Published on 6 Oct 2025

Delivering clarity and purpose: a monitoring and evaluation framework for Australia's Cancer Plan

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Linda Gyorki Director Consulting (AU) Contact me
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Milo McKay Consultant Contact me
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Sam Byfield Policy Lead (AU) Contact me

Allen + Clarke partnered with Cancer Australia to develop a monitoring and evaluation framework for the Australian Cancer Plan, a 10-year reform agenda developed to improve cancer outcomes across Australia. Our team facilitated collaborative workshops, conducted desktop research, and applied expertise in evaluation and cancer prevention and control to create a framework that tracks progress against the Plan’s strategic objectives. This framework embedded greater transparency in delivery of the Cancer Plan, strengthened sector engagement and supported improved cancer outcomes for all Australians.

Key Takeaways:

  • Our strategic approach supported priority setting, built capacity in principles and processes relating to monitoring and evaluation.

  • We developed a logic model, theory of change, key evaluation questions, and data collection tools.

  • The framework leveraged our combination of monitoring and evaluation expertise and deep experience in cancer and chronic disease initiatives.
By establishing clear metrics and processes for tracking progress, Cancer Australia can now identify successes, address challenges and adapt strategies as needed throughout the Plan's 10-year implementation.

Delivering a comprehensive framework to improve cancer outcomes

Cancer Australia stands at the forefront of the nation's fight against cancer. Established by the Australian Government in 2006, Cancer Australia aims to reduce the impact of cancer, address population disparities, and improve outcomes for all Australians affected by cancer and their families. Cancer Australia oversees delivery of the Australian Cancer Plan; a 10-year national reform agenda designed to transform cancer outcomes nationwide.

The Plan represented an ambitious vision with 2-year and 5-year goals, strategic objectives, and specific actions developed through extensive consultation with the cancer control sector.

Allen + Clarke's expertise proved invaluable for this project. Our team brought deep experience in developing monitoring and evaluation frameworks alongside substantial knowledge of cancer and chronic disease initiatives in Australia and internationally. This expertise meant we understood the technical requirements of effective evaluation, and the specific context of cancer prevention, control and research.

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Enhancing transparency and strengthening engagement

Our approach combined technical rigour with practical application to deliver a comprehensive framework that met Cancer Australia's needs:

  • Collaborative workshops: We facilitated workshops with Cancer Australia to support priority setting, introduce key monitoring and evaluation principles, develop a logic model and theory of change, prepare key evaluation questions, and create practical data collection tools.

  • Desktop research: We reviewed existing frameworks, strategies, policies and program materials to deepen our understanding of the Cancer Plan and Cancer Australia's work.

  • Applied expertise: We drew upon our experience to ensure the framework aligned with the Plan's strategic objectives while remaining practical to implement.

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Improving cancer outcomes

The successful delivery of this framework is an important step toward improving cancer outcomes for all Australians. By establishing clear metrics and processes for tracking progress, Cancer Australia can now identify successes, address challenges and adapt strategies as needed throughout the Plan's 10-year implementation.

The completed monitoring and evaluation framework delivered benefits for Cancer Australia and the broader cancer control sector:

  • Enhanced transparency: By establishing clear measures of success and a structured approach to reporting, the framework enabled transparency regarding shared progress against the Plan's goals.

  • Strengthened engagement: The framework supported greater engagement by the sector with the Australian Cancer Plan, giving stakeholders confidence in the implementation process.

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Interconnected coloured pathways forming abstract network diagram