Why the raids on Australian media present a clear threat to democracy
The Australian Federal Police has this week conducted two high-profile raids on journalists who have exposed government secrets and their sources. Read More
Department of Home Affairs
Home Affairs budget cuts mean job losses, says CPSU
The federal government is planning to sack 2000 staff at the Department of Home Affairs, claims the Community and Public Sector Union. Read More
Labor declares ‘great respect’ for ASIO and ASIS after Paul Keating calls for a clean-out
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 out. He thinks they have "lost their strategic bearings" and unnecessarily soured diplomatic relations with China. Read More
Odd logic: why the Morrison government won’t mandate Essential Eight cyber controls
In an unusual piece of logic, the federal government says it will not mandate the Australian Signals Directorate’s Essential Eight information security controls for all… Read More
Why Michael Pezzullo is not a fan of KPIs, or right-wing extremists
Department of Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo made it very clear he has no intention of setting new performance targets for processing citizenship applications, as he explained to a Senate committee why he refused to accept an auditor-general’s recommendation. Read More
Michael Pezzullo’s seven gathering storms: national security in the 2020s
Top Home Affairs official, Michael Pezzullo, says he has seen "a dark kaleidoscope of future stormy possibilities" which threaten a great cost on the nation, but Australia has seen and dealt with these types of challenges before. Read More
What can Australian public servants learn from the UK’s new Outsourcing Playbook?
Can Australian public sector outsourcing practices prevent Paladin becoming its Carillion moment? A new Outsourcing Playbook offers lessons from failure. Read More
Key question left unanswered as ABF blames forgotten email for Hakeem Al-Araibi’s arrest
It’s now clear that an Australian Border Force officer neglected to send an email that could have prevented Hakeem Al-Araibi being arrested and locked up… Read More
Home Affairs and ANAO at odds over citizenship report
The Auditor General has criticised Home Affairs for dragging its feet on citizenship processing, but the department refuses to concede. Read More
The first new edition of the Commonwealth Style manual since 2002 is in the works
The Commonwealth is getting its first new style guide since 2002, courtesy of the Digital Transformation Agency, but not until the end of 2019. Also, a tale of digitally transformating the staff experience at one of the Commonwealth's largest departments. Read More
Home Affairs secretary fears cyber doom; critics say he made it more likely
Viewed through the prism of military analogy, as is favoured by Home Affairs boss Michael Pezzullo, the growing cyber threats is a war with no established doctrine. Is cyber martial law the answer? Read More
MacGibbon: cyber catastrophe is society’s ‘greatest existential threat’ right now
If you think cyber risk management is not the end of the world you are dead wrong, according to the federal government’s top adviser on these matters, Alastair MacGibbon. Read More
First look at the new myGovID in action as Tax File Number trial begins
Everything is in place for Australians to start establishing myGovID digital identity credentials, and the first of eight pilot programs is now underway to test and demonstrate the new product. Read More
Michael Pezzullo: know thy place, public servants, and focus on the facts
Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo worries that some of his colleagues know too little of the origins and principles that underpin the Westminster system, and their role within it. Read More
What could go wrong as Australia privatises visa processing
On the basis of the limited information provided to the public to date, the business and risk case for privatising visa processing appears highly questionable, says former Immigration deputy secretary Abul Rizvi. Read More