This report provides a comprehensive perspective of what drives trust in public institutions in 2023 by asking people in 30 OECD countries about their experience with, and expectations of public institutions at all levels of government.

This report is the culmination of three years of investigation into the culture and practice of administering the Freedom of Information (FOI) Acts across the Victorian, South Australian and Western Australian states, as well as the culture of implementing information access systems overall. The report reveals a concerning lack of engagement from government ministers, despite...

Environment, Social, Governance (ESG) is gaining renewed prominence, with regulatory requirements fast-tracking ESG reporting, particularly in Australia. This report advocates for the prioritisation of engagement in contributing to and enhancing the integrity of ESG frameworks and reporting to increase trust in democratic practices and rebuild trust in government.

The Australia Institute has prepared this submission to the inquiry into access to Parliament House by lobbyists. The submission builds on the institute’s existing research on lobbying, including regarding the disclosure of ministerial diaries and proactive disclosure of representations made by lobbyists and trade associations.

The aims of this white paper are to independently evaluate the openness and competitiveness of the Australian Commonwealth grant program, and to provide a descriptive analysis of the characteristics of businesses that use these grants. Through a detailed exploration and analysis of the grant funding process, and using data made available by the Australian Government...