NSW public sector long-service leave cuts blocked in parliament New South Wales The New South Wales government's attempt to cut back long-service leave entitlements for new public sector recruits was quickly blocked by the state's upper house…
'Tough but fair' accounting and tax policy leader Michael Andrew has passed away Tuesday June 25, 2019 By Stephen Easton Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has paid tribute to Michael Andrew, who stepped back from his role with KPMG in February 2017 due to a serious illness…
Politics of the unmentionables, part 1: Death Monday June 24, 2019 By Scott Hamilton & Stuart Kells Features Even though death taxes are a long way from becoming law, in a very different sphere, laws about death have been a focus of several…
Red tape crackdown renewed: Morrison prefers ‘animal spirits’ to endangered animals Monday June 24, 2019 By Stephen Easton Economy & Industry Prime Minister Scott Morrison has reinforced his intention to remove “regulatory and bureaucratic barriers” that increase costs for companies, closely guided by common complaints about…
Peeling the mandarin: organisational change and mental health Monday June 24, 2019 By Shannon Jenkins Australian Capital Territory Thousands of public service jobs will be cut over the next year across the nation, all in the name of efficiency. But how does the mental…
Attorney-general open to reforming 'obtuse' federal whistleblower protection law Monday June 24, 2019 By Stephen Easton Federal Attorney-general Christian Porter is reportedly open to reforming federal whistleblower-protection legislation to sharpen up the blurry line between legitimate and unauthorised disclosures of information from…
Once were Kiwis. Here's the hidden history of Australia's own well-being framework Friday June 21, 2019 By Richard Holden Economy & Industry In truth, New Zealand's wellbeing budget idea isn’t exactly a new one, and for years Australia’s treasury was among those leading the way.
When positive spin met 'messy' reality: how the health chief explained leaked recording Friday June 21, 2019 By Stephen Easton Communications & Technology A recently leaked recording captured Queensland Health director-general Michael Walsh candidly discussing why public servants find it hard to be so candid in public.
APS secretaries unveil online collaboration hub in push to improve policy skills Friday June 21, 2019 By Stephen Easton Career Advice Heads of Australian Public Service departments have launched the beta version of a new collaboration website as a "hub" for their staff to collectively improve…
Comparing the Census to alternative data or information: What is the right counterfactual? Friday June 21, 2019 By Matt Balmford; Gene Tunny; and Nicholas Gruen Career Advice To assess the value of the Census, we need to assess the additional value it generates over alternatives in its absence.
Frugal innovation: 5 low-cost innovations any agency can adopt Thursday June 20, 2019 By Jennifer Guay Career Advice If your department is underfunded and overworked, reading about other agencies’ ambitious innovation projects can be overwhelming. But most government innovations aren’t built with big budgets or flashy technology.
Omniscience is the enemy of social progress Thursday June 20, 2019 By Kristy Muir Career Advice Being ‘all-knowing’ about a simple, reactive solution can prevent us from lifting our gaze beyond the work we’re doing or currently funding. It's a leadership…
Home Affairs deputy secretary to lead Australian Cyber Security Centre Thursday June 20, 2019 By Stephen Easton Communications & Technology Senior Home Affairs executive Rachel Noble has been appointed to lead the Australian Cyber Security Centre, following the departure of Alastair MacGibbon at the end…
What is 'hybrid warfare' and what is meant by the 'grey zone'? Wednesday June 19, 2019 By Andrew Dowse and Sascha-Dominik Dov Bachmann Defence The concepts of “hybrid warfare” and the “grey zone” arguably build on longstanding military strategies. What is relatively new is adversaries exploiting information technology vulnerabilities…
50 years after Australia's historic 'equal pay' decision, the legacy of 'women's work' remains Wednesday June 19, 2019 By Leonora Risse Career Advice June 19, 2019 is the 50th anniversary of Australia’s industrial relations system endorsing the principle of “equal pay for equal work”. Yet, five decades on,…
