Paternalism and the nanny state
Government attempts to protect people from their own choices: alcohol, tobacco, vaping, junk food, gambling and drug policy, and moral panics such as cyberbullying.
Books 1
Research 3
Repugnant innovationAllen, D.W.E., Berg, C. and Davidson, S. (2022) · Journal of Institutional Economics 19(6): 918–929Nudging, calculation, and utopiaBerg, C. and Davidson, S. (2017) · Journal of Behavioral Economics for Policy 1(Special issue): 49–52Cyberbullying and public policy: an evolutionary perspectiveBerg, C. (2015) · University of South Australia Law Review 1
Policy 5
Opening statement to Commonwealth Senate Select Committee on Red Tape inquiry into the effect of red tape on the sale, supply and taxation of alcoholBerg, C. and Allen, D.W.E. (2017) · Speeches and presentationsOpening statement to Commonwealth Economics References Committee inquiry into Personal choice and community impactsBerg, C. and Breheny, S. (2015) · Speeches and presentationsA social problem, not a technological problem: Bullying, cyberbullying and public policyBerg, C. and Breheny, S. (2014) · Institute of Public AffairsSubmission to the Department of Communications Discussion Paper ‘Enhancing Online Safety for Children’Berg, C. and Breheny, S. (2014) · Institute of Public AffairsSubmission to the Preventative Health Taskforce’s Discussion Paper “Australia: the healthiest country by 2020”Berg, C. (2009) · Institute of Public Affairs
Commentary 46
The problem with Nobel laureate Richard Thaler’s nudgonomicsAustralian Financial Review · 12 Oct 2017Cigars and the plain packaging effectIPA Review · 1 Apr 2016Alcohol And The Nanny State Inquiry: This Isn’t Just About MoneyABC The Drum · 14 Oct 2015A Single Drink Puts Media Over The LimitABC The Drum · 20 Apr 2015Welfare Plans An Assault On Our FreedomABC The Drum · 23 Dec 2014The cyberbullying moral panicIPA Review · 1 May 2014Combatting The Cyberbully MythThe Sunday Age · 23 Mar 2014Neo-Prohibition Isn’t The Answer To Violent CrimeABC The Drum · 21 Jan 2014Sport And Betting Have Always Been TeammatesThe Sunday Age · 7 Apr 2013An Assault On DietThe Sunday Age · 24 Feb 2013Forget Drugs – There’s Nothing Natural About Modern AthletesABC The Drum · 12 Feb 2013The puritanical public health movementABC The Drum · 23 Oct 2012The Decriminalisation (Or Even Legalisation) Of DrugsABC The Drum · 29 Feb 2012The True Origins Of Anti-PaternalismABC The Drum · 31 Jan 2012Need To Keep Fingers Off The Panic ButtonThe Sydney Morning Herald · 21 Jan 2012Fat chance of cutting caloriesABC The Drum · 28 Sep 2011War To End War Drugs Gains Allies On Right FlankThe Sunday Age · 17 Jul 2011The Nanny State Is Coming…For Your Democratic SoulABC The Drum · 4 May 2011Morality And Humanity In The Gambling DebateABC The Drum · 27 Apr 2011Plain Packs Pointless When Smoke Gets In Our EyesThe Sunday Age · 17 Apr 2011
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Healthy Living… In A Nanny StateABC The Drum · 3 Nov 2010An Illusion Of SafetyThe Sunday Age · 24 Oct 2010A speech for Tony AbbottABC The Drum · 6 Aug 2010Fat Lot Of Good Campaign Against Junk Food Is DoingThe Sunday Age · 4 Apr 2010From the Rum Corps to the alcopopIPA Review · 1 Mar 2010Meet The Nanny Spider: It Wants To Wrap You Up In Little Rules And Eat Your LifeThe Sunday Age · 4 Oct 2009Alcohol Is Good – So Let’s Drink To ThatThe Sunday Age · 20 Sep 200910 Worst Nanny State PoliciesIPA Review · 1 Aug 2009Silly Recommendations Are Very Bad For Our HealthThe Sunday Age · 5 Jul 2009Where Is The Evidence That Junk Food Ads Make Kids Fat?Crikey · 2 Jun 2009The Road To Hell Is Not Paved With Poker MachinesThe Sunday Age · 11 May 2009More Police, Fewer Daft Ideas, The Answer To City ViolenceThe Sunday Age · 15 Mar 2009Ignore Meaningless Public Health Studies? I’ll Drink To ThatThe Sunday Age · 21 Dec 2008Neutering The Net Is About Repression, Not ProtectionThe Sunday Age · 30 Nov 2008Get Off The Turps – Idiots Are The Problem, Not AlcoholThe Sunday Age · 14 Sep 2008Protecting Kids From TV Swearing Is Not Canberra’s JobThe Sunday Age · 6 Jul 2008Don’t Close The Door On Our Envied Bar CultureThe Sunday Age · 18 May 2008Put A Cork In It, Mr Rudd – You’re Missing The PointThe Sunday Age · 4 May 2008Nanny State Ad Bans Won’t Stop Kids Liking Junk FoodThe Sunday Age · 23 Mar 2008While You Weren’t Looking, Freedom Went Up In SmokeThe Sunday Age · 28 Oct 2007Better To Be Alert Than NetAlarmedThe Sunday Age · 16 Sep 2007Monitoring Porn: Not Government’s ResponsibilityCrikey · 10 Aug 2007Big Brother vs. Big Brother: How politicians failed to understand reality television and in their confusion instead decided to regulate the internetIPA Review · 1 Jul 2007You Are What You Chose To EatThe Age · 1 Jul 2006Vi@gr@ $old h^r^: Is your annoyance our problem?IPA Review · 1 Dec 2005Can we remove the ban on mobiles in planes without killing each other?IPA Review · 1 Sep 2005