Public servants hastily polish up the blue books as new Morrison ministry takes shape
A who's-who of the members in contention for Coalition ministerial positions in the days after the 2019 federal election. Read More
Department of the Environment and Energy
Former secretary: ‘persuasion and trust’ the keys to ‘complex’ role of leading a department
The most useful tools for senior public servants are “persuasion and trust” in the view of former Commonwealth secretary Gordon de Brouwer, who sits on… Read More
Which agencies got a break from Senate estimates hearings?
Labor is crying foul over their missed opportunities to quiz public servants after Senate estimates was cut short by the beginning of the election campaign period, but they could have voted to keep the hearings going earlier. So, which agencies got a break? Read More
APS Review draft: everyone’s heard it all before, implementation is the challenge
David Thodey says that implementing lasting reform for the APS would be challenged by the requirement for both realism and and optimism. As always, reform will need strong leadership and enthusiastic support at all levels, in all locations and across all functions. Read More
Handling the ‘pariah’ policy of climate change
Many agencies integrate disaster and climate “resilience” into their policies, programs and asset management. But that doesn’t mean Australia is any closer to deciding on let alone committing to a long-term policy for handling climate change, says Verona Burgess. Read More
Watch: three Commonwealth secretaries discuss natural resource management
Video: three Commonwealth secretaries discuss the economic, environmental and social implications of interlocking federal policies that relate to natural resource management. Read More
Verona Burgess: powerful friends matter in Australia’s energy bureaucracy
From little things, big things grow — sometimes. Take ARENA, a micro-agency on the verge of extinction under Tony Abbott, now plugged right into the federal power grid that matters -- and the potential saviour of Malcolm Turnbull's agenda. Read More
GovCMS: Building collaborative communities around functionality
Jurisdiction need not be a barrier to collaboration when organisations can build on each other's work. Read More
‘Hack the Planet’: how the Environment department got their thinking caps on
A hackathon at the Department of the Environment and Energy has re-invigorated its innovation culture with five new ideas to pilot. Here are three other ways a little internal competition paid off. Read More
Why the Environment and Energy merger makes sense
Some are worried putting the Environment and Energy portfolios together under a Liberal minister is setting the cat among the pigeons. But there's a good case for merging the portfolios — and recent precedent in Victoria. Read More