The Senate Order on Agency Contracts aims to ensure parliamentary scrutiny of government activities in the face of increased use of confidentiality as a ground to withhold information from the public and from parliament. This research note examines the Order and the government's response.

This paper follows the report of the Royal Commission into the Building Industry. The government has accepted the commission's arguments for the establishment of an Australian Building and Construction Commission with extensive powers. However, there is now a good deal of debate on those recommendations that address reforms in the industry as well as the...

One of the ripples to flow out from the attacks on 11 September 2001 was the requirement for greater security at America's ports. Coming from one of Australia's largest trading partners, the US Container Security Initiative has significant implications for future policy direction, in particular given the Free Trade Agreement currently under consideration between Australia...

The term 'universalism' is currently undergoing a revival in the Australian policy debate. Politicians and commentators from across the political spectrum are using the term in reference to the recently proposed changes to Medicare. Much of the debate focuses on whether Medicare has ever been universal and whether the proposed changes will affect that universality...

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has highlighted the potentially severe threat posed by infectious diseases to modern economies. This Research Note surveys the evidence.