Marian Esler

Dr. Marian Esler is a Researcher at The Australian National University's POLIS Centre for Social Policy Research, joining in 2019 after extensive public and non-government sector roles. Her work focuses on family law, family violence impacts, child welfare, and evidence-based policy. She previously led research initiatives under Australia's National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and managed major surveys like the Personal Safety Survey and National Community Attitudes Survey.

Her research emphasizes improving outcomes for families through data-driven strategies and cross-jurisdictional collaboration. Projects include analyzing coercive control, disability data sharing, and early childhood programs. She contributes to policy development and has supervised research students at ANU.

Key areas of expertise include family court dynamics during crises (e.g., pandemic impacts), longitudinal data consistency, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women's wellbeing. Her work bridges academic research with practical policy implementation.