Assesses the degree to which the investment by the Australian aid program into research has been appropriate, effective and efficient, and provides recommendations for improving DFAT’s future management of research investment.

‘Centralising measures’ have eroded the autonomy of local councils’ in the form of intervention in the planning and development process and absorption of responsibilities. This paper will use the case study of the Melbourne City Council (MCC) to offer scope for assessing the character of these reforms.