Political party policies won't provide official Government Policy in practice, but will reflect the position of the government on many policies
The Conversation
An independent source of news and analysis that uses content sourced from the academic and research community
The Drum (ABC)
Analysis and opinion on the issues of the day
The Guardian (Australian edition)
The New Matilda
Independent online news source
The Australian (Policy Section)
The Age Politics: The Pulse
Politics live from the halls of federal parliament, and beyond.
Newsbank For major Australian Newspapers
Factiva For Australian and thousands of overseas newspapers
Factiva requires a bit of assistance to use effectively - watch this quick online tutorial Basics of searching Factiva
TVNews Searchable database of Australian television news, current affairs and selected documentaries from the free-to-air networks with links to the digitised video content
Databases for Journal articles on Australian Public policy
Trove provides integrated access to over 45 million items from a range of the National Library's collaborative services and from elsewhere. Metadata (information about items) is pooled from Australian sources including: The Australian National Bibliographic Database - containing location information from more than 1,200 Australian libraries,
It is possible to search across all databases but this will involve duplication of records which can be frustrating so try using APA-FT which is cross disciplinary and include other selected databases on your topic.
APA-FT - Australian Public Affairs Full Text
Indexing and full text database that provides access to published material on Australian social sciences and humanities. Source documents include periodicals, newspapers, scholarly journals, conference papers, and books. Subject coverage includes business, health, current affairs, economics, humanities, law, literature, politics and social sciences.
See INFORMIT databases on specific subjects for Government policy in specific subject areas e.g.
Health & Society - Health & Society Database
FAMILY - Australian Family & Society Abstracts Database
CINCH - Australian Criminology Database
To find these databases
Click on ‘Databases’ on the top right menu bar and select ‘find relevant databases’. Key in your broad topic eg Education, Immigration, Health etc. and select the databases that appear most appropriate by ticking the box next to the database. Click on continue and use the advanced search to do a more detailed search
Think Tanks provide critical analysis of existing Government policy and use their own research to influence Government policy. Often they have a particular political persuasion that informs their policy analysis
The Australia Institute is the country’s most influential progressive think tank. Based in Canberra, it conducts research on a broad range of economic, social and environmental issues in order to inform public debate and bring greater accountability to the democratic process.
Institute of Public Affairs Australia
The Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) is a public policy think tank[1] based in Melbourne, Australia. It advocates free market economic policies such as privatisation and deregulation of state-owned enterprises, trade liberalisation and deregulated workplaces, climate change scepticism (through its environmental subsidiary the Australian Environment Foundation), and the accountability of non-government organisations (NGOs).[citation needed] In its own words, the Institute believes in "the free market of ideas, the free flow of capital, a limited and efficient government, the rule of law, and representative democracy."[2]
The Evatt Foundation was established in 1979 as a memorial to Dr Herbert Vere Evatt with the aim of advancing the ideals of the labour movement, such as equality, participation, social justice and human rights. For more than 30 years, the Foundation has been helping to promote these ideals through research, publications, public discussion and debate.
The Centre for Independent Studies
The CIS supports a market economy and a free civil society under democratic government. We believe that smaller government is the key to unlocking individual responsibility, liberty, choice and enterprise.
Through public policy research and events, the CIS encourages debate among leading academics, politicians, media and the public. We aim to make sure good policy ideas are heard and seriously considered so that Australia can continue to prosper into the future.
A Melbourne-based , non-aligned institute, the Grattan Institute contributes to public policy in Australia as a liberal democracy in a globalised economy. Grattan Institute focuses on six key policy areas: Cities, Energy, Health, Schools Education, Higher Education and Productivity
More Think Tanks here.
A selective list:
One of Australia’s leading economic and social policy research institutes
ANU. SPEAR: The Social Policy Evaluation, Analysis & Research Centre
The SPEAR Centre commenced in 2000 as a joint initiative between the Australian Government Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS) and the Economics Group in the Research School of Social Sciences at the ANU.
University of Sydney Social Policy Research Network (SPRN)
UNSW Social Policy Research Centre
Australian Institute of Family Studies
The Australian Institute of Criminology
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)
Governments and the community use our reports and data in discussing, debating, and making policy decisions on health, housing and community services matters.