Clare O'Neil
 Clare O'Neil |
Fulbright Postgraduate Award
Media Profile
“I’m passionate about what Australian politics can achieve, but we can do better by making a stronger commitment to scholarship and creativity. Elected leadership has shown me the importance of elected people bringing critical minds and their own ideas to the political process. I hope to make a contribution which is thoughtful and intellectual as well as practical.”
Clare O’Neil is a first class honours graduate in Arts (History) and is currently completing her Bachelor of Laws at Monash University. Clare was previously a councillor in the City of Greater Dandenong and finished her term in November 2005. In 2004, at the age of 23, Clare was elected Mayor of the City of Greater Dandenong, making her the youngest Australian woman ever elected to such a position of leadership.
Clare has won one of twelve Fulbright Postgraduate Awards and will undertake a Masters in Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.
As a Mayor and now as a Policy Advisor for the Municipal Association of Victoria, Clare has strong leadership skills. She has represented 120,000 residents, led a staff of 700, 10 councillor colleagues and overseen management of a $96m budget, all within an intensely political environment. Clare is an active volunteer and serves as the Chairperson of the Springvale Community Aid and Advice Bureau, a Board Member of Jesuit Social Services and a Justice of the Peace.
Clare’s Masters in Public Policy will focus on two policy areas of significance to both the Australian and American community: firstly, a study of how to create an innovative environment within government, and secondly, an exploration of fresh solutions to intense, systemic poverty.
“Study of public policy is of little use without a commitment to sharing fresh ideas. Generating debate about public policy stimulates creative thinking, improves the flow of ideas and standard of discussion and ultimately results in higher-quality public policy. On my return to Australia, I would like to generate discussion and ultimately real policy change by sharing the knowledge I gain from my studies.”
“Experience in elected politics has given me insight into governments that delivers high-quality public policy: when governments are nimble, innovative and efficient, they can deliver better outcomes to more of the people they represent. Yet bureaucracy can result in constrained public organisations, delivering mediocre results by implementing tired ideas,” said Clare. “We can learn a lot from America’s approach to innovation in government, and I will research how this significant body of work can be applied in an Australian context.”
“American politics is fuelled with passion and enthusiasm. Having people in public life who are committed to and value policy – not merely politics – is of benefit to the community. It means the community’s interests will never be lost in the mire of competing political demands,” Clare added.