What went wrong? And where does the fault lie — the science, the science advisers, or the politicians?

For as long as we continue to characterise what we’re trying to achieve with a name as amorphous as an ‘innovation agenda’, it’s hard to imagine it rising above anything more than being an add-on to business-as-usual.

In this second installment of his three-part series, economist and forward thinker Nicholas Gruen explains more of why it is so important to understand the ‘how’ of getting things done. From the commanding heights to everyday routines  The big public sector careers are built in the land of ‘what’ – that is in designing and […]

In the past year we've published over 400 stories on life in the public sector, so to celebrate we're looking back over a selection of our most-read articles and favourite quotes.

Government leaders understanding what they need to do when faced with impending issues is one thing. But here, in the first of a three-part series, Nicholas Gruen gets into the nitty gritty of coming to terms with the 'how' of what needs to be done. 

Which management type are you: the robot? The superhuman? Consultant Mark LeBusque on the importance of really knowing your colleagues — and yourself.

Robyn Lawrence is deputy chief health officer and incident controller, State Health Incident Coordination Centre.

Established while the state was burning in January, social distancing has forced the community-focused Bushfire Recovery Victoria to rethink how it works, says CEO Lee Miezis, who still hasn't met some of his staff.

Disinformation is often presented in easily accessible formats designed to spread quickly and broadly across social media. Choose Your Own Fake News, by adopting the format of a game, is designed to fight fire with fire. It’s designed to target those most vulnerable to disinformation – the people who perhaps wouldn’t read reports put out by think tanks and governments – distilling the information in the most digestible way for them.

A new, multi-disciplinary approach at the Tax Office is trying to better design government interventions and services for a complex world. Assistant Commissioner Misha Kaur explains how they're doing it.

How can organisations keep older workers engaged and productive? Start by asking what physical or role tweaks would help, says HR expert Professor Carol Kulik.

Testing the logic behind your arguments can only strengthen them, argues the head of Zoos Victoria.

Stakeholder management, political astuteness and collaborative networks are vital skills amid uncertainty and volatility, argues public management expert Zeger van der Wal.

How can tech innovators help government address big social issues? Two upcoming competitions are seeking new ideas on a broad range of public policy challenges.

Cash offers an easy means of avoiding tax — one plenty of ordinary Australians use — so the government is keen to crack down on big cash payments.