Special Features | The Mandarin

The government’s biggest challenge? Avoiding a recession

by The Conversation

For six months, the Australian economy has been growing at an annualised pace of just 1% – way, way short of its potential. Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg were elected to manage the economy, and that means doing whatever is needed to avoid a recession and the long-term damage to lives and living standards it would deliver.

Auditor-general’s tips on good governance: don’t forget the culture

by David Donaldson

For public sector boards, it's important to consider how official structures and organisational culture work together, says ANAO.

The last election where anyone cares?

by The University of Melbourne

Faith in democracy is plummeting among Australians, and the connection voters had with a leader like Bob Hawke now seems out of reach. Is this the last election where enough people really care?

Transforming public services so they are fit for purpose in the 21st century

by The Mandarin

Transforming public service to be fit for purpose in the 21st Century requires new ways of working. To prepare for the future, the public service needs opportunities for everyone to meaningfully provide input into civic life -- opportunities that are demand-driven, flexible, outcome-focused and require specialised skills.

The NDIS tension in boosting disability employment

by The Mandarin

Do disability-related choices translate to a boost in employment and, if not, how can the NDIS scheme be improved to promote this personal goal?

Key challenges for the re-elected Coalition government: experts respond

by The Conversation

The Coalition has won the federal election. So what will this mean for key policy areas?

Movers & shakers: fresh faces at APSC

by David Donaldson

Four fresh senior executive faces at the APSC, Regional Development Victoria's first female CEO, and a new Public Access Deputy Commissioner. The latest senior public sector appointments from across the country.

Lessons from the Hawke and Howard years of Australian governance

by Nicholas Gruen

In politics, you sign up to a struggle on behalf of those you claim to represent. You owe them everything you can manage to stitch together to achieve victory. If you want to be a grand failure, better to pick religion, philosophy or art. Not politics. So says Nicholas Gruen in this reposting of his 2008 article on Bob Hawke.

Vale Kerry Kennedy, a gently spoken champion of excellence in public administration

by Carmel McGregor

Kerry Kennedy — who died recently in Canberra aged 69 — was a quiet champion of excellence in public administration, a committed family man and a fine baritone.

Making the most of changes to machinery of government

by Bob McMullan & Sean Innis

On the surface, the choice to restructure of government departments and agencies looks easy. But don't be fooled. Bob McMullan and Sean Innis on how to make better machinery of government decisions.

Four Corners exposes youth justice policy failure, and community attitudes behind it

by Stephen Easton

The Four Corners program has raised several new allegations regarding youth detention. We take a look at the policy challenges cited by various parties in this emotive matter.

Protecting vulnerable children: what policy lessons can public health teach us?

by Felicity Neale

More than 45,000 children live in out-of-home-care in Australia today. This number is unacceptably large and reforms nationally and internationally have begun to recognise this.

Assessing risk culture: time for a more integrated approach

by The Mandarin

The assessment of risk has been dominated by a focus on perceived risk behaviours. This has its limitations, and it's time that assessment of risk-culture maturity looked beyond behaviours and gave equal recognition to how organisations determine accountabilities for risk and the tools and processes that enable, support -- and sometimes impede -- consideration of risk in decision-making.

Scientists want to build trust in science and technology. The alternative is too risky to contemplate

by The Conversation

The next government must meet the challenge of refreshing the social licence between science, government and the many and diverse communities that make up our nation.

Place-based approaches: an agenda for an incoming government

by Centre for Public Impact

Despite more than two decades of economic success in Australia, there are communities across the country where families still feel excluded, isolated and disempowered. A place-based approach addresses problems specific to a location or community and empowers it with a degree of control and accountability.