Policy Fit for the Future: The Australian Government Futures Primer

Helping the Australian Public Service future-proof policy development and integrate futures methodologies into its work.

The Futures Primer is part of the "Policy Fit for the Future" project, building APS capability to use futures techniques in policymaking through horizon scanning, visioning and scenario planning. These tools help anticipate and navigate future risks and opportunities.

The tools and advice can be adapted to any policy challenge, and reflect the views of global experts in futures and strategic foresight, both within and outside the APS.

Developed by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in partnership with the Futures Hub at the National Security College, Australian National University and includes contributions from most major departments. Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and Forestry were a key project partner, delivering the Ag2050 Future Scenario- external site project in collaboration with CSIRO.

The Futures Primer offers a range of flexible tools and advice that can be adapted to any policy challenge. It reflects the views of global experts in futures and strategic foresight, both within and outside the APS.

In addition to the Futures Primer, PM&C’s Policy Projects and Taskforce Office also led scenario planning and horizon scanning exercises with senior APS leaders. This identified key challenges for the next decade.

Participant benefits

Through a range of structured participatory tools, Futures can help policy teams to:

develop more and better policy choices for government decision-makers;
identify emerging strategic risks and opportunities;
create more resilient and flexible policies that can succeed in multiple possible futures - not just the one we assume.

This primer has been written by policy officers, for policy officers – with a focus on practical and tested approaches to support them to create policy fit for the future