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Australia publishes new government data and digital strategy; UK to accelerate plans to move 22,000 civil service roles out of London: news in brief
Global Government Forum’s digest of the news you need to know but might have missed. Australian government sets out ‘unified blueprint’ for maximising digital and data capabilities The Australian government has published a new digital and data strategy that sets a “clear vision” for delivering connected public services through to 2030. The Data and Digital…
The centre cannot hold: the future of UK regional policy
Successive governments have failed to reverse the UK’s regional inequalities and over-centralisation. At a Strand Group event last week, some of those who’ve tried to do so set out their prescriptions for a more balanced Britain. Matt Ross reports “National politicians and civil servants have got to let go of some stuff – and if…
People, planet and profit: how can the UK government supercharge the transition to net zero?
Climate change is one of the world’s biggest and most urgent problems – and tackling it provides a huge economic opportunity. During a webinar hosted by Deloitte, panellists discussed what the UK government is, could and should be doing to accelerate in the race to net zero The UK government has committed to reach net…
Australian Public Service to tap talent outside Canberra
The Australian Public Service Commission is developing a strategy that would reduce the need for government employees to work in the capital, as part of its mission to become a model employer. The focus instead would be on having the “right people in the right places”, a spokesperson for the Commission (APSC) said. The APS…
‘The British civil service is relatively insular’: GGF’s latest Leading Questions podcast with political scientist Colin Talbot
A new Global Government Forum podcast is out featuring professor Colin Talbot – author of the compellingly titled Whitehall watching: reflections on innovation, inertia and ineptitude in British government – who in this episode provides a captivating view of public sector management and how it could be done better. A departure from the Leading…
US federal staff to be deployed to rural communities to boost economic opportunities
US president Joe Biden has launched a programme to deploy federal government employees to rural areas to help local leaders access the resources they need to boost their communities. The Rural Partners Network (RPN) is described by the White House as a “whole-of-government effort led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to transform the way…
If Levelling Up is to work, then it must meet the needs of a green economy
Later today, the UK Government will publish its Spring Budget, hot on the heels of last month’s Levelling Up White Paper. Many questions remain about how levelling up will be fiscally achieved and align with the development of our green economy. The most recent IPCC Report on Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability paints a truly sobering…
Levelling up lessons: how to make regional development work
Levelling up has become the UK government’s top priority, but it is not alone in considering how to boost its overlooked cities and regions. Jeffrey Matsu, CIPFA’s chief economist, shares the global lessons The UK government has made levelling up its primary mission. It is an effort to address the country’s longstanding regional inequalities, which…
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Levelling Up Research
Discover independent research reports, surveys and in-depth studies from Global Government Forum and knowledge partners, exploring the most important issues facing governments and the public sector. Our research provides practical insights and evidence-based recommendations for senior civil servants, policymakers and public sector leaders. Our reports combine exclusive survey data, expert analysis and interviews with government leaders from around the world to help public sector organisations improve performance, inform policy and deliver better outcomes for citizens.
Empowering Public Servants to Make Confident, Informed Decisions with Data and AI
Governments around the world are working hard to extract – and act upon – the insights held in their vast data stores, and to embrace AI and the promise it holds for innovation and transformation. At the same time, economic pressures and constrained budgets are compelling public servants to do more with fewer resources, while governments are called to respond quickly and effectively to complex challenges.
Against this backdrop, data and AI can help those working in government both to streamline their workflows and make fast, informed decisions. This in turn drives efficiency and can unlock productivity gains – and ultimately lead to improved performance and better services for citizens.
Global Government Forum surveyed over 600 civil servants worldwide to understand how data and AI are being used in government decision-making and where there are further challenges and opportunities.
Read this report for insight into how governments are using data and AI in decision-making today and the potential for the future; the major challenges to using data and AI in decision-making and how to overcome them; and how AI agents can be used in decision-making.
The report includes examples of data and AI in decision-making from countries including the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Singapore, the US, and more.
(Published September 2025)
Making Government Work: Five Pillars of a Modern, Effective Civil Service
Around the world, governments are dealing with substantial challenges – from economic stagnation to the transition to net zero, military conflicts and cyber threats. Governments are also grappling with shifting geopolitics and the rise of populism – and all of these factors are set against the emergence of new technologies, including generative AI, which have the potential to fundamentally transform every aspect of society, but which also pose huge ethical, security and regulatory questions for the public sector.
The Making Government Work: Five pillars of a modern, effective civil service report was undertaken to help identify the key characteristics needed in a modern public service, with priorities ranging across leadership, digital service delivery, workforce development, cross-departmental integration, and citizen trust.
This report has been covered by publications around the world including the Financial Times, BBC Radio 4’s PM programme, Ottawa Citizen, Fed Manager, the Mandarin and the i newspaper.
(Published August 2024)
The Future of the Finance Ministry
From setting tax rates and financial regulations that create the ground rules for national economies, to allocating – and tracking – spending for public services, finance ministries occupy an essential role at the centre of government. Geopolitical crises have reinforced the importance of finance ministries, as they tackle both immediate shocks and long-term trends such as ageing populations, the digital transition, and the impact of moves to net zero.
Against this backdrop, this global research explores what the future finance ministry looks like and how to prepare for it.
Based on interviews with 10 senior leaders from finance ministries – led by John McCarthy, chief economist in Ireland’s Department of Finance, working with Ian Hall, editor, Global Government Finance, and Richard Johnstone, executive editor, Global Government Forum – the study identifies four key themes: the evolving role of the finance ministry in response to uncertainty; the shift to more flexible finance systems that support outcomes; digital transformation and the growth of AI; and the battle for talent and trust.
(Published May 2026)
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