Analysis of the financial circumstances of local governments, to assess viability, and improve planning, resource allocation and accountability. The project aims to (a) develop a framework for improved reporting by local government, through a critical analysis of AAS 27 and extant legislative guidelines; (b) assess the financial viability of existing local government units; (c) identify units which may be candidates for amalgamation. Outcomes will include (i) proposals to enhance NSW's pioneer ....Analysis of the financial circumstances of local governments, to assess viability, and improve planning, resource allocation and accountability. The project aims to (a) develop a framework for improved reporting by local government, through a critical analysis of AAS 27 and extant legislative guidelines; (b) assess the financial viability of existing local government units; (c) identify units which may be candidates for amalgamation. Outcomes will include (i) proposals to enhance NSW's pioneering provisions for infrastructure reporting, contained in the NSW Local Government Act 1993 and accompanying guidelines; (ii) a pioneering assessment of the financial circumstances of local government units, having regard to the projected costs of upgrading legacy infrastructure; (iii) development of a framework for assessing future funding needs. Read moreRead less
The practice of accountability in Australian Indigenous corporations. As Australian Indigenous corporations are fundamental to economic participation and social provision in the nation’s Indigenous communities this project will contribute to increasing and sustaining social and economic participation in these communities. While there is a new Act governing Australian Indigenous corporations there has been little work to evaluate the implementation and implications of the Act. Therefore this pro ....The practice of accountability in Australian Indigenous corporations. As Australian Indigenous corporations are fundamental to economic participation and social provision in the nation’s Indigenous communities this project will contribute to increasing and sustaining social and economic participation in these communities. While there is a new Act governing Australian Indigenous corporations there has been little work to evaluate the implementation and implications of the Act. Therefore this project is timely and important. The fundamental question is how these organisations can both serve the needs of their local communities and meet broader accountability obligations expected of them. This issue is fundamental to the delivery of state funded services and benefits to Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.Read moreRead less
Improving decision making in government service delivery using third party providers. This project focuses on analysing and improving decision making in government service delivery through two complementary parts: examining the range of models/potential models used by government agencies through 3rd party providers; and investigating how specific relations are managed/improved in selected industries (childcare, ageing, disability services). Our approaches encompass policy process theories, contr ....Improving decision making in government service delivery using third party providers. This project focuses on analysing and improving decision making in government service delivery through two complementary parts: examining the range of models/potential models used by government agencies through 3rd party providers; and investigating how specific relations are managed/improved in selected industries (childcare, ageing, disability services). Our approaches encompass policy process theories, contractual management, alternative service delivery, citizen empowerment theories, new institutional economics, industry impact analysis, and new modes of accountability. Analytical methods include survey and statistical investigations, comparative historical methods, case studies, comparative research with Canadian and NZ experts.Read moreRead less
Public-Private-Partnership Governance and Performance: An Empirical Assessment. While Australia's rural and regional communities require improved infrastructure services at reduced costs and higher quality; infrastructure costs are significant and governments' funds are insufficient to meet demand. Public-private-partnerships (PPPs), if they work successfully, can be the key to meet this demand. As PPPs reduce the financial investment that governments need to make, the greater the opportunity fo ....Public-Private-Partnership Governance and Performance: An Empirical Assessment. While Australia's rural and regional communities require improved infrastructure services at reduced costs and higher quality; infrastructure costs are significant and governments' funds are insufficient to meet demand. Public-private-partnerships (PPPs), if they work successfully, can be the key to meet this demand. As PPPs reduce the financial investment that governments need to make, the greater the opportunity for considered infrastructure development, if the PPPs are successful and meet their intended financial and social objectives. Thus, a better understanding of the performance outcomes of different governance mechanisms in PPPs can result in less expensive and better infrastructure services for Australia's communities.Read moreRead less
Fostering Innovation Inside Government: The Role of Structural and Personal Networks in Improving Innovation Performance Among Politicians and Bureaucrats. Innovation is the engine of the new global economy.The Prime Minster's Australia Day Statement 'Backing Australia's Ability' put innovation at the top of the government agenda. Unfortunately most research and public policy ignores the participation of government itself, apart from its fiscal role. This new study takes the innovation question ....Fostering Innovation Inside Government: The Role of Structural and Personal Networks in Improving Innovation Performance Among Politicians and Bureaucrats. Innovation is the engine of the new global economy.The Prime Minster's Australia Day Statement 'Backing Australia's Ability' put innovation at the top of the government agenda. Unfortunately most research and public policy ignores the participation of government itself, apart from its fiscal role. This new study takes the innovation question inside government to map the path to innovation and to analyse how networking determines outcomes. The study considers both structural and personal networks and considers variations in how they are related. Outcomes will include a new model for governmental innovation and methods for performance improvement inside governmental systems.Read moreRead less
Developing a Model for the Evaluation of Australian Public Private Partnerships. The primary aim of this research project is to improve the long-term evaluation of Australian Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). Growing commitments by governments to the use of PPPs to deliver infrastructure-based services have created an urgent need for the development of evaluation systems to ensure that PPPs deliver efficiency and effectiveness for taxpayers as claimed. Further there is a need to ensure that th ....Developing a Model for the Evaluation of Australian Public Private Partnerships. The primary aim of this research project is to improve the long-term evaluation of Australian Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). Growing commitments by governments to the use of PPPs to deliver infrastructure-based services have created an urgent need for the development of evaluation systems to ensure that PPPs deliver efficiency and effectiveness for taxpayers as claimed. Further there is a need to ensure that the quality of welfare-based services is not diminished through the use of PPPs.
