Andrew Mills: Tax Office improving dispute resolution process Features The Tax Office hasn't always gotten its dispute resolution process right in the past, the ATO's second commissioner admits -- but they're working on reaching…
'A safe environment to fail': when secretaries go to school Friday January 16, 2015 By Harley Dennett Features What happens when departmental secretaries go back to school? The Victorian Leadership Development Centre has pioneered on-the-job training for our top mandarins in Australia.
Budget axe: the small government agencies abolished by Abbott Monday December 15, 2014 By Harley Dennett Jurisdiction Merged, consolidated and abolished: the government will work through a "methodical" process of slashing some 175 agencies from the Commonwealth ranks. Read the full list.
'We wanted to change China with FTA': former ambassador Tuesday November 11, 2014 By David Donaldson Jurisdiction EXCLUSIVE: The China FTA only achieved lift-off under the Abbott government's more "defensive" approach in talks, a former Chinese ambassador reveals to The Mandarin.
Disclose infrastructure contracts earlier, former min agrees Friday November 7, 2014 By David Donaldson Jurisdiction Disclosing infrastructure contracts more often and earlier would be welcome, says a former state minister. Too often governments hide behind commercial-in-confidence provisions.
Charter school 'myths and beliefs': US-style inequality? Monday November 3, 2014 By David Donaldson Features Charter schools exacerbate inequality and threaten public education, claims one educator. The evidence on student performance, according to experts, appears mixed.
GP payments to identify dementia: would it work here? Friday October 31, 2014 By David Donaldson Features In Britain, they're paying doctors to make dementia diagnoses. So would it work in Australia? Early diagnosis is important, but there's other factors at play.
Harm minimisation in gambling? There's little evidence it works Thursday October 23, 2014 By David Donaldson Community & Social There's a lack of evidence for Australia's current approach to regulating program gambling, a new paper by ANZSOG says. Harm minimisation needs more research work.
Gary Banks: the reform ended when the politics got ugly Tuesday October 7, 2014 By Gary Banks Features What happened to the days of reform? The media, the spin cycle and governments that abandoned good policymaking process, the former Productivity Commission head argues.
David Albury’s lessons in better outcomes for lower costs Friday October 3, 2014 By Harley Dennett Features The writer of the UK government's pioneering report on innovation is back in Australia to work with agency leaders to foster a culture of innovation.
Geoff Gallop: public sector education and the art of strategy Thursday September 18, 2014 By Geoff Gallop Features The business of government and the role of public servants is changing -- the educational pathways for bureaucrats need to change with it. The art…
Andrew Tongue: if I knew then what I know now ... Monday August 25, 2014 By Andrew Tongue Features When the pressure is on to drive tough reform and it looks like the wheels are about to fall off, hold your nerve and "beware…
How a banker delivered happy customers to the NSW govt Friday August 22, 2014 By Jason Whittaker Features The banker tasked with shaking up customer service couldn't have predicted the success. The Mandarin talks to Service NSW commissioner Michael Pratt.
Dame Jenny Shipley: if I knew then what I know now ... Thursday August 21, 2014 By Dame Jenny Shipley Features New Zealand's first female prime minister was a reformer, but she learned the hard way how difficult that can be. She has some advice for…
Fuel excise needed to grow nation, says Infrastructure sec Monday August 18, 2014 By Harley Dennett Jurisdiction Hiking fuel excise is essential for building the infrastructure needs ahead, the Commonwealth's senior infrastructure bureaucrat told a conference this month.
