The Institute of Public Affairs has undertaken analysis of 20 public policies using the ten criteria of the Wiltshire test for good policy-making. This research project was commissioned ‘to coax more evidencebased policy decisions by all tiers of Government by reviewing and rating 20 high profile government decisions against the Wiltshire business case criteria’ shown below:

Each case study was analysed and rated on whether it complied with good policy making processes (as defined by the Wiltshire criteria), not on whether it achieved its intended social, economic or environmental outcomes, many of which may not yet be known. This analysis has found that both state and federal governments are failing to apply best practice in the development of public policy.

Just 7 of the 20 policies assessed were assessed to have met the Wiltshire Criteria. The other 13 policies failed the test.