The aim of this paper is to use data collected during January 2023 and Australia’s recent history to take stock of Australia’s wellbeing, as well as its attitudes towards key political and social institutions as Australia enters a post-COVID world.

This paper reflects the themes of a private roundtable held at the Institute for Government in November 2022 and a small number of associated interviews. It looks at how government communications can be most effective, including by considering the role of the Government Communication Service...

Drawing on over twelve months of data collected by the Australian Leadership Index, this report shows how the public views the integrity, contribution, competence and leadership of the charity sector, revealing how the sector compares with national benchmarks. It also offers fresh insights into the...

This paper summarises a roundtable discussion held in the UK in the summer of 2022 about General Practice Data for Planning and Research (GPDPR), a data- sharing initiative that the NHS launched in 2021.

Restoring integrity to Australian governance requires more than just substantive law reform, such as tightening laws that regulate lobbying and campaign finance and increasing the powers of specialised integrity institutions. It also requires the powers of the cornerstone institution of Australia’s integrity system – Parliament...

This article discusses the important role for clear and professional communication in supporting the aims of good regulatory systems.

This report focuses on how leaders in Australia are adapting their approach to delivering services effectively and efficiently, in a fashion that leverages digital technology and builds public trust. The report draws on the findings of an expert roundtable with senior leaders from a variety...

In August 2022, Virginia Bell AC was appointed to conduct an inquiry into the appointment of former Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, to administer departments other than the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and related matters. This report outlines the findings from the inquiry.

The survey results outlined in this report show that trust in government public services in the past year is higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic.

This paper reports Australians' views about data trust, cybercrime and data breaches and how these have changed. It is based on data from four waves of the ANUpoll collected over the period October 2019 to October 2022.

Data is increasingly available at scale and many of the fastest growing companies are built on data and data analytics. This paper reports data on Australian’s attitudes to data trust and data privacy and how these have changed since October 2018 using data from the...

This broad-ranging, independent report examines Australia’s performance as a society during the past two-and-a-half years of the COVID-19 pandemic. How well did Australia perform? Can our combined health, economic, social and political response be considered a success or a failure? What comes next?

This policy brief provides an update on key legislative and policy developments framing trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI). It sketches possible approaches for the certification, verification and validation of AI embedded in products and in services, and looks at recent proposals regarding the creation of a...

This report is part of a long-running international survey coordinated by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, an international research centre in the comparative study of journalism based at Oxford University. This year’s report contains positive signs for the Australian news industry.

In this research and insights report, the Australian Leadership Index takes stock of the perceived state of institutional leadership for the greater good in 2021. Moreover, it places these results in the broader context of what the Australian Leadership Index has revealed about leadership for...

This summary report represents a sample of the rich insights and views of Canada’s senior public servants on their work and their institutions. Readers and researchers are well advised to take the time and review the detailed reports more closely, to draw additional lessons and...

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.

As central banks around the world prepare to launch central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), this paper looks at issues surrounding a retail version of CBDCs that would complement notes and coins for consumers.

Trust between citizens and their governments is crucial for the legitimacy and functioning of democracies. This paper discusses the main determinants of people’s trust in public institutions and their measurement, in times of crisis as well as for a long-term, strong, inclusive and green recovery.

Liberal democracy across the West is under strain. The causes of these democratic challenges are many and complex, but there is a common thread - a decline in political trust. This report outlines four major areas of challenge for policy-makers to focus on to improve...

The aim of this paper is to provide an update on attitudes of the general public to data privacy during the COVID-19 period, as well as the factors associated with the use of QR codes and other government apps/web-sites for contact tracing purposes.

The UK government’s u-turn in the Owen Paterson (MP) case has yet again raised the question of how standards in public life can be upheld. This paper sets out the Institute for Government’s recommendations – drawn from a recent conference and their wider work on...

This paper argues that if trade policy-makers truly want to achieve data free flow in digital trade they must address public trust and user concerns beyond privacy.

This report details an analysis of the Citizen Experience Survey - a regular, national survey measuring public satisfaction, trust and experiences with Australian public services.