Australia’s ‘brain boxes’ are a growing source of covert power
These research and advocacy institutes are a rising influence – and give public servants who can’t agitate themselves plausible deniability. From the upcoming Power issue, out on September 27.
We hear a lot about what think tanks think. We don’t hear much about how they work. But that changed in February when the Albanese government announced a review into public funding for national security policy research.
Depending on how you count them, there are about 75 or so think tanks in Australia. Just three in 10 get some form of government funding, mostly small grants. When it comes to research into matters of national security, the collective outlay from Canberra is estimated to be around $40 million a year, a tiny amount given the federal budget runs to some $600 billion.
Emma ConnorsSenior editor and writerEmma Connors was South-east Asia correspondent from October 2019 until mid-2023, based in Jakarta and Singapore. She has previously edited Perspective and Opinion and has written extensively across the AFR and related titles. Connect with Emma on Twitter. Email Emma at emma.connors@nine.com.au
