Designing public procurement policies to benefit regional economies
Lessons are there to be learned when it comes to emerging practices and mitigation of risks associated with poorly designed public procurement policies. Read More
Transport & Infrastructure
What Peter Harris did next: former PC chair takes a seat with another advisory body
Peter Harris has joined the board of Infrastructure Australia, about six months after retiring from his final major government role as chair of the Productivity… Read More
Expanding urban sprawl: Melbourne is getting the mix wrong
Victoria's obsession with urban sprawl means a constant supply of cheap new housing without angering existing residents. But while it's politically easy, there are big hidden costs. Read More
How can governments address growing urbanisation?
As the Australian population grows and centralises, the needs of urbanised areas evolve and expand. Technology is key to creating the smart cities that will accommodate them. Read More
Driverless and zero emissions vehicles – driving transport, energy and government closer
Michel Masson, CEO of Infrastructure Victoria, discusses the increasing convergence of transport and energy policy, and the need for governments — at all levels and… Read More
Why autonomous vehicles won’t reduce our dependence on cars in cities
The arrival of autonomous vehicles would ideally reduce the number of cars on our roads. But this is a pipedream without a robust public transport system and willingness to share. Read More
Lessons from the hill: Steven Kennedy’s ‘secret list’ of questions to ask yourself during a briefing
Dr Steven Kennedy, one of Australia's most senior public servants, has twice been seconded to the Prime Minister's Office -- picking up a few tricks on the hill that have come in handy in his new role as departmental secretary. Read More
The future of transport: mobility as a service and the role of government
As the population increases and cities become denser, how can the Australian government consider the future of mobility as a service (MaaS)? Read More
Opportunity looms for Australia’s mission-critical systems
The Australian government is faced with a real opportunity to deeply reconsider not just public safety infrastructure and capabilities but, more broadly, the many related mission-critical systems government oversee. Read More
Where we’re going, we will need road safety: Commonwealth gets into future transport
The federal government has taken a deliberate step into the realm of driverless cars and mobility-as-a-service apps with the establishment of an Office of Future Transport Technologies in the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Cities. Read More
ALP jumps the gun: first major party releases 2019 federal election mini-manifesto
The Australian Labor Party releases the first campaign pledges of the 2019 federal election, with a mix of both specific and non-specific policy priorities across almost half of the Commonwealth's portfolio clusters. Read More
How to make Sydney and Melbourne more efficient and accessible
Making our biggest cities more efficient, affordable and accessible will raise the living standards of nearly all Australians, but it will also require some compromise. Read More
Our fast-growing cities and their people are proving to be remarkably adaptable
Urban growth has had much less impact on commuting distances and times than media reports would suggest. The explanations include jobs being widely dispersed and residents' adaptable decision-making. Read More
Global challenges, regional consequences: Infrastructure secretary on inclusive growth
Dr Steven Kennedy is the secretary of the Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities. This is the first half of a speech hosted… Read More
Experts in the APS: DIRDC boss Steven Kennedy challenges talk of capability decline
One of the federal government's newest departmental secretaries, Dr Steven Kennedy, disputes the narrative that Australian Public Service has experienced a severe capability decline over recent decades. Read More