Health equity scholar Sharon Friel and regular hosts Sharon Bessell and Arnagretta Hunter join Angus Blackman to reflect on some of the ‘brain-changing conversations’ on the pod in 2021, and to look forward at what’s needed in terms of leadership and policy as Australia heads into an election year.

Has Australia learnt the right lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of health and wellbeing, or is the country falling back to business-as-usual? And what do Australians need to see from their leaders as the country approaches an election in the first half of 2022? In the final episode of Policy Forum Pod for the year, Professor Sharon Friel, Professor Sharon Bessell, Dr Arnagretta Hunter and Angus Blackman look back on some of the lessons from the year, our favourite conversations on the pod, and the issues policymakers must address in the new year.

Sharon Friel is Professor of Health Equity and Director of the Menzies Centre for Health Governance at ANU School of Regulation and Global Governance.

Sharon Bessell is Professor of Public Policy and Director of Gender Equity and Diversity at Crawford School of Public Policy at ANU.

Arnagretta Hunter is a cardiologist, physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer for ANU Medical School.

Angus Blackman is Editor of Policy Forum and Executive Producer of Policy Forum Pod and Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny.

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