The Victorian opposition wants four department heads, including the head of the public service, investigated by the state corruption watchdog over their roles in authorising… Read More
Stressed and overworked child protection staff are at risk of making poor decisions and are costing the department in WorkCover claims, says the Victorian Auditor… Read More
A clear idea of governmental purpose helps policy makers overcome the inevitable trade-offs and quandaries they face, argues DHHS boss Kym Peake. Victoria's approach to family violence shows the value of articulated ethical principles. Read More
Agencies have the language around flexible work down pat, but many aren't walking the talk. A recent panel looked at how individuals are making flex work, and where the barriers still lie. Read More
Disadvantaged Victorians are being charged thousands of dollars to repair damaged public housing, even when there is no evidence they caused the damage. "It’s time to inject both common sense and humanity into the bureaucracy here," says Deborah Glass. Read More
Bullying and harassment can get out of control in any workplace but it seems particularly common in health and human services where physically, mentally and emotionally draining work combines with limited resources. A report from South Australia shows how it happens. Read More
It's rational that executives avoid big IT projects given their propensity to go wrong, says a government CIO. The solution is to focus on incremental accomplishments — but this requires a new way of doing things. Read More
It's been a bumpy ride for Victorian departments as they upgrade and strengthen records management. A new report warns of risk of fraud and child endangerment, but there have been achievements too. Read More
A cluster of potentially avoidable newborn and stillborn deaths has sparked a suite of changes to the Health system in Victoria. Health and Human Services boss Kym Peake says the department must become more transparent. Read More
Victoria's DHHS will become known for successful examples of at-scale joined up working and focusing on prevention, hopes its secretary. First it must build consensus with the communities it serves. Read More
SPEECH: What will it take for government to meet the needs of a much higher population? A consensus on outcomes, partnerships across sectors, and co-design with clients. Bureaucrats will need to give up control. Read More
INTERVIEW: Generalists will play a vital role in reimagining government as the world changes ever more quickly, argues the head strategist at LaunchVic. Flatter hierarchies and shared values encourage creative approaches. Read More
Legacy systems and specific needs hold back the standardisation and centralisation of government corporate services — but departments should be looking at using more shared services in the future, thinks Adam Fennessy. Read More
Victoria will create an independent family violence agency, as recommended by the Royal Commission into Family Violence. Silos have obstructed responses in the past, advocates tell The Mandarin. Read More
Would keeping time sheets strengthen the often woolly numbers on how much individual programs cost? Victoria's Treasury head argues it would be counterproductive. Plus, why Chris Eccles thinks MoG shakeups are good for your career. Read More