A key outcome of this research is the development of a theoretically and empirically based post project evaluation model, developed with full support from key stakeholders, including Auditors-General and Public Accounts Committees.Read moreRead less
The politics of decision: leadership and policy processes in historical perspective. Concerns about leadership and policy dysfunction are widespread, but are they accurate? This comparative review of policy processes and the politics of decision making, at key turning points in post-war Australian history, will assess such claims and identify what needs reform to address the challenges of the twenty-first century.
Making policy reform work: a comparative analysis of social procurement . This project aims to clarify the institutional and cross-sectoral conditions needed for successful implementation of emerging social procurement policy reforms; these seek through public spending to increase employment and business opportunities for people experiencing social exclusion. Via a mixed-methods comparative study in the leading jurisdictions of Victoria and Scotland, the project will extend scholarly knowledge o ....Making policy reform work: a comparative analysis of social procurement . This project aims to clarify the institutional and cross-sectoral conditions needed for successful implementation of emerging social procurement policy reforms; these seek through public spending to increase employment and business opportunities for people experiencing social exclusion. Via a mixed-methods comparative study in the leading jurisdictions of Victoria and Scotland, the project will extend scholarly knowledge of implementing policy reforms that rely on government and non-government actors working together in new ways, and practical understanding of what is needed to realise social procurement policy goals. This will contribute to effective public expenditure and ultimately help redress the societal consequences of exclusion.Read moreRead less
The utilisation of social science research in policy development and program review. This project will enhance the use of evidence in social policy and improve the relevance of applied social research. It will produce new insights into factors affecting the success of evidence-based decision-making by examining social research utilisation within various agencies at federal and state levels. National and community benefits centre on how to improve the policy uptake of social research. This will c ....The utilisation of social science research in policy development and program review. This project will enhance the use of evidence in social policy and improve the relevance of applied social research. It will produce new insights into factors affecting the success of evidence-based decision-making by examining social research utilisation within various agencies at federal and state levels. National and community benefits centre on how to improve the policy uptake of social research. This will contribute to the development of improved support systems to enhance the consideration of evidence-based policy. Outcomes will be applicable to governments, policy-makers and academics in Australia and abroad. Ways to improve research partnerships between academic social scientists and public sector agencies will be identified. Read moreRead less
From entitlement to experiment: The new governance of welfare to work. This project aims to model and explain the governance dynamics of welfare to work in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Australia regularly undertakes major governance reforms in providing welfare to the unemployed and other groups in need. In this dynamic environment, welfare agencies are struggling to deliver benefits to the most disadvantaged people. Services must balance the need to meet central performance re ....From entitlement to experiment: The new governance of welfare to work. This project aims to model and explain the governance dynamics of welfare to work in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Australia regularly undertakes major governance reforms in providing welfare to the unemployed and other groups in need. In this dynamic environment, welfare agencies are struggling to deliver benefits to the most disadvantaged people. Services must balance the need to meet central performance requirements against the desire to help clients. The project aims to create a new framework for understanding how policy instruments and design experiments can improve services for those who are in need.Read moreRead less