The other example is with Senator Conroy's Internet Filter. Where is the benefit/cost analysis and the large portfolio of evidence that is needed to justify his actions? The answer is no-where because this is a political decision not one that is based on evidence.

A small subset of our community with particular religious values, perspectives and ideas has so objected to some of the content that is available on the internet that they have been moved to try to influence Senator Conroy into implementing a "internet filter". They don't have any actual evidence of it's harm or "relative badness" they just object to it - and they are both vocal and powerful. And so the rest of us will have to wear the consequences - particularly the "unintended consequences" which will be both wide and far reaching. Especially for those who work at the leading edge of technology in and around the internet.

Of course there hasn't been any rigorous "evidence based" analysis of the effect of this filter because those in charge know what it would show. And they are quick to refer to the great unwashed who think that an "internet filter" is a good idea - despite not knowing anything about it or it's impact.

Unfortunately policy development across state and federal governments of all colours and persuasions is far too often undertaken like this.

These are the things we need to highlight, debate and change leading up to elections.