Proscription is a mechanism by which a country can outlaw organisations deemed a threat to its national security, generally making it an offence to belong to, train with, recruit for, fund, or otherwise support a banned organisation. Until March this year, Australia could only proscribe those organisations which the UN had already identified as terrorist...

Government advertising is a contentious issue in modern democracies. In Australia, both Commonwealth and state governments are entitled to taxpayer money to provide the public with information about their programs. This is allowed for under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918. Richard Grant provides figures on expenditure since 1991 and examines proposals for reform.

The Australian health sector has been the focus of intense policy debate. Health data is quoted with increasing frequency. Improved measures of the performance of the health system are critical to the development of health policy. A good grasp of the sources of health statistics is therefore a prerequisite for remaining informed in this complex...

According to the budget statement Australia's official development assistance outlay for 2004-05 is an estimated $2133 million, more than $239 million over the 2003-04 budget figure of $1894 million. This represents a 'real increase' of 9.9 per cent. While this observation is technically correct it does not indicate the actual increase in outlay. With the...

In July 2003, the government released an exposure draft of legislation (Charities Bill 2003) which seeks to redefine what constitutes a charitable organisation. It also asked the Board of Taxation to conduct a public enquiry to determine the criteria for organisations to be given charitable status. The report of the enquiry was submitted to the...