In this address to the session 'Managing the Growth Shock' at the Economic and Social Outlook Conference in Melbourne on 30 June 2011, Gary Banks discusses the role for policy in the current mining boom. "Australia’s past reform successes have generally been founded on a clear understanding of problems warranting policy solutions. Where policy initiatives...

The development of Australia's water markets represents a centrepiece of national water reform. Trade in various water products has grown substantially in recent years, with the combined value of markets estimated to be $3 billion in 2009-10. Water markets provide an example of successful national micro-economic reform, ensuring that scarce water resources are most effectively...

'Researching the researchers' reports on a study of policy research activities in the non-government human services sector. Undertaken in 2010, the study identified over 50 human service NGOs across Australia that had policy research units or policy research positions.

This paper examines some of the stylised facts in relation to the growth of government in the Western world generally, and Australia in particular. It then reviews some of the main theories advanced to explain long-term growth in the size of government. Existing theory and evidence provide only partial explanations for the stylised facts about...

This 2011 policy paper presents the Australian Government's overarching goals for the nation's cities and how we will play a role in making them more productive, sustainable and liveable.