Government agencies need to be more open, honest and direct with the public, come to terms with social media and realise that working with people

The Department of Human Services is planning to provide 200 staff per year with “plain English” training. After adopting a plain English policy in August,

The Department of Human Services has recently overhauled its website and received a big tick of approval from the Plain English Foundation. It is also

Plain English is hardly a new idea. It’s been more than 30 years since the Australian government launched its simpler forms project, and most agencies

We commonly think of editors as the word nerds who “correct the commas and stuff”. Plain English editors are certainly fit for that task, but

In a series of 2016 reports, an Irish software company reviewed the clarity of government websites in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, the United

While the benefits of plain English are now well established, staff can resist even if their agency endorses writing reform. Here are some of the

When it comes to language, we all have our pet peeves: words that are overused, misused, or just plain abused. But should we go a

Despite the bad press they get, public servants, on the whole, can actually write. It’s just that from the moment we start drafting briefing notes,

10. Get more of your life back Let’s start with the most immediate benefit: plain English frees up time. How long do you spend wading

Australia doesn’t yet link up its blogs like the UK does at blogs.gov.uk … but it can still take advantage of the wisdom and lessons that

Earlier this month, Immigration and Border Protection Secretary Michael Pezzullo prescribed four concrete strategies to improve the public sector. One was to “communicate clearly” in

Treasurer Scott Morrison’s sales pitch for the federal budget is already in trouble. Monday’s Fairfax Ipsos poll showed around half of Australians disapproved of the