The report aims to provide a balanced view of the present state of the Australian childcare system and some recommendations for reform. It finds that while public spending on childcare exceeds $14 billion annually, accessibility and quality remain uneven. It proposes that Australia’s childcare market would perform better with reduced regulatory interference and greater transparency.

The index is an annual measure of democratic health, tracking the effectiveness of governments over time. This inaugural report offers insights into how Australians view their democracy and provides recommendations to strengthen trust and guide the actions of governments, civil society and institutions seeking to improve the performance and legitimacy of Australia’s system of government.

A series of fact-checks regarding claims made by the Australian Government in relation to parliamentary questions on the Freedom of Information Amendment Bill 2025. The Government’s claims about the Robodebt Royal Commission, changes to the Cabinet confidentiality exemption, inundation by AI generated bots, and national security concerns around FOI are found to be false or...

This report presents findings about what teachers believe about how students learn: the prevalence of myths about learning, to what extent these myths inform practice, and what research there is to suggest teachers understand the facts about how students learn best. It finds concerted efforts are required to build up coherent mental models among Australian...

Six months after its 2025 re-election, the Australian Government faces serious integrity challenges. This report card assesses the Government’s actions – and inaction – across key democratic safeguards: transparency, merit-based appointments, limits on undue influence, strengthening the public service and support for the institutions that hold power to account. The paper urges the Government to...