Helen Dickinson

Professor Helen Dickinson is Professor of Public Service Research at the School of Business, University of New South Wales, Canberra. Her work focuses on public services with particular emphasis on governance, policy implementation, and stewardship of 4th industrial revolution technologies. She has published nineteen books and over one hundred peer-reviewed journal articles on these topics and is a frequent media commentator.

Professor Dickinson's research interests span public administration, public service reform, disability policy, and the integration of health and social care services. Her work examines how governments can effectively implement policies, particularly in complex areas like disability services through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). She investigates governance structures, market stewardship in public service quasi-markets, and the impact of digital technologies on public administration. Her research often employs comparative approaches, examining policy implementation across different jurisdictions including Australia, the UK, New Zealand, and Europe.

Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on disability services, particularly examining the NDIS implementation, vaccine hesitancy among disability support workers, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on disability services. She also explores broader public administration themes including integrity in public services, the role of automation in public management, and collaborative leadership approaches.

• Victorian Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia (2015)
• Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (2019)
• Apolitical's 100 most influential academics in government (2021)

Professor Dickinson has worked extensively with different levels of government, community organizations, and private organizations across Australia, the UK, New Zealand, and Europe on research and consultancy programs. Her work often involves collaboration with interdisciplinary teams and has significant policy impact, particularly in the areas of disability services, public sector reform, and health and social care integration. She has been instrumental in evaluating the implementation of major policy reforms, particularly the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme.