New Research

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.

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.

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.

Report on government services 2012

31 January 2012This report aims to promote awareness about the performance of government services and help drive improvements.

Health; Community services; Housing and homelessness

30 January 2012This report  provides an overview of the health sector, presenting both contextual information and high level performance information.

The role of informal community resources in supporting independent housing for young people recovering from mental illness

30 January 2012This project looks at the housing issues facing young independant people with mental illness.

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

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.

Commentary

We need to talk about COAG

19 January 2012The process has been hampered by a breakdown in trust between the Commonwealth and the states, writes Paul Kildea in Inside Story

Designing better lives: An economist’s appreciation of design

21 December 2011Using design principles for social service delivery has produced old fashioned innovation, writes Nicholas Gruen

Time for an independent ombudsman

20 October 2011Allan Asher's resignation highlights the need for the ombudsman to be free of government control, argues John Wood in Inside Story

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

New disclosure czar hits the ground running

Listen to audio
17 November 2010Welcome to the new era of transparency. In 1982 Australia led the world in introducing Freedom of Information laws, but FOI never quite delivered on its promise. Now the laws have been revamped and reformed in a bid to inject a stronger "pro-disclosure" philosophy.

Gov 2.0 Conference interviews - Andrew Stott, Mia Garlick and Belinda Hayes

Listen to audio
29 October 2010Interviews with three key participants in the Gov 2.0 changes occuring in Australia and the UK - Andrew Stott, Mia Garlick and Belinda Hayes

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

The path to open government: the pillars of Gov 2.0

Listen to audio
07 June 2010Video presentation by Senator Kate Lundy at the Gov 2.0 Expo in Washington DC.

Governing the economy: Fiscal policy

Listen to audio
14 December 2009At this symposium, Treasury Secretary Ken Henry discusses the role and direction of fiscal policy in a changing economic landscape.

Political parties

Websites

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.

AusGOAL

11 July 2011AusGOAL, the Australian Governments Open Access and Licensing Framework, provides support and guidance to government and related sectors to facilitate open access to publicly funded information.

Data.gov.uk

08 February 2010 UK government website containing open government data for other people to re-use.

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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

Government 2.0 Taskforce
24 June 2009

The Government 2.0 Taskforce is being formed against a backdrop of increased interest by governments worldwide in the potential uses of public sector information and online engagement.

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