Commonwealth Ombudsman Michael Manthorpe has told his former Immigration colleagues to have yet another go at fixing detention review processes after an administrative error led to a man being detained for almost four years while holding a valid visa. Read More
A group of CSIRO staff who run iconic Tidbinbilla radio telescope dishes near Canberra will stop work for one hour this afternoon, arguing federal government payrise limits should not apply to their NASA-funded jobs. Read More
The law isn't the main barrier to co-operation between public service agencies, says Michael Pezzullo, but "hidebound, reactionary" attitudes. A new Department of Home Affairs will “embed” itself into supply chains, he explained. Read More
A single Defence Department was brought together in the 1970s. Later, Foreign and Affairs and Trade were merged, never to be separated again. Now Australia needs a Department of Home Affairs to confront global forces of evil, according to its secretary-designate. Read More
One of Canberra’s most powerful departmental heads, the deep-thinking Mike Pezzullo, has joined the Lowy Interpreter‘s new podcast series, dubbed Canberra Conversations. Here the Institute’s… Read More
The days of big bang IT deals to mega vendors could be over. Reforms to stop agencies favouring large incumbent players will shrink deal sizes and liberalise purchasing rules are set to hit imminently. Read More
Good policy making requires transparency and accountability. The government's decision to settle negligence and false imprisonment claims out of court with Manus Island asylum seekers has prevented an opportunity to learn from our mistakes. Read More
APS service design leaders believe agile teams and user-centred design can certainly enhance policy evaluation, which will probably lead to better policy outcomes. They are comparing themselves to the private sector, but as always, the structure of government poses challenges. Read More
Workplace health and safety was a big theme of the latest Senate inquiry into offshore detention. The committee criticised the complex administrative arrangements that have left Comcare out in the cold, and called for a WHS Act review to make it clear where the regulator stands. Read More
In a break with convention, the federal government has appointed a career public servant directly from the senior ranks of the immigration and border protection portfolio as the next Commonwealth Ombudsman. Read More
The Department of Human Services is building a new "cyber range" to stage attack-and-defend training scenarios. It has thrown down the cyber gauntlet and three other giant federal agencies have taken up the challenge of a cyber war game. Read More
Big developments in technology at DIBP are making business processes more efficient. This has flow-on effects on workforce structure and accountabilities, explains CIO Randall Brugeaud. Read More
Digital transformation in a major department is a huge job. Have a risk management plan, but don't lie awake thinking of everything that could go wrong, says Immigration and Border Protection's CIO. Read More
Proposals to create an Australian Department of Homeland Security pop up every few years. The idea comes despite Malcolm Turnbull being previously highly critical of a security super-department. Read More
How are public sector leaders making service delivery fit for the future? In what ways is the public sector embracing the skills and aspirations of a diverse, intergenerational workforce? Read More
