VPS enterprise bargaining disparity resolved
Recently passed legislation will give 130,000 Victorian public sector workers the ability to bargain on a broader range of matters than before. Read More
Jurisdiction
Vic public sector commissioner Paul Grimes takes over complaint against four dept heads
Victoria's independent anti-corruption agency has declined to investigate four department heads over a government advertising campaign, instead passing a complaint from the opposition on to the Public Sector Commission. Read More
What inquiry-based learning is and how it helps prepare children for the real world
Inquiry is part of human nature, but one can benefit from learning how to be a good inquirer. This includes learning skills such as how to ask and answer questions, solve problems and conduct investigations and research. Read More
Michelle Andrews appointed Director General of WA Communities
Former WA DPC deputy Michelle Andrews has been formally appointed as the new head of the Department of Communities. Read More
National Disability Insurance Agency CEO quits to lead privately owned service provider
National Disability Insurance Agency chief executive Robert De Luca has suddenly resigned with immediate effect, leaving it up to the next federal government to appoint… Read More
Here’s how to renew Australia’s Democracy
Longer parliamentary terms? More free votes by MPs? Party publication of membership numbers and financial details each year? All proposals for consideration in a new report endorsed by 13 high-profile former public servants and ministers. Read More
We need tomorrow’s teachers today
The fourth industrial revolution is upon us, and massive disruptions in the nature of employment mean many of the things our children are learning today will be obsolete by the time they enter the workforce. Australia’s education system is in dire need of an overhaul, one that starts with those on the frontlines – our teachers. Read More
The federal election campaign through the ‘distorted prism’ of social media
Home Affairs head Michael Pezzullo has described social media as a “cesspit” while former Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Peter Varghese warned it… Read More
Joyce sacked Ag secretary ‘to remind him where the authority starts from’
Video has emerged of ex-minister Barnaby Joyce explaining why he sacked former Department of Agriculture and Water Resources secretary Paul Grimes, as the auditor-general confirms… Read More
‘Low numbers’: Tax Office responds to critical small business report
Debt recovery actions against small businesses with disputed debts are rare and only occur under "exceptional circumstances", the Australian Tax Office has said in a statement in response to a report criticising it for the practice. Read More
Local government paralysed as Qld corruption watchdog’s council clean-up continues
Two thirds of Logan City Council face criminal charges over their decision to dump CEO Sharon Kelsey at the end of her probationary period. It's only latest twist in a tale that began soon after she moved north from Melbourne in mid-2017 to take up the role. Read More
The 2019 Budget provides opportunity for innovation through data sharing
How can the budget process provide an opportunity to genuinely disrupt the way the public sector performs? By quarantining a proportion of funds within all new expenditure to spend on approaching the policy development or project delivery using data integration. Read More
Why so-called ‘affordable’ housing is leading to homelessness
There are no rental properties considered affordable for a single person on Newstart or Youth Allowance in any major city in Australia, according to a major annual report. Read More
Foreign policy should play a bigger role in Australian elections. This is why it probably won’t
Australians don’t tend to vote on foreign policy in federal elections. This makes perfect sense: there is, for the most part, a tradition of bipartisanship on foreign policy and usually a few key points of difference between the major parties. Read More
ATO too aggressive on small business debt, says Kate Carnell
The Australian Taxation Office is destroying some small businesses with its approach to debt repayments, argues Small Business Ombudsman Kate Carnell. Read More