Thirty-three inspirational Australians have been named as the national finalists for the Australian of the Year Awards.

Each of the national finalists have been nominated for an Australian of the Year Award by the National Australia Day Council due to their impact and achievement in a range of sectors.

These sectors include science and medicine, social and community projects, human rights advocacy, social entrepreneurship, sustainability and contributions to the pandemic response.

Critical technologies underpin our national security and drive our economic prosperity. 

The Australian Government is addressing the opportunities and risks of critical technologies with the release of the new Blueprint and Action Plan, which contain the Government’s first List of Critical Technologies in the National Interest.

Caption: Australian Army Captain Dean Varian, Operations Officer of Australia's Federation Guard places a poppy for his great uncle Theo on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT, 1 October 2019. Photo Credit: Department of Defence.

Red poppies are synonymous with Remembrance Day commemorations around the world.

This year celebrates 100 years since the Flanders Poppy was adopted as the commemorative flower of remembrance by The Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia (the League).

Professor Edward C. Holmes from the University of Sydney has won the 2021 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science for his groundbreaking work in COVID-19 research.

Professor Holmes was the first person in the world to share the genome sequence of the COVID-19 virus.

The impact of sharing this vital information has had on the global scientific response to the virus was immense, allowing for work to begin on developing a vaccine, just days following the publication of his findings.

The Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government (BETA), in partnership with the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), has released the Improving Energy Bills Final Report.

The report applies behavioural insights to the design of energy bills and will inform the AER’s development of a new Better Bills Guideline.

The National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse 2021-2030 (the National Strategy) has been launched. 

The National Strategy was developed in partnership with Commonwealth, state and territory governments, and in consultation with range of non-government stakeholders including victims and survivors.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has praised Australia as a world leader in good regulatory practices.

The 2021 International Regulatory Policy Outlook report compares member countries’ efforts to improve the quality of regulatory decision making and serves as a global benchmark for best practice.

Today, the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Phil Gaetjens and APS Commissioner Peter Woolcott AO sent a joint Open Letter to all APS staff. This letter thanks staff and talks about the return to our usual workplaces. Read Open Letter.

It’s National Children’s Week! This week is all about celebrating children’s talents, skills, achievements and, importantly, their rights.

The Theme for 2021 is based on Article 15 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child – ‘Children have the right to choose their own friends and safely connect with others’.

As the National Office for Child Safety celebrates National Children’s Week, it is timely to reflect on our work and how it is making a difference to the lives of Australian children.

An array of Australian literary works have been shortlisted for the 2021 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards.

The Awards acknowledge the significant contribution literature, history and poetry have in connecting us to Australian voices and our story as a nation.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said this year’s shortlists celebrated Australia’s talented literary sector in a year when so many Australians turned to reading.