Setting Public Policy (2013)

CEDA's policy perspective, Setting Public Policy, sets out a practical approach for making meaningful policy change. Released in August 2013, the report includes three chapters which discuss: politics and leadership styles; factors of success in major economic policy reform; and the challenges for northern Australia.

Setting Public Policy also includes excerpts of interviews with former prime ministers, former premiers and senior public servants.

The central idea of Setting Public Policy is that Australia's prolonged national prosperity is not simply a function of its natural endowments but due to the flexibility and innovation encouraged by public policy settings. The capacity to set public policy in the national interest, broadly defined, has allowed the country to weather numerous economic and social storms over the course of more than a century and a half.

The Federal election campaign is the perfect time to examine and reflect on the role of leadership in public debate and the crying need for the implementation of substantial policy change to sustain Australia's future.

Whether recent economic success fades into memory or continues will be substantially determined by the quality of policy implemented by government.

Download - Setting Public Policy (pdf)

Read media release - Long term vision and political leadership lacking from public policy debate

Read opinion piece - Recent policy making has not been best practice

Chapters and authors

Politics and leadership styles
This chapter explores the leadership styles if key reformist politicians and what contributed to their success and failures.

• Geoff Allen AM, National Chairman, CEDA and Director, ACIL Allen Consulting; and
• Michael Stutchbury, The Australian Financial Review, Editor-in-Chief

Economic policy reform as successful change leadership
This chapter explores how major economic policy reform is achieved and the key factors that can substantially improve the chances of success.

• Professor Greg Smith, Chairman of the Commonwealth Grants Commission; Adjunct Professor at the Australian Catholic University; and Senior Fellow at the Melbourne Law School

Challenges for northern Australia
This chapter explores the policy changes that need to be considered if Australia is to capitalise on the potential of an agricultural boom as a result of the rising demand from Asia for agricultural exports.

• David Farley, former Chief Executive, Australian Agricultural Company

Case studies

Excerpts of these case studies were included in the Setting Public Policy publication. Click on the photos below to download the interviews in pdf format.

The Honourable  Steve Bracks AC	The Honourable  Nick Greiner AC	Dr Allan Hawke  AC	Dr Ken Henry AC	The Honourable  John Howard OM  AC SSI	The Honourable  Jeff Kennett AC