The changing role of the private sector and the community in developing environmental policy in Australia

The public policy development process involves both state and societal actors that have their own objectives. As a result, conflicts, negotiations and tradeoffs are core components of any policy-making process. It is through policy processes that government can be seen as defining the rights of individuals, and as a result the incentives and behaviours of those individuals. Traditional policy processes aim to deliver public value while being sensitive to the ideologies and values of interest groups. However, it has been noted that government policy-making activities are increasingly been viewed with suspicion rather than as an instrument of the people. As a result, the public policy process is moving towards a more interactive model, where governments seek to develop partnerships with private sector and civil society organisations to manage complex policy challenges. This paper discusses the key drivers of these changes and considers the implications for environment-related policy-making and strategic assessment. Key words: Third Way government; Public private partnerships (PPPs); Third sector 1