Keane: after years of decline, who’ll rescue the public service? by Bernard Keane | OPINION: A former Canberra SES gives a stinging assessment of a "toxic mix of incompetence and politicisation" in the federal public service. Is it right, and do the positive signs reflect a turnaround?
Noel Pearson: bureaucracy ‘not up to the task’ by David Donaldson | 0 comments Aboriginal affairs reports are going unread, the system is woefully insufficient and PM&C is actively resisting alternatives, argues Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson. Some are even nostalgic for the days of ATSIC.
Charlie Shandil: Frank, fearless … and replaceable by Charlie Shandil | 0 comments While politicians get "captain's picks" in selecting departmental heads, is the role of the Australian public service to provide impartial advice being undermined? The lack of safeguards is an ongoing concern.
Evaluation ‘the key’ to traction on hard policy challenges by Stephen Easton | 0 comments Setting targets, like COAG did for combined efforts to Close the Gap, is useful but should not be the main focus of attempts to get traction on difficult policy challenges. The Productivity Commission says evaluation is vital.
Reflections turn to farewells for Michael Thawley by Stephen Easton | 0 comments It only lasted a year but being the most senior public servant in Australia was the highlight of Michael Thawley's career. He left public servants and politicians with why he has renewed pride in the public service.
New ‘open by default’ public data policy just the beginning by Stephen Easton | 0 comments Data can fuel innovation, improve service delivery and underpin genuine evidence-based policy. A new 18-month roadmap and training from PM&C aims to shift public service culture on data sharing.
The mandarin shuffle: orderly departure more than dramatic purge by Stephen Easton | 0 comments Stable government is here again, as the sensible handling by Drew Clarke's PMO made three major departures seem perfectly ordinary. There'll be one more chance to hear what the fully realised Thawley-APS would have looked like before the PM&C boss steps down.
Thawley quits, still no confirmation on Martin Parkinson by The Mandarin | 0 comments Michael Thawley will resign in January, and Peter Varghese in July, as part of a reshuffle of top Canberra mandarins. Will Martin Parkinson be brought in from the cold?
Apolitical vs nonpartisan: APS boss has a mind and is going to speak it by David Donaldson | 0 comments The bureaucracy must advocate for reform, says PM&C secretary Michael Thawley. He offered his thoughts on a range of issues facing the public service, including its technology skills shortage.
Michelle Grattan: why won’t you talk to the media, mandarins? by Michelle Grattan | 0 comments Allowing the media into the policy process is not as scary as some mandarins think, the veteran political correspondent writes. When journalists had access to bureaucrats the public had more understanding.
Public sector leaders throwing open the doors by Harley Dennett | 0 comments PM&C boss Michael Thawley really has a problem with locked doors in public administration. He's not alone, with state leaders also wanting change.
Outcomes over organisation: ‘it’s a state of mind’ by Stephen Easton | 0 comments To thrive in the current environment and into the future, public services need to focus on the outcomes and give up control over who delivers them, the IPAA ACT Division conference heard.
Thawley’s new recruiting rules swap fixed criteria for ‘one page pitch’ by The Mandarin | 0 comments No more selection criteria — jargon and pro-forma duty statements are out; replaced with inspiring ads that tell candidates what the department is trying to achieve.
Get nimble, get positive, Michael Thawley tells Canberra by Stephen Easton | 0 comments A new Prime Minister will demand a more agile public service, Canberra's top bureaucrat has warned. But after 10 months in the job he's also singing public servants' praises.
Let ideas transcend jurisdiction: ACT invites widely for first territory IPAA conference by Stephen Easton | 0 comments It's usually in conversation and probing that you get to hear the depth of each others' thinking, says Carmel McGregor. IPAA ACT will host its first conference next week to debate collaboration, capability and capacity for reform and how to make the public service great.
