Australia and New Zealand have distinct national identities and physical environments. However, they are also both former British colonies, sharing much history and common endeavour. In the late 19th century they contemplated political union. While this did not eventuate, they continue to have much in common, including in culture, institutions and values. And the two...

Presenting registers of interests, the post-separation employment of ministers and the use of ethics commissioners in providing advice on and/or conducting investigations into breaches of codes. In 2009 the Canadian Senate Ethics Officer, Jean T. Fournier, spoke about parliamentary ethics at an Australian conference. Although much has been achieved in the first decade of the...

The report aims to achieve better government outcomes through facilitating the effective use of scientific input in policy development in the public service. The key findings and recommendations of this report focus on best practice approaches and identify key strategies and actions to implement in order to encourage the uptake of science in future policy...

This report proposes a collaborative approach be developed involving universities, governments, professional bodies, the business sector and communities working together to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through higher education. The Review of Higher Education Access and Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People follows on from the 2008 Review...

This background note revises material previously released by the Parliamentary Library on Australia's involvement in Afghanistan. In November 2010, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Government of Afghanistan agreed to a formal transition process that would transfer full security responsibility to Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) by the end of 2014. This process...