Strengthening Australia’s Reform ‘Muscle’ via Social Licence to Operate: Evidence and Practice

Australian policymaking is at an inflection point. Years of policy gridlock, combined with complex policy needs and politicisation of reform make major reforms infrequent and challenging. As years pass with no or very limited major reforms, pundits, policymakers and scholars question whether Australia is losing its reform muscle.

This research paper addresses concerns about the inadequate delivery of major policy reform by Australian governments in recent times and our capacity to navigate emerging and complex challenges.

It is the first of its kind to apply the “social licence to operate” (SLO) concept to analyse social enablers and barriers to policy reform and public service capability that contributes to the “reform muscle” required to sustain a social licence for reform.

The paper is the second publication from a research project, co-funded by ANZSOG and the South Australian Department of Premier and Cabinet, and led by Professor Sara Bice at ANU’s Crawford School, which explores how an SLO can support major reform.

It addresses the research questions of:

• How is SLO defined, understood and operationalised among central and diverse policy actors in Australia?
• What key lessons can be learned from successful outcomes-oriented major reform, applying a SLO lens?
• What are the most promising strategies and approaches for strengthening and sustaining social licence for major policy reform?