# SPI
**Source**: https://crawford.anu.edu.au/spi
**Parent**: https://www.anu.edu.au/directories/website-directory
# Social Policy Institute
### [About us](#section-36554)
### [People](#section-36552)
### [Research](#section-36564)
### [Contact us](#section-36561)
[## About us](#section-36554)
The Social Policy Institute was launched in June 2013 to undertake multi-disciplinary and collaborative research on social policy issues in Australia and internationally.
Read more
Our aims include:
- Undertake high quality, interdisciplinary research on key social policy issues;
- To inform and contribute to policy-making processes and promote discussion of major social policy issues, in Australia, across the region and globally;
- Foster networks and promote collaboration between researchers, policy makers and practitioners and the community on social policy issues;
[## Our purpose](#section-36557)
To respond to the need to develop and reform social policies to promote sustainability and equity by delivering policy relevant evidence and capacity support in Australia and the Asia and Pacific region.
[## Our mission](#section-36555)
To become Australia’s leading Institute for social policy analysis and training.
[## Key activities](#section-36556)
- Analysing the social challenges and problems facing Australia and the Asia and Pacific region
- Assessing the social impacts of public policy reform and evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of alternative policy responses
- Improving data and evidence for decision making in social policy
[## People](#section-36552)
#### Centre Director
Peter Whiteford FASSA is a Professor in the Crawford School of Public Policy at The Australian National University, Canberra. His research focus is on international comparisons of social security policies, and on inequality and redistribution. He has previously worked for the Australian government, at the University of New South Wales and in the University of York in the United Kingdom, as well as in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris. In 2008, he was appointed by the Australian government to the Reference Group for the Harmer [Review of the Australian pension system.](http://www.facsia.gov.au/internet/facsinternet.nsf/seniors/pension_review.htm) In 2018 he was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia. In 2022 he was appointed to the Australian Government Interim [Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee](https://www.dss.gov.au/groups-councils-and-committees/economic-inclusion-advisory-committee).
[## Prof Peter Whiteford
Professor and Director of the Social Policy Institute
POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION
Social Policy](https://researchprofiles.anu.edu.au/en/persons/peter-whiteford)
[See all people](https://crawford.anu.edu.au/spi-people)
[## Research](#section-36564)
The main focus of the Social Policy Institute is on the effectiveness of the Australian social security system in reducing inequality and poverty, and related research on international comparisons of tax and transfer systems and their impact on income redistribution.
[Learn more](https://crawford.anu.edu.au/spi-research)
[## Contact us](#section-36561)
[## Address](#section-36560)
Social Policy Institute \
Crawford School of Public Policy\
Old Canberra House\
132 Lennox Crossing\
Acton ACT 2601 Australia
[## Professor Peter Whiteford](#section-36559)
[peter.whiteford@anu.edu.au](mailto:peter.whiteford@anu.edu.au)