Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Departments/Agencies

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Columnists

Cans of worms and what the Auditor-General is thinking of digging up next. The hints are there for the taking

By Verona Burgess

Features

The Australian National Audit Office’s annual work program gives departments and agencies the chance to fix problems before the auditors arrive. Not everyone takes the…

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Insights and analysis

Public servants tell harrowing tales of harassment after a mention in an FOI release. Their leaders want to shield them from the trolls, but anonymity comes with a price

By Stephen Easton

Features

The Australian government's guidelines for dealing with Freedom of Information requests help balance many of the competing interests that come with having a democratic, accountable…

Australian public servants are uniting to demand a change to FOI guidelines

By Stephen Easton

Federal

Federal public service leaders want the official FOI guidelines changed to support their standard practice of shielding the names and contact details of staff below…

PM asks APS to publish gift registers: News Corp achieves what the auditor-general could not

By Stephen Easton

Communications & Technology

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has decided Australian Public Service agencies should publish their lists of gifts and benefits.

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Interviews

Sarah Pearson on leadership: how to inculcate innovation into the public sector, take risks, create impact, and remain an optimist

By Martin Stewart-Weeks

Editors' Picks

THE BIG INTERVIEW by Martin Stewart-Weeks: An in-depth Q&A with a key player in the Australian public sector or political space. The series starts with…

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Expert briefings

Opening up data has transformed service delivery. It lets us reframe the conversation about how services could be delivered simply through better access to information

By Allan Barger

Communications & Technology

Allan Barger discusses how vast amounts of information being opened up creates new opportunities for combining data from multiple providers to create a diversity of options…

Frances Adamson: trust, cooperation and inclusion are fundamental to policy and delivery

By Stephen Easton

Features

Addressing the growing crisis of faith in democracy and public institutions is not easy but it is a key responsibility of public servants, says Department…

Sports anti-doping agency recognised with DFAT and IPEA in Public Sector Innovation Awards

By Stephen Easton

Australian Capital Territory

What do a virtual-reality system that lets Australian athletes experience being drug-tested and efforts to educate politicians on appropriate use of public money have in…

Is ASIS feeling unloved? Foreign spy agency boss sees the benefits of being open

By Stephen Easton

Features

Keeping mum is business as usual for the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) but its director-general has decided there are also benefits to popping up…

Lowy Institute: Lack of women in Australia’s international relations sector harms national interest

By Shannon Jenkins

Defence

A scathing review from the Lowy Institute says there is a "severe gender imbalance" across the international relations sector, despite evidence of gender-balanced workforces functioning…

Former Trade Minister warns of global trade future

By Shannon Jenkins

Economy & Industry

Former Australian Minister of Trade Craig Emerson has warned of a "dangerous" future perpetuated by US and Chinese decisions to ignore international trade rules.

Senior public servants to share 'f-up' stories as part of Innovation Month

By Stephen Easton

Federal

The first Australian Public Service [email protected]#kup Night is being hosted by the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science on July 25. Attendees are promised an…

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Expert briefings

Using 'challenge prizes' to develop great innovation policy. It's not about the winners, but diverse solutions to a well-defined problem

By Tris Dyson and Oliver Cansdell

Features

Margarine, canned goods and modern billiard balls all resulted from national innovation challenges. After fuelling much of the competition that defined the early 20th century…

Labor declares 'great respect' for ASIO and ASIS after Paul Keating calls for a clean-out

By Stephen Easton

Federal

Former prime minister Paul Keating does, and he sparked a kerfuffle last night by saying senior foreign intelligence and domestic security officers should be turfed…

The complex intersection between aid facilities and aid effectiveness

By Stephen Howes

Features

Are aid facilities having a positive or negative impact on aid effectiveness? The increasing reliance on facilities has become controversial in the Australian aid program.