please reading this clearly
i need writing an POLICY BRIEF
The purpose of this exercise is to simulate, to the extent possible, the experience of preparing a policy brief for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. This assessment task will require you to structure a document similar to those written by policy officers in most government departments. In this case, your brief must be written for the Prime Minister providing the Prime Minister with a set of discrete recommendations based on your analysis and evaluation of the policy area and issue on which you choose to focus.
You may choose any issue/topic to focus on from those covered in the course, with the exception of the issue/topic on which you write the essay.
The briefing paper should be structured as follows:
Issue
This should be succinct as possible: one paragraph maximum that summarises the topic and gives an indication of what the brief will cover.
Background
This should provide a general overview of the issue, including existing policies relating to the issue or problem being discussed – does the government already have a stated position or policy on this issue? This should also include reference to essential pieces of information that are critical to understanding how the situation has developed or reached the current status it is in right now. This may include reference to legislation, key decisions, or events in the past that have been fundamental in defining the current policy or position of key stakeholders and other participants.
Stakeholder analysis and current situation
This section should include a more detailed description of what is happening now. The analysis should highlight the key issues of tension/concern for different stakeholders. This section should clearly describe the current dilemma/problem/issue that needs to be addressed by government action. Included in this section should be a clear identification of the main international and domestic stakeholders and their position on the issue.
Options
This section should outline options for action and provide an analysis of the likely outcomes if each option is implemented. This may include some assessment of what you anticipate would be the likely response from key international and domestic stakeholders in reaction to each option. This section should also provide an overview of the costs and benefits of the listed options. You may need to include a comment on who gains and who loses. Don’t forget to include the option of taking no action!
Suggested approach
Based on the above assessment of options you need to identify a preferred option and elaborate further on why this option is preferable – in other words, you need to advance an argument as to why your suggested approach should be adopted. This is your opportunity to expand on the benefits that will result from selecting this option – who benefits, who loses and why such an outcome should be more acceptable to the government, community etc. You may also need to include an outline of any action that needs to be taken to compensate those groups/stakeholders that lose out by the government adopting your preferred approach. Do you need to include a strategy to compensate loses or offset the reaction from those that will not support this preferred option?
Recommendations
This is a very concise statement that defines the action you recommend the government adopt. It may be a series of recommendations or a simple request for the endorsement of the above strategy. W hatever your approach the recommendations should be brief, clear and action orientated i.e. ‘It is recommended that the Prime Minister,
Agree…
Endorse the…
Approve the allocation of $xx millions towards…
Announce your decision at the …
Refuse to support the position put by stakeholder… Advise stakeholder … that you have decided… Etc’
References
The policy briefing should be fully referenced as per normal academic referencing conventions. A reference list providing full bibliographic information for all sources cited in the policy briefing must be provided.
