2026 marks 10 years since the Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government (BETA) was established to bring behavioural science to the forefront of public policy and service design.
Over the past decade, behavioural insights has become an integral part of how government approaches complex policy challenges. By focusing on how people make decisions, and the barriers that can stand in the way of action, BETA has helped design services that are easier to navigate, more accessible, and more likely to achieve their intended outcomes in benefitting Australians.
At the heart of BETA’s work is a simple principle: Good policy design starts with an understanding of people. There is also a strong focus on evidence and rigorously measuring what works.
For example, to help Australians save money on their energy bills BETA worked with the Australian Energy Regulator to inform the Better Bills Guideline, designing a ‘better offer’ message that informs customers when they could save money by switching. Over 4 million Australian households and 400,000 small businesses received these messages, contributing to average annual savings of around $300 per household and $600 per business, by helping customers move to the best available plan for them.
Since its establishment in 2016, BETA has worked in partnership with APS agencies to complete more than 150 projects. BETA has also trained up over 15,000 public servants in behavioural insights, with events, conferences, guidance and eLearning tools.
As government continues to respond to new and evolving challenges, behavioural insights will remain an important tool for designing policies that work for people. Find out more about BETA.