State of Evaluation in the Australian Government 2025

The State of Evaluation in the Australian Government 2025 report was prepared by the Australian Centre for Evaluation (ACE) in the Department of the Treasury.

This inaugural report reflects a whole-of-government effort to assess how evaluation is currently used to determine what works, for whom, and why. It establishes baseline information on:

• current evaluation activities and practices
• evaluation capability building initiatives
• evaluative culture across the Australian Government.

ACE will use this report to advance its mission: increasing the volume, quality, and use of evaluation evidence to improve policies and programs, working in partnership with evaluation units across the Australian Government.

Findings show promising signs of increased evaluation efforts across the Australian Government. However, further work is needed to ensure evaluation practices are consistent, high‑quality and routinely used to inform policy design and delivery.

ACE will continue work with departments and agencies to:

• embed evaluation into policy development processes
• deliver rigorous, culturally appropriate evaluations suited to their purpose and context.

The ACE team is grateful to all agencies who contributed to the State of Evaluation process and looks forward to working together to embed a culture of evaluation and learning across the Australian Government.