This strategy explains the approach to evaluation at the Australian Department of the Treasury. Treasury recognises that effective monitoring and evaluation is important at all stages of the policy cycle. The strategy outlines a set of strategic priorities and actions to support evaluation planning, delivery and capability in Treasury.

This evaluation tested whether an extra email reminder could improve timely charity reporting. Involving 15,000 charities, the trial showed that sending a direct reminder to someone responsible increased on-time submissions from 56% to 62%. The approach worked across all charity types, proving simple nudges can boost compliance.

Western Australia (WA) is experiencing an ongoing housing crisis. To address this crisis, the WA Government committed $24.4 million to develop and implement the WA Rent Relief Program. This impact evaluation of the program assesses the program’s effectiveness in addressing immediate client needs and identifies long-term improvements in housing stability and financial wellbeing outcomes.

This impact evaluation on the Integrated Carer Support Service (ICSS) – publicly known as Carer Gateway, was commissioned to assess program appropriateness, effectiveness and efficiency. The evaluation draws on a mixed-methods approach and found all three objectives of the Carer Gateway have been met. The report details conclusions and implications of the evaluation’s findings.

There is a crucial need for practical evidence-based approaches in public policy. This article proposes Bayesian adaptive trials as an efficient method to conduct trials and as a unifying framework for the evaluation of social policy interventions. This approach addresses limitations inherent in traditional methods and recognises the need for evidence-based approaches in public policy.