Special Features | The Mandarin

Nearly 1 in 4 of us aren’t native English speakers. In a health-care setting, interpreters are essential

by The Conversation

Almost one-quarter of the Australian population speaks a language other than English at home. But health services in Australia are largely delivered in English only. Interpreters are a vital bridge between health services and consumers, and access to interpreters in health care should be seen as a basic human right.

Public corruption hearings at Commonwealth level: a ‘risk worth taking’ for integrity?

by Stephen Easton

Labor would at least match the Coalition’s commitment to spend $104.5 million over four years on a federal anti-corruption commission, and while 80% of Australians support one with a full suite of strong powers, public hearings remain the key issue. While Labor has committed to an agency that would delve…

So long and thanks for all the fish: the oddly polite history of political farewells

by The Mandarin

Something strange happens when politicians leave the political stage. The other side suddenly becomes much more civil – even affectionate. There is an outbreak of bipartisanship or non-partisanship. It is as though, after years of fighting across the chamber, the political opponents shove babel fish into their ears and hear each other for the first time.

Lawyers, guns, money – and politics, part 3

by The Mandarin

The third article in a three-part series on the formulation of Australia’s firearms policy; the power of pro-gun interests has the potential to pervert our political conversation the way it has done in the US. In Australia, cool heads must prevail.

Former secretary: ‘persuasion and trust’ the keys to ‘complex’ role of leading a department

by Stephen Easton

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 the APS Review panel. The roles of government ministers and department heads are “more complex” and less clearly defined than those of chief executives and…

Economic dark clouds gather but the budget is sunny

by David Donaldson

Things were rather gloomy at Wednesday's meeting of the Melbourne Economic Forum, and it wasn't due to the wintery weather that had finally arrived.

New government should put Phil Lowe on the hook for inflation

by The Mandarin

Regardless of who wins the election, the incoming government should avoid repeating the mistake of allowing the Reserve Bank to formulate a monetary policy statement in a way that downgrades the inflation target.

Australia must move on from its outdated environment laws

by The Mandarin

Should Labor win, it will have little time to waste on developing environmental policies that are fit-for-purpose for 21st Century reality.

Mike Mrdak: public servants must ditch the business jargon, stop being scared of citizens

by Stephen Easton

Government agencies need to be more open, honest and direct with the public, come to terms with social media and realise that working with people is a core part of their work, according to Department of Communications and the Arts secretary Mike Mrdak. He said public servants need to pluck…

Social impact bonds: a letter from the frontline

by The Mandarin

Elyse Sainty challenges a few myths about the role social impact bonds could play in the evolution of a system that focuses on what is important, uses evidence to shape responses, and delivers for the community.

More former mandarins put the squeeze on the Thodey review

by Verona Burgess

Two former public service commissioners walk into a bar. Well, not a bar, but a Canberra restaurant. There, a number of distinguished former mandarins and other assorted lunch companions unanimously delegate them to respond to the Thodey review’s interim report... The latest from Verona Burgess.

Just 16 minutes of sleep loss can harm work concentration the next day

by The Conversation

Have you had a less-than-stellar performance review lately? Do you daydream, or are you making bad decisions? It might not be about your job but about your sleep.

Planning for climate extremes in global farming

by The University of Melbourne

Climate change means the frequency and severity of climate extremes is predicted to further increase in most regions worldwide. It’s important to understand how climate extremes interact with agricultural yields, to what extent crop yields are influenced by climate extremes and how these interactions differ between agricultural regions.

Understanding demand to prevent market failures in the NDIS

by The Mandarin

How can the NDIA help service providers make informed business choices, and stimulate their participation in the scheme, when real market data on demand is unavailable for this newly-forming disability sector?

Biology is partly to blame for high rates of mental illness in women – the rest is social

by The Conversation

Depression and anxiety are known to affect around one in five people, but depression occurs twice as often in women as in men. And when it comes to major depressive disorder, almost all population studies conducted to date have reported more women than men experienced major depression in their lifetime.