Research on innovation in the Australian public sector

Research on public sector innovation in Australia and around the world over the past few years has looked into:

• what supports and blocks innovation in the public sector
• ways to unleash a creative mindset and adopt practical approaches

Here is some of the research we’ve found most useful:

• ANZSOG Today’s Problems, Yesterday’s Toolkit: This report calls for a radical reimagining of the role of government and public servant. Based on interviews with 400 public servants, the report pinpoints 9 skills that make up a 21^st century toolkit for public problem solving.
• OECD Declaration on Public Sector Innovation: The Declaration sets out key principles and actions to help government agencies encourage, manage or inform innovation. Australia signed up to the Declaration in 2019.
• APS Innovation Sampler: We took a snapshot of innovation in the Australian Public Service in 2018-19. It includes new research and examples of novel practices, collaborative events, centres of excellence and organic networks.
• Mapping Public Sector Innovation Units in Australia and New Zealand: Melbourne University Policy Lab surveyed Australian and New Zealand public sector innovation labs, as part of an ANZSOG-funded research project.
• Independent Review of the Australian Public Sector: This review identifies how the APS can transform to ensure it is fit-for-purposed for the coming decades. (Final recommendations yet to be released.)
• Empowering Change: Fostering Innovation in the Australian Public Sector: This report considers how to develop and strengthen a culture of innovation in the APS. (Released in 2010.)

Read more

• The Public Sector Innovation Network (PSIN) curated these resources. PSIN ceased on 8 January 2021.
• Read more resources, case studies and news from PSIN
• See takeaways and videos from Innovation Month 2020