This examination of growing off-budget spending by Australian federal and state governments warns that the practice sacrifices transparency and accountability to advance policy objectives. The author argues that by improving the appearance (but not the reality) of the budget position, the practice creates long-term fiscal risks that are not fully appreciated by government.

This toolkit offers guidance, tools and best practices to improve the transparent use of evidence in policymaking. It also contains solutions to pursue on how government systems, structures and resources can implement evidence-informed and transparent policy-making to its fullest potential.

This report details the review of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and concludes the promise of the legislation remains unfulfilled. It makes 101 recommendations covering effectiveness of the current policy model, proactive and informal release of information, and efficiency.

This report challenges common perceptions of New Zealand's state sector and calls for fundamental reforms to improve its performance. It provides analysis of how the state sector functions to examine its real-world limitations and potential for improvement. It finds hierarchy, disengaged motivation, information limits, and lack of accountability constrain the state sector.

Adopting digital commons can save governments money, increase interoperability for public services and digital infrastructure, and enhance a nation’s digital sovereignty where technical decisions are based on local laws, norms and values. This guide aims to provide interested policymakers and public service officials with best practices to support digital commons projects.