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17 August 2026
Australia’s approach to AI sovereignty should focus on operational capability rather than owning all AI technologies. The role of the new Chief AI Officers in the Australian Public Service can drive practical government AI adoption through shared missions, reusable capabilities and integrated safeguards, ensuring the country remains capable of selecting, adapting, governing and deploying AI to serve national priorities effectively and sustainably.
Vikas Kumar
Vikas Kumar
Latest articles
13 August 2026
Social cohesion relies as much on accessible institutional support and everyday interactions with government and other service providers as on shared values. To encourage social cohesion, government must look at the types of structures that are in place to support connection and bonding, including culturally responsive mental health services, community hubs and settlement policies that support intercultural exchange.
Valentina Baú
11 August 2026
Children recorded as ‘missing’ from their out-of-home care placement are some of the most vulnerable in society. While their whereabouts are often unknown to their carers and caseworkers continue to interact with other public services, including hospitals, schools, police, homelessness services and justice systems. Linked administrative data can connect information across government agencies, revealing where children reappear and where opportunities exist for earlier and more coordinated intervention and support.
Amy Conley Wright and Stefanie Schurer
5 August 2026
Australia’s transition to Net Zero requires credible and durable policy frameworks for investment in critical infrastructure. The Safeguard Mechanism, which reduces regulatory uncertainty and signals progressively tightening emissions baselines, can help encourage investment in industrial decarbonisation. Its effectiveness, however, depends on addressing offset integrity, electricity affordability and commercial readiness of low-emissions technologies.
Mona Mashhadi Rajabi and Martina Linnenluecke
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23 July 2026
With new national standards for Artificial Intelligence now on the horizon following the Australian Prime Minister’s recent announcement, there is an urgent need to reform education systems to prepare students for an AI-driven future by fostering resilience, creativity, empathy and lifelong learning. Through cross-sector collaboration and adoption of the Castlereagh Statement, Australia can realign educational priorities with the demands of an AI-influenced society.
Danny Liu and Jason Lodge
21 July 2026
This article explores how adelphi facilitates structured, ongoing exchange between researchers, policymakers and stakeholders to support decision-making in Germany’s energy transition.
Lara Bate
20 July 2026
The Commonwealth Government’s capital gains tax reforms, effective July 2027, sensibly tax real gains by indexing capital gains to inflation. However, they fail to index losses, leading to higher taxes on assets that do not keep pace with inflation and creating inefficiencies in the tax system. A more symmetric treatment of real gains and losses will reduce economic distortions.
James Giesecke and Jason Nassios
Bridging evidence and action in Germany’s energy transition: lessons from adelphi
This article explores how adelphi facilitates structured, ongoing exchange between researchers, policymakers and stakeholders to support decision-making in Germany’s energy transition.
Completing the reform of capital gains tax: tax real losses like real gains
The Commonwealth Government’s capital gains tax reforms, effective July 2027, sensibly tax real gains by indexing capital gains to inflation. However, they fail to index losses, leading to higher taxes on assets that do not keep pace with inflation and creating inefficiencies in the tax system. A more symmetric treatment of real gains and losses will reduce economic distortions.
The policy cycle propelled social media age restrictions, so what can be done to fix it?
The rapid development and implementation of Australia’s social media age restrictions has led to a global race, as well as challenges in enforcement, implementation and evaluation here at home. Broader digital duty of care legislation could help address some of the underlying issues and better protect young people online.
Embedding evidence in early intervention policy: lessons from the Centre for Effective Services
This first article in a new series explores recent work by the Centre for Effective Services in connecting evidence, policy and practice to improve outcomes for children and young people in Ireland.
Housing growth needs green infrastructure: why funding and governance must catch up
As governments recognise green infrastructure as essential to delivering cooler, healthier and more resilient communities, policy must now shift from valuing these assets to embedding them within mainstream infrastructure planning, funding and governance.
Bankable, insurable, scalable: the policy framework Australia needs for modular housing
Australia has the technology to build homes faster. Turning modular housing into a mainstream housing solution now requires policy settings that support finance, insurance and a clear liability architecture.
Australia’s climate risks are interconnected – adaptation governance should reflect this
Australia is already adapting to multiple climate hazards at once. The challenge is now building governance systems that can sustain coordinated multi-hazard responses.
Getting employment services back to work
The government’s employment services reforms are a welcome step towards a more tailored and supportive system. The next challenge is redesigning the structures and incentives of the system so it empowers people to overcome barriers and find secure, meaningful work.
Connecting lived experience and evidence to address poverty stigma: lessons from the Wales Centre for Public Policy
This article explores how the Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) is connecting evidence, lived experience and policy development to address poverty stigma in Wales – an issue increasingly recognised internationally as a barrier to effective delivery of social policy and public services.
Supply chain crisis: how waste could drive sovereign manufacturing
Global supply shocks are exposing Australia’s dependence on imported materials far beyond fuel alone. Yet many of the waste streams we landfill or export could instead support regional manufacturing, local jobs and a more resilient sovereign industrial capability.
