Earlier this year, Australia ranked 5th in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) 2023 Digital Government Index (DGI). This placed Australia ahead of the European Union’s digital government pioneer, Estonia, and just behind Denmark and Norway. Among the 38 countries listed in the DGI, Australia also scored 1st in the government services category ‘digital by design’ and received special mention for being one of only five OECD countries with an integrated approach to investments in digital technology and services. To explain Australia’s DGI success, this Flagpost brings attention to the Australian Government Architecture (AGA),... Read more...
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have recently expressed support for changing Australia’s 3-year parliamentary terms to 4 years, renewing public discussion on the merits of a longer electoral cycle. However, voters appear ambivalent on the proposal, with a recent Newspoll showing only 51% support for the idea with 37% against. This Flagpost article contextualises the current arrangements, identifies the arguments for and against longer terms, and summarises the processes for any change. Read more...
In this month’s release: latest National Drug Strategy Household Survey, women’s experiences with the health system and the latest scam/fraud data. Read more...
A by-election for the electoral division of Cook will take place on Saturday 13 April 2024. This will fill the vacancy created when former Prime Minister Scott Morrison resigned from Parliament on 27 February 2024. Read more...
This FlagPost provides an update on key pieces of expected media regulation and reform expected in 2024. Read more...
The United Nation’s theme for International Women’s Day is ‘Count her in: Invest in women. Accelerate progress’. This theme focuses on strengthening women’s economic inclusion through providing the tools and opportunities to participate in economic decision-making. Women’s economic empowerment assists to close gaps in pay, industry employment, occupation choices and transitional pathways, while their higher workforce participation generally leads to better health, education, and political outcomes. This article summarises key employment and business statistics for women (15 to 64 years unless otherwise noted), their involvement in agriculture, he... Read more...
On 6 March 2024 Senator Penny Wong becomes the longest serving female Cabinet Minister. Her cumulative 2,769 days in Cabinet (over 7 and a half years from 2007–13 and 2022 onwards) sees her overtake fellow South Australian Amanda Vanstone (who served from 1996–7 and 2001–7). Upon such a notable achievement, this Flagpost article reflects on the broader history of women in Cabinet and highlights their important and varied contributions. Read more...
From 11 to 22 March, the United Nations (UN) Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is scheduled to hold its 68th annual meeting, as the ‘principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women’. Australia played a formative role in establishing the CSW in 1946, and recently concluded a membership term from 2020 to 2023. This Flagpost gives an overview of some of the key Australian women who helped establish the CSW and direct its functions and efforts in the early years. Read more...
In this month’s release: Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey and latest schools data Forthcoming releases If you are interested in any of the forthcoming releases or datasets, please contact the Parliamentary Library to discuss in more detail. Statistical reports Release date ABS Building Approvals, January 2024 4 Mar ABS Australian System of National Accounts: Concepts, Sources and Method... Read more...
The second House of Representatives (HoR) debating venue, the Federation Chamber, is unique among Australian Parliaments. 30 years ago amendments to the Standing Orders (SOs) were made on 10 February 1994, to establish a second chamber to function in parallel to the HoR. After an existing committee room in Parliament House was refurbished at a cost of $854,902 (p. 51), the inaugural meeting of the second chamber was held 4 months later on 8 June 1994. It was on that occasion, John Howard remarked: If the Main Committee can add to the intelligent dispatch of business and, in this rather more intimate atmosphere, lift the quality of debate on some of the less cont... Read more...
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