This report has been prepared as a component of the next phase of the Rural-Remote and Indigenous Local Government Program of the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (ACELG). The aim of the overall strategy is to identify key steps in building the capacity of small rural-remote and Indigenous councils across Australia – and...

New Zealand has an enviable international reputation as a country where it is relatively common for women to hold top leadership roles in government and in organisations. Of 36 OECD countries, in 2003 New Zealand had the 4th highest representation of women in senior management with 31% of such positions held by women. However, by...

The Political Issues Analysis System (PIAS) project sought to investigate how citizens in Melbourne, Australia used the Internet to seek political information about key political issues. It also sought to understand how citizens contacted their elected representative about these issues. Through workshops, case studies, and the development and testing of a prototype, the research uncovered...

This paper examines recent local government reform in the Northern Territory from two perspectives. The first is a quantitative perspective on population and finances, which focuses on the mixing of diverse interests in the recent changes. The second is a more observational perspective gained from working with one pre-reform local government and now the new...

This discussion paper is a step towards the development of a new Australian national cultural policy. Consultation began on a National Cultural Policy in 2009, and has involved the arts and culture sector, creative industries, the public at large and government. This has informed the development of this discussion paper, which outlines goals and strategies...