Associate Professor Natasha Cortis
BEc(SocSc) Hons PhD Syd
Overview
Dr Natasha Cortis, BEc(SocSci) Hons PhD (Syd), is Associate Professor听at the Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC). Her work explores the organisation, delivery, and evaluation of human services, focusing on funding, workforce and sustainability in the not-for-profit sector; quality, safety and regulation in community service markets; and women's employment and听economic security. Natasha is co-Chief Editor of the Australian Journal of Social Issues.听
Recent commissioned projects include:
- A study of , for the Flight Attendants Association of Australia (2025)
- A study of legal aid private practitioners, for 听(2024-25)
-听听(for the Australian Services Union, 2024).听
- (for the Fair Work Commission, 2023). The report, data file, and President's Statement can be 听and additional coverage is听.
- the (with ACOSS and the COSS network, 2019-23)
- Work, family and care in Australian retail (with SDA, 2021). Read the report: 听听Media coverage: or
-听 in the ACT (with ACTCOSS, 2021). The ACT Government's formal response to the report .
- the 听(with听the Health Services Union, Australian Services Union and United Workers Union). Evidence to the Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS is .
- person-centred models in (with Macquarie University, RMIT University, the Health Services Union and United Voice, 2019);
-听;
- National Survey of听in Australia (commissioned by Department of Social Services, 2017-18). Datasets are ;
- analysing regulatory data from the Australian听Charities and Not-for-profits Commission to develop new knowledge about charities' characteristics, activities and finances (2015-18);听
- analysing the impact of on service quality and decent work听(with the Health Services Union, Australian Services Union and United Voice, 2017);
-听(with NCOSS and Homelessness NSW, 2017);听
- and听an ARC Linkage Project examining 听(2017-20).听
From 2014 to 2016 Natasha led a study of strategies to, funded by Australia's National Research Organisation on Women's Safety. Evidence provided to the Fair Work Commission can be . Dr Cortis' submission to the Australian Parliament's inquiry into market readiness of the NDIS can be . 听听
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HDR Supervision:
Natasha has supervised the completed PhDs of:听 (with Ilan Katz); (with kylie valentine);听听(with Abigail Powell);听 (with ); and听 (with ), and Masters by research of听Tammy Burnstock (with ). She is currently supervising听Molly Saunders (with Georgia van Toorn and Gemma Carey).听听听
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
2021- Norm Smith Publication in Social Work Research Award.听Awarded for best article in Australian Social Work, won jointly for article co-authored with听Kate Seymour, Kris Natalier and Sarah Wendt, for article titled听Which Models of Supervision Help Retain Staff? Findings From Australia鈥檚 Domestic and Family Violence and Sexual Assault Workforces.听
2018- Mary Parker Follett听Award for Theory Informed Research. Awarded by the United States Network for Social Work Management for the article听Working Time in Public, Private, and Nonprofit Organizations: What Influences Prospects for Employee Control?听(co-authored with Dr Abigail Powell) https://socialworkmanager.org/2018-journal-awards/
2018- Dean's Award for Social Impact.听Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, 91色情片. Awarded for research on NDIS pricing (with Dr Fiona Macdonald, Dr Bob Davidson and Eleanor Bentham)
2015- Award for Excellence in Evaluation.听Awarded by the Australasian Evaluation Society for contribution听to the 'Keep them Safe' evaluation.
2012- Norm Smith Publication in Social Work Research Award.听Awarded for best article in Australian Social Work, won jointly for article co-authored with听Professor Gabrielle Meagher for article titled听Social Work Education as Preparation for Practice: Evidence from a Survey of the New South Wales Community Sector.听
2008-听Vice Chancellor's Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, 91色情片
1999-听Women in Politics Prize,听Australasian Political Studies Association and the Institute of Public Administration Australia (for article titled听Gender, Pay Equity, and Human Service Work: A NSW Case Study).听听