Most Popular Books by Julie Lawson

A follow-up of the bestselling, Geoffrey Bilson Award -- and Victoria Book Prize -- nominated A Blinding Light, focusing on the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion and the onset of the Great Influenza Pandemic. When Jane Mooney''s older brother Connor lies about his age and enlists in the Great War at age fifteen, she can''t imagine ever being more devastated. But on December 6, 1917, when two ships collide in Halifax Harbour, the resulting explosion proves her wrong. An injured Jane awakes to discover that the North End of Halifax, including her home, has been destroyed; her father and three of her brothers have been killed; her mother, recovering from a head injury, has been left confused and forgetful; and her two surviving brothers are looking to her for guidance. Like so many Explosion survivors, Jane and her family are forced to start over. This means accommodation in a newly-constructed apartment block, clothing and furniture from donation centres, and a new school. Unfortunately for Jane, the school she must now attend is in the prosperous South End. How will she fit in with her uppity classmates? The only bright light is that Jane now lives closer to her best friend, Livy Schneider. Livy''s older brother, Will, a student at the same school, gives Jane a job at the school newspaper. The start of the 1918 school year appears more hopeful until Jane hears rumblings of a new enemy at their door -- and this one is contagious. The Great Influenza Pandemic has reached Halifax''s vulnerable shores. In a time of financial and emotional strain, and with this terrifying new threat, how will Jane keep her family safe? And why hasn?t Connor written to her? Will he ever return from the trenches? Following in the immediate wake of A Blinding Light, with a universal message of hope and determination, Out of the Dark uses dual point of view to tell a remarkable story of rebuilding and resilience in a time of global upheaval.

Mara vecht tegen een onverbiddelijke ziekte, en Scott ziet zich gedwongen zijn pleegkind op te geven. Een hartverscheurende roman die vraagt: wat zou jij doen, de laatste vijf dagen met je dierbaren? Mara, een 42-jarige succesvolle advocaat, lijdt aan de ziekte van Huntington – een ongeneeslijke ziekte die haar van de controle over haar lichaam berooft. Over vijf dagen neemt ze afscheid van haar man Tom en dochtertje Lakshmi. Scott en zijn vrouw Laurie nemen over vijf dagen afscheid van hun pleegzoon Curtis, die teruggaat naar zijn biologische moeder die dan vrijkomt uit de gevangenis. Scott en Mara kennen elkaar van een internetforum voor ouders van geadopteerde kinderen, en ze delen een bijzondere vriendschap. Terwijl hun werelden volledig op hun kop staan, proberen ze tegelijk de laatste dagen met hun geliefden zo gewoon mogelijk te houden. ‘Nog vijf dagen’ is een ontroerende, rauwe roman over afscheid nemen en hoe het is als je de controle over je leven verliest.

This research investigates the rationale for an Australian Housing and Homelessness Strategy. Applying contemporary thinking about the role of governments in complex problem-solving, and lessons from other ''national approaches'' here and internationally, it sets out options for achieving cohesive, co-ordinated action on housing and homelessness in the Australian federation.The landmark UN project Housing2030 conceives of good housing policy governance deriving from clear strategic frameworks, mission-focused institutions, capable stakeholders, long-term leadership and commitment. It typically requires multi-level governance, based on long-term agreements. It is also open to monitoring and critique, strengthens the voice of marginalised groups, learns from mistakes and adapts when necessary. In this way a national housing strategy can be market-shaping and transformative, addressing causes of well understood challenges, designing relevant policies and programs to ensure adequate housing for all.Australia''s primary housing and homelessness mission should be that everyone in Australia has adequate housing. Australian legislation should place an obligation on the Housing Minister to make an Australian Housing and Homelessness Strategy, as well as obligations to regularly report on progress and periodically evaluate and review the strategy.International experience shows the vital role played by dedicated housing agencies co-ordinating the development and implementation of strategies, and, with development, Housing Australia is well placed to be Australia''s lead housing agency and to present the public face of the Strategy as it progresses.

Compared to standard infrastructure assessments, establishing social housing outcomes are more complex and multifaceted. This research investigated various business case frameworks for funding social housing as infrastructure, including using cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and other alternatives, in order to develop stronger analytical methodologies. The ''avoided cost'' approach estimates whole-of-government savings across portfolios, avoiding assigning financial value to the ''intangible'' dimensions of housing that a CBA would typically calculate. The ''housing adjusted life years'' (HALY) methodology sees social housing as a welfare/ public health intervention which improves life expectancy and quality of life.

Working Paper 2 is a close adaption of a report delivered at the Community Housing Conference in Sydney in March 1994. It seeks to place the evolution of community housing in an historical context as well as relate its development to broader sociological and political movements. The paper then provides an overview of the current stage of development of community housing on a state by state basis by describing the range of models and quantity of stock in the sector.