Assessment 1 Outline
At a glance
Individual task
Written task
Maximum 1,500 words (excluding literature reviews in appendix)
Due Friday, 12 May 2023, 11.59pm
Worth 50%
Objective
This assessment is designed to develop your understanding of policy debates surrounding housing
development and policy objectives and strategies to address key housing issues. Utilising this
knowledge, this assessment asks you to identify options and make recommendations for policy
development pertaining to a housing issue of your choosing, focusing on NSW. Through this
assessment you will develop skills in reviewing research evidence; policy analysis; and
professional report writing.
The assessment has been designed to add to your professional portfolio.
Task
Your task is to write a briefing note on a key housing policy issue (see below), to inform a
senior bureaucrat or elected representative/s. Your briefing note will explain the issue, outline
current government responses, potential policy options, and recommend actions. You will draw
on the class reading list, and wider sources of information in developing your briefing
note. Your compilation and review of these sources will be shared and discussed in class, and
appended to your briefing note. Key components of the task are outlined below.
1) Select a key housing policy issue, from one of the following topics, or develop a theme of
your choice.
1. Increasing the supply of affordable housing
2. Indigenous housing needs
3. Diversifying new housing in response to complex and changing population needs
4. Climate change and housing
5. Homelessness
6. Gentrification and displacement
7. Housing and special needs
8. Discrimination and housing access
9. Housing & natural disasters
10. Housing and health
11. Accessing first home ownership
2) Literature Review: Review three readings relevant to your chosen policy issue, at least two
of which must be from the core or extended reading list for this course. Write a 300-400
word summary and review of each reading following the format outline in point two (II).
I. Post a summary of one of the articles that you review, on the applicable padlet
before 12pm on May 4 2023.
Your padlet entry must follow this format:
Policy issue: (e.g. ‘Housing and natural disasters)
Key reading: (Reference details of your selected reading)
Summary: 2-3 sentences describing the reading.
Takeaway for policy: 1-2 sentences on how the reading informs an
understanding of the policy issue and or how to address it.
II. Your full written review of each reading should be attached to your assignment
submission as an appendix. In addition to a fuller description of the above, you should
also identify the key sources of data/evidence being presented in the reading. You
should complete 3-400 words for each reading, in the following format:
Policy issue
Key reading (Reference details of your selected reading)
Summary
Key data sources / evidence
Takeaway for policy
3) Policy Briefing Note: Write a 1000-1500 word briefing note explaining the issue, current
government responses, potential policy options, and recommended actions.
Make sure your briefing note has subheadings and a logical structure. You must
substantiate your statements with relevant references from your readings or wider
(appropriate) sources.
Your briefing note should include the following elements:
Title
Explanation of the issue (including key data or statistics)
Explanation of the current government response to the issue
Potential policy options
Recommended actions
4) References and appendices
Referencing must be in accordance with the University’s policy. Any submission that
does not comply with the University’s policy regarding educational integrity will not be
marked and the assessment will be referred to the Faculty’s Educational Integrity
Officer. Please ensure that referencing is done correctly. The referencing style should
either be APA or Harvard.
Information on the required referencing styles is available from the Library website:
APA7
Harvard
Include a full reference list. As outlined above, your literature review should be
appended to your briefing note.
Submission
Assignments are to be submitted via Turnitin through the unit’s Canvas site by 11:59pm on the
due date. Penalties for late submission and special consideration matters, as contain in the Unit
of Study Outline, apply.
Value
This assessment task is worth 50% of the overall unit mark. The assessment is marked online
through Turnitin using a rubric.
