This paper is part of an exploration of the role of overarching policy, standards and frameworks and models for enabling the management of knowledge in organisations. It reports an empirical study of how large Australian government agencies are using policy and standards in their pursuit of managing knowledge. The study focuses its enquiry on the...

This briefing paper looks at the intergovernmental mechanisms by which federalism operates in Australia, notably the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). In reality there are many issues at play here and countervailing forces at work. Taking a broad view, what seems to be developing is a form of federalism that is regulatory, conditional and prescriptive...

Public and private hospitals are estimated to have similar total costs, according to this report, but there are differences in the composition of costs between the two sectors, with medical and diagnostics, and prostheses more costly in private hospitals; and general hospital costs and capital costs higher in public hospitals. This discussion draft responds to...

This report argues that the key to progressive tax reform is to strengthen the personal income tax system and puts forward a set of benchmarks and options for reform. These will be used by ACOSS to evaluate the proposals of the Government’s Australia’s Future Tax System (AFTS) Review after its report is finalised later this...

This paper argues that there is no bigger issue facing the Australian health system than what to do about public hospitals. Public hospitals provide 60% of the hospital care needed in Australia each year and treat the majority of the oldest, sickest and most complex patients. They also consumed $28 billion in 2007–08. This represents...