The Development and Impact of Australia's “Think Tanksâ€

This paper surveys the development of Australian “think tanks†over the past four years. It focuses on research organisations that draw on the social sciences and it covers the academic, government and business sectors. The evidence points to continued growth both in the variety and number of organisations and in the rôles they perfor M. That a considerable body of additional research material has been added to the common stock is clear. Whether this material has been recognised by those who need to know or been framed by the latters concern and needs is much harder to judge. The evidence, such as it is, is not sanguine. Australia's activity has expanded by comparison with past perfor Mance. Comparative benchmark data is unavailable.