New Research

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.

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.

The forthcoming Queensland election

06 January 2012This discussion paper looks at the forthcoming election in Queensland, including the state of the parties and the current electoral geography.

The alternative vote in Australia: exacerbating a culture of adversarialism?

16 November 2011This paper models the outcomes of South Australian state lower house elections from 1997 to 2010 under five different ordinal vote counting methods.

Party leaders, global warming and green voting in Australia

Party leaders, global warming and green voting in Australia

16 November 2011Major party leaders not only seem to influence public opinion on global warming, argues this conference paper, but also have an impact upon Green voting in federal elections.

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Citizenship

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.

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

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.

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

All politics isn't necessarily local

12 January 2012Closest to the people it may be, but local government is unlikely to make it into the constitution anytime soon, writes Andrew Lynch in Inside Story

The everyday politics of perpetual electioneering

19 December 2011Must Australian politicians work “tirelessly” for their communities or face electoral oblivion? In Inside Story, James Panichi looks for the middle ground

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

NT local government voting system 'perverse'

Listen to audio
21 July 2011 The Northern Territory has been advised to change its system for electing local governments before elections are held in March next year.

Radical campaign laws hit the ground running

Listen to audio
25 March 2011The New South Wales election marked the culmination of a brave, new experiment in campaign financing: for the first time, campaign spending by political parties and candidates has been capped.

Elections

Video

Paul Keating master storyteller

Listen to audio
15 November 2011On this special Sunday evening presentation, Paul Keating joined Robert Manne for a conversational marathon, coinciding with the publication of his post-prime ministerial speeches.

Dumbing down democracy

Listen to audio
12 May 2011With a refreshingly frank manner, Tanner describes in great detail how the changing media landscape has led to a degradation of the language, ideas and presentation of politics in Australia over the past decade.

Political parties

Websites

I Vote For Choice

28 September 2010Women’s Health Victoria, together with a number of other Victorian women’s health services, has developed the I Vote For Choice website to enable users to send a message of support or disappointment to their local MPs, depending on how they voted on abortion law reform in 2008.

Digital Inclusion Initiative

27 August 2010This initiative aims to deliver equal and affordable access to computers and the internet to all Australians. Universal access to information and communication technology has become a basic infrastructure requirement in civil and democratic societies.

MyVoteAdvisor

16 August 2010MyVoteAdvisor is an impartial site with information directly uploaded by those trying to win your vote.

Most viewed: This week

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The alternative vote in Australia: exacerbating a culture of adversarialism?
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Can nations measure well-being?
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The development of Australia's federal critical infrastructure policy, 1978 – 2010
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Early childhood, education and training; justice; emergency management
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Coal seam gas royalties in Australian States and Territories

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

Rethinking the Rules Governing Australia
16 March 2010

Australian citizens are being asked to provide input into a nation-wide discussion about how to improve the rules governing our country.

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