This paper was presented as a lecture in the Department of the Senate Occasional Lecture Series at Parliament House. On 27 March the Victorian parliament passed legislation significantly reforming the upper house. Among other things, the Constitution (Parliamentary Reform) Bill 2003 reconstituted the Council to...

This report addresses three topics of interest to the City of Whittlesea for the development of support programs for older adults - aspirations of older adults to adopt technology, barriers preventing older adults from taking up technology, and strategies to support older adults.

The Menu of Evidence (the Menu) is an online portal and searchable repository of the best available evidence on what works for improving outcomes for children, young people, families, and carers.

This paper outlines selected aspects of proposed changes to the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005​​​​​​​, in relation to raising the age of criminal responsibility in Victoria. It provides a jurisdictional comparison on what other Australian jurisdictions have done in this space, and outlines some...

Operation Clara was an investigation by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC). This report highlights the need for reforms to the regulation of lobbying in Victoria and makes recommendations to ensure those regulations are in step with other states and territories.

This report presents the findings from 17 in-depth interviews conducted with Victorian children and young people, from the ages of 10 to 25, with lived experience of family violence. The research seeks to give voice to the experiences and expertise of children and young people...

The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has released this strategy document, which is aimed at helping to reduce energy prices, ensuring the reliable supply of energy and supporting businesses in the transition to a net-zero economy.

Restoring integrity to Australian governance requires more than just substantive law reform, such as tightening laws that regulate lobbying and campaign finance and increasing the powers of specialised integrity institutions. It also requires the powers of the cornerstone institution of Australia’s integrity system – Parliament...

Dispute and complaint resolution bodies are a vital part of the Victorian justice system, providing access to civil justice for thousands of Victorians. While they have a vibrant political and policy history, their establishment and functions have been organic and piecemeal. This report is an...

This report examines the experiences of LGBTQ+ family violence victim-survivors with Victoria’s family violence intervention order system.

The purpose of this strategy document is to guide Safe and Equal’s prevention focus across the organisation over an initial period of two years. It will provide clarity and consistency in how they describe their role in primary prevention, and how they intend to advance...

This report explores why people come to work at community legal centres, their experiences and career path, their longer-term aspirations and why people leave, and where they are going. The findings shed light on issues and factors affecting workforce sustainability.

This report presents the evaluation findings from the Human Code project, an initiative run in Macedon Ranges by Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health (SCCH), and funded by VicHealth’s Healthier Masculinities Partnership Grants. The authors offer recommendations for future community partnerships seeking to promote gender transformative...

Pre-sentence reports (PSRs) provide information to courts on an individual’s background, circumstances, risks, needs and plans. This study describes the language and sentiment in these reports. The authors studied PSRs written for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people sentenced by the mainstream County Court of...

This report aims to provide consumers with information about the energy market that would promote effective competition, to achieve the best outcomes for Victorian energy consumers.

This paper provides an outline of some of the main electoral and political changes in Victoria since the 1850s. It combines historical sources with computational data analysis and visualisation techniques to illustrate patterns in Victoria’s electoral and party systems.

This report outlines the Andrews Government's infrastructure policy and project commitments ahead of its third term in government, and includes an overview of public infrastructure investment and market dynamics.

The Victorian Liberals say the state's debt is larger than any other state and larger than NSW, Queensland and Tasmania combined. Verdict: the Victorian Liberal party claims are gilding the lily.

Samantha Ratnam claimed Victoria had lost $66 billion to poker machines since their introduction 30 years ago. Verdict: Ms Ratnam's claim is understated.

Australia is home to some of the world’s most ancient forests. This paper offers policy-makers a blueprint for assessing the true value of our native forests. Recognising the inherent preferencing of the quantitative (particularly when it comes to Expenditure Review Committee processes), the authors conduct...

The Australian Leadership Index (ALI) captures public perceptions of Australian institutions over time across three dimensions of leadership for the greater good: Integrity, Contribution and Competence. In this report, the authors provide a snapshot of the ALI's findings on public perceptions of the Victorian government's...

Ensuring low-income consumers receive concessions is direct cost-of-living support to improve affordability of energy bills. This report highlights the gap between those eligible for an energy concession and those receiving this concession on their energy bills.

Following the 2021 Royal Commission into the Casino Operator and Licence, this strategy has been developed by the new Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission in order to shape a gambling industry Victoria that has integrity, is safe and is fair.

This report provides evidence that the rising cost of living is deepening financial, housing and food insecurity, and impacting mental and physical health, while also increasing social isolation.