Drupal — the choice for government in Australia

Why Australian government agencies choose Drupal

Australian government agencies are under increasing pressure to deliver digital information and services that are designed for citizens and easy to find and use. The stakes are high: fragmentation, duplication and vendor lock-in waste resources and risk public trust.

Drupal is addressing these needs by delivering open, connected and consolidated government platforms. Drupal is the content management system (CMS) of choice for many jurisdictions in Australia, with a history of whole-of-government adoption dating back to 2014.

A foundation aligned with government’s digital vision

Australia’s digital leaders are clear about the way forward: openness, re-use and whole-of-government solutions. National policies prioritise open standards and shared technology. The Australian Government Architecture, launched in August 2023, includes a digital sourcing framework. The framework principles of 'reuse components of other similar ICT projects' and 'use open standards' can be delivered via open source software.

State and federal agencies now share a common goal: create scalable, secure and citizen-focused services that avoid duplication and make the most of public resources. The Australian Government Architecture, launched in August 2023, formally recommends GovCMS (the federal Drupal distribution).

Choosing the right foundation for government digital

Selecting the right CMS is a vital step for any government platform. The wrong choice can lead to high costs, poor citizen experience and barriers to innovation. So, what do government agencies really need from a CMS?

Key requirements that Drupal delivers on include:

1. Open source

Government policies emphasise openness and re-use. Drupal’s open source nature means no costly licensing, greater transparency, and the ability to build on the work of others — inside government and beyond. It also means agencies are never locked into a single vendor.

2. Feature rich

Government websites and platforms need to do more than publish pages. Drupal offers robust content management, workflow, multilingual support, accessibility features and deep integration with other systems.

3. Ease of use

For public servants and content teams, the CMS must be intuitive and efficient. Drupal’s authoring tools have been honed through years of real-world use. Drupal can deliver rapid onboarding and streamlined publishing.

4. Highly adopted

A platform is only as strong as its user base. Drupal is one of the most widely adopted open source CMSs globally and has a strong footprint in the Australian public sector, including the Commonwealth ( GovCMS), Victoria (Single Digital Presence), Western Australia ( wa.gov.au) and New South Wales ( nsw.gov.au).

5. Active community

With an active, engaged global community, Drupal benefits from ongoing innovation, peer support and rapid response to emerging needs or security issues.

6. Easily adaptable

No two agencies or projects are identical. Drupal’s modular architecture and rich ecosystem of modules make it easy to adapt, extend or customise for specific policy, compliance or citizen needs.

7. Value for money

Cost-effectiveness is more important than ever. Drupal enables governments to avoid licensing fees, reduce duplication and speed up delivery.

8. Skills transferable

Public sector capability matters. Drupal’s popularity in government and higher education means skills are transferable across agencies, teams and even jurisdictions. This reduces risk and supports workforce mobility.

Proven security and government-grade resilience

Security is non-negotiable for government. Drupal features a dedicated security team, regular updates, and advanced capabilities. In Australia, platforms like GovCMS have secured IRAP certification. Salsa Digital’s experience in hardening Drupal security for government and higher education clients provides added assurance for public sector leaders.

Whole-of-government success, shared community

Four out of nine Australian jurisdictions have chosen Drupal for their central CMS platform. The measurable outcomes include:

• Faster, more reliable launches and updates
• Scalable performance (up to 2 billion hits/month handled during COVID)
• Compliance with accessibility and security standards
• Tangible cost savings and reduced duplication
• More consistent, citizen-centred user experiences
  

Agencies also benefit from national initiatives like the Drupal Services Panel, which brings together accredited service providers to support and grow public sector capability.

Drupal and AI capability

Drupal’s dedicated AI initiative will also be a game changer for government. The Drupal AI Initiative is open source, transparent by design, and built to be shaped by (not just sold to) government. For more information about Drupal AI including short video demos, see our recent insight Kirsten Pol at GovCMS Mega Meetup 2025.

Ready to support your next digital project

The case for Drupal is clear: the CMS of choice for many Australian government jurisdictions, proven at scale, backed by an active local and global community, and supported by trusted partners. Drupal isn’t just a safe choice, it’s the smart choice.

Explore practical resources and real-world government case studies at Salsa’s Digital Practice.