New Research

State Trustees Limited: management of represented persons

08 February 2012This audit found that State Trustees is not able to clearly demonstrate that it is fulfilling its obligations to represented persons.

Early childhood, education and training; justice; emergency management

08 February 2012Volume one of the report focuses on early childhood, education and training as well as justice and emergency management sectors.

Investing in our future

03 February 2012In 2008 the Australian Government began a five-year national rollout of the Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY) that would see it delivered in 50 communities across Australia by 2012.

Australian Government ICT expenditure, 2008-09 – 2009-10

03 February 2012This report presents data about Information and Communication Technology (ICT) use and expenditure in 2008-09 and 2009-10 by Australian Government agencies.

The use and abuse of economic modelling in Australia

01 February 2012Economic modelling can and often does make a useful contribution to policy debates, but the fact that it sometimes can should not be confused with the conclusion that it always will.

Fair work amendment (textile, clothing and footwear industry) bill 2011

31 January 2012This digest examines the Fair Work Amendment (Textile, Clothing and Footwear Industry) Bill 2011, currently before the Senate.

More...

Citizenship

Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in the Constitution

30 January 2012Current multiparty support has created a historic opportunity to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first peoples of Australia, to affirm their full and equal citizenship, and to remove the last vestiges of racial discrimination from the Constitution.

Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Constitution

19 January 2012This paper argues that current multiparty support has created a historic opportunity to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first peoples of Australia, and recommends changes to the Constitution.

Government

Commentary

Old figures on new money

05 February 2012This week’s release of data on political donations and spending hides as much as it reveals – and is already many months out of date, write Graeme Orr and Brian Costar in Inside Story

Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: the "what" and "how"

05 February 2012In Inside Story, Paul Kildea looks at what’s being proposed for Australian constitutional reform, and how we might get there

Too tolerant of ugly racism

31 January 2012Rejecting discrimination in the constitution empower us all, writes Patrick Dodson for the National Times.

More...

Topic Guides

Wicked problems: do they exist and does it matter?

  • Public Policy Institute - Australian Catholic University

12 December 2011Recently, all kinds of problems and issues are being called wicked, not in the sense of evil, but complex, difficult to understand and resistant to solving.

Social innovation

  • Nicola Brackertz
  • Australian Policy Online

05 December 2011Social innovation has recently been gaining attention as a way to address social and economic problems that are overlooked or not effectively addressed by existing systems.

Climate change science 'top ten' sources to build your personal knowledge

  • Stefanie Pillora
  • Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government

07 November 2011Acknowledging the importance of drawing from credible sources, this guide provides advice on ten reliable and easily accessible sources of research written for non-specialist readers.

Audio

Waves of influence: Television drama as an instrument of soft power in Asia

Listen to audio
21 November 2011Sociologist Professor Chua Beng Huat explains how serial TV dramas have become a soft power currency traded among China, Korea, Japan and other countries in Asia.

Pluralists, partisans and public discourse

Listen to audio
24 October 2011Maurice Newman, chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, discusses the roles of public and private broadcasters in engaging with and providing public discourse.

Elections

Banning political donations from third party interest groups: a summary of constitutional issues

27 January 2012This paper canvasses opinions and issues arising from the proposed ban on political donations from third party interest groups in the Election Funding, Expenditure and Disclosures Amendment Bill 2011, currently before the NSW Parliament, with particular reference to the implied freedom of political communication under the Commonwealth Constitution.

Proposed changes relating to caps on electoral expenditure by political parties: a summary of constitutional issues

27 January 2012This short paper discusses the constitutional issues associated with the proposed amendments in the Election Funding, Expenditure and Disclosures Amendment Bill 2011 relating to caps on electoral expenditure.

Video

Social entrepreneurship - the revolution matures

Listen to audio
09 December 2011The discourse around social entrepreneurship continues at a pace: more international conferences, research interest, journals and university courses are some of the identifiers.

Living with an unsustainable food system: can food democracy resolve the dilemmas?

Listen to audio
01 December 2011Professor Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy, City University, London on whether policy-makers are responding sufficiently to the evidence of the food system's tensions and fragilities.

Political parties

Websites

Development Policy Blog

03 January 2012Providing a platform for the best in aid and development analysis, The Development Policy blog focuses on Australia, the Pacific and Asia.

Text Queensland

07 October 2011Featuring books, journals, theses and newspapers as well as government sources, this site will be useful for anyone interested in Queensland, from school and university students to researchers, family and local historians.

Foundations of Governance in the Australian Public Service

03 October 2011Foundations of Governance has been created to assist agency heads in the Australian Public Service. It includes links to relevant policies, legislation and agency websites.

Most viewed: This week

1
Can nations measure well-being?
2
The development of Australia's federal critical infrastructure policy, 1978 – 2010
3
The alternative vote in Australia: exacerbating a culture of adversarialism?
4
Coal seam gas royalties in Australian States and Territories
5
The use and abuse of economic modelling in Australia

Books

Speechwriting for government in Australia

Speechwriting for government in Australia

  • James Groves
  • James Groves & Associates
"...an indispensible book...excellent practical guide to the art of effective oral communication" from the Foreword by Malcolm Hazell CVO AM, former Official Secretary to the Governor-General
Indifferent Inclusion Aboriginal people and the Australian Nation

Indifferent Inclusion Aboriginal people and the Australian Nation

  • Russell McGregor
  • Aboriginal Studies Press
Russell McGregor is one of the foremost scholars in the field of Aboriginal history. The very title of the book breaks new ground because of the questions implicit in its approach…his perspective is genuinely fresh and insightful. Historian Mark McKenna

Noticeboard

Access and equity inquiry
20 December 2011

On 18 November 2011, Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Senator the Hon Kate Lundy, announced the establishment of an independent panel of eminent community leaders to conduct an inquiry into Australian Government services to ensure they are responsive to the needs of Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Historical Justice and Memory newsblog
09 December 2011

The Historical Justice and Memory website now includes a daily newsblog.

Centre for Sustainability Leadership - 2012 Fellowship Program
02 December 2011

Applications are now open for a unique training opportunity for selected individuals develop the skills, networks and knowledge needed to be effective in forging a more sustainable future.

Topic Guides

Wicked problems: do they exist and does it matter?

  • Public Policy Institute - Australian Catholic University

12 December 2011Recently, all kinds of problems and issues are being called wicked, not in the sense of evil, but complex, difficult to understand and resistant to solving.

Topics

APO