ANZSOG’s The Bridge presents: Who Decides? The Role of Ethics in Behavioural Insights

ANZSOG’s The Bridge’s is a free research translation product, which connects public servants to the latest public policy and management research. 

The Bridge’s 2025 Live Event will be a webinar – Who Decides? The Role of Ethics in Behavioural Insights – featuring Sarah Ball (University of Queensland), Matthew Davies (NZ Behavioural Community of Practice) and David Trudinger (NSW Behavioural Insights Team). They’ll explore this timely and important topic and take questions from attendees. 

This online event is free but you’ll need to register here in order to take part. 

Price: Free

Date: Thursday 9 October, 2025

Time: 1-2pm (AEDT)

Panel Host: Maria Katsonis, Bridge Curator  

Maria has curated ANZSOG’s The Bridge since its inception in 2020. As well as teaching into ANZSOG programs she is a Public Policy Fellow at The University of Melbourne where she teaches policy design and implementation at a post graduate level. She has 20 years’ experience in the Victorian Public Service as a senior executive and has a deep understanding of public policy and public management. She held the roles of Director, Governance and Director, Equality in the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC) and served as Special Adviser to the Secretary of DPC .

David Trudinger, Director, NSW Government Behavioural Insights Unit 

David has been the Director of the NSW Government’s Behavioural Insights Unit since 2020. Dave’s diverse career has seen him work in consultancy, frontline community services, academia and government across several Australian jurisdictions and the U.K. He brings a focus on demonstrating impact, supporting frontline delivery and empowering public service partners. Dave’s PhD included exploration of how and why psychology was applied in a range of professions and public policy in twentieth century Australia.  

Dr Sarah Ball, Lecturer at the University of Queensland in Public Policy.  

Sarah’s research explores how knowledge and evidence are translated into policy design and implementation. She has explored the use of behavioural insights, experimental methods and codesign in policy development. Her article on the use of behavioural insights in Robodebt was the subject of a Bridge research brief.  

Dr Matthew Davies, Principal Advisor, New Zealand Justice Sector 

Matthew is a criminologist specialising in applying behavioural insights (BI) to public policy. He is a Principal Advisor in New Zealand’s justice sector BI team and chairs the New Zealand BI Community of Practice. Matthew previously worked at the Behavioural Insights Team in the UK and holds a PhD in Criminology from the University of Oxford and Master’s from the University of Cambridge.