Sarah Ball – författare

Using rich ethnographic data and first-hand experience, Ball presents a detailed account of Australia’s attempts to incorporate behavioural insights into its public policy.Ball identifies three competing interpretations of behavioural public policy, and how these interpretations have influenced the use of this approach in practice. The first sees the process as an opportunity to introduce more rigorous evidence. The second interpretation focuses on increasing compliance, cost savings and cutting red tape. The last focuses on the opportunity to better involve citizens in policy design. These interpretations demonstrate different ‘solutions’ to a series of dilemmas that the Australian Public Service, and others, have confronted in the last 50 years, including growing politicisation, technocracy and a disconnect from the needs of citizens. Ball offers a detailed account of how these priorities have shaped how behavioural insights have been implemented in policy-making, as well as reflecting on the challenges facing policy work more broadly.An essential read for practitioners and scholars of policy-making, especially in Australia.

Using rich ethnographic data and first-hand experience, Ball presents a detailed account of Australia’s attempts to incorporate behavioural insights into its public policy.Ball identifies three competing interpretations of behavioural public policy, and how these interpretations have influenced the use of this approach in practice. The first sees the process as an opportunity to introduce more rigorous evidence. The second interpretation focuses on increasing compliance, cost savings and cutting red tape. The last focuses on the opportunity to better involve citizens in policy design. These interpretations demonstrate different ‘solutions’ to a series of dilemmas that the Australian Public Service, and others, have confronted in the last 50 years, including growing politicisation, technocracy and a disconnect from the needs of citizens. Ball offers a detailed account of how these priorities have shaped how behavioural insights have been implemented in policy-making, as well as reflecting on the challenges facing policy work more broadly.An essential read for practitioners and scholars of policy-making, especially in Australia.

The seventh edition of this classic handbook on the policy process is fully updated, featuring new material on policy making amid local and global disruption, the contestable nature of modern policy advice, commissioning and contracting, public engagement and policy success and failure. The Australian Policy Handbook shows how public policy permeates every aspect of our lives. It is the stuff of government, justifying taxes, driving legislation and shaping our social services. Public policy gives us roads, railways and airports, emergency services, justice, education and health services, defence, industry development and natural resource management. While politicians make the decisions, public servants provide analysis and support for those choices. This updated edition includes new visuals and introduces a series of case studies for the first time. These cases—covering family violence, behavioural economics, justice reinvestment, child protection and more—illustrate the personal and professional challenges of policymaking practice. Drawing on their extensive practical and academic experience, the authors outline the processes used in making public policy. They systematically explain the relationships between political decision makers, public service advisers, community participants and those charged with implementation. The Australian Policy Handbook remains the essential guide for students and practitioners of policy making in Australia.