More than 32,000 people from the Pacific and East Timor work in Australia under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme (PALM), mostly employed in horticulture and meat processing. This report explores where PALM has delivered real benefits, and where structural challenges remain, particularly in relation to worker mobility, exploitation, accommodation, and access to healthcare and...

In 2025, national and global events have placed pressure on Australian society. This report looks at what impact this has had on Australia's social cohesion, measured across five key areas. Despite the continuing national and global challenges of recent years, most of the indicators of social cohesion have been stable in the last two years.

This paper explores an approach to map civic volunteering opportunities across Australia. The findings reveal regional inequalities, with most opportunities concentrated in capital cities and coastal regions. By identifying where engagement opportunities are lacking, this work offers an evidence base for targeted policy, funding and civic renewal strategies.

2024 has been another challenging year for Australian society, due to ongoing economic uncertainty, a tough housing market, and heightened tensions over global conflicts. While the strength of local communities may be helping to protect wellbeing and harmony, these survey findings show that challenges to social cohesion remain, with some new pressures emerging.

How politicians talk about and news media report on Australia’s democracy affects how people think about, feel towards, and engage with democracy in their day-to-day lives. This report presents the findings of a quantitative analysis of discourses around democracy in parliamentary speeches and news media articles in Australia.