This report examines the role of charities operated solely by volunteers which comprise 43% of Australia’s sector. While mostly small, volunteer-run charities generated $4.3 billion and deliver services nationwide. The report finds volunteer numbers are increasing after years of decline though challenges remain, including limited government funding and regulatory pressures.

School attendance in Australia is a big and growing problem. Federal, state, and territory Education Ministers have committed to getting school attendance back to pre-pandemic rates by the end of the decade. However, this analysis shows there is a long way to go. The brief proposes that governments should take five key first steps.

The report tracks progress towards ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people grow up safe, cared for and connected to their families, communities, Country and culture. It examines what governments are doing to turn the tide on the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in child protection systems across Australia.

A report from the inquiry into the National Climate Risk Assessment (NCRA) including concerns regarding its public release and the expected ongoing impacts of climate change. It presents the committee’s views and recommendations. The report finds the NCRA makes for sobering reading, highlighting the dire state of risks to Australia. It provides three recommendations.

Persistent disparities in abortion access across Australia continue to expose gendered inequities within the health system. This policy brief calls for a nationally coordinated approach to abortion access, positioning reproductive autonomy as central to gender equality and health equity. Building on existing reproductive and public health reforms, the paper outlines five key areas for policy...