In this paper, the author examines the issue of judicial independence and judicial politicisation in a comparative perspective. The paper starts with some general observations, then turns to the United States and moves on to the United Kingdom, before distilling some lessons — and perhaps warnings — for Australia.

Many federal and state government boards, tribunals and agencies are stacked with people who have worked in politics – almost always for the party that was in government when they got the job. This report argues that Australian politics has a growing ‘jobs for mates’ culture and it is undermining our democracy.

This study finds there has been a sharp rise in the proportion of political appointments to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) during the Abbott/Turnbull/ Morrison administrations.

This paper argues that Boris Johnson should take the steps to establish and enforce the high standards the public expects of the UK government and to help restore trust in public life.

This report examines the problem of declining public trust from the perspective of a representative sample of federal public servants brought together to deliberate on the role they could play in the renewal of Australia’s democratic practice.