New secretaries for Infrastructure and Environment departments Friday November 8, 2019 By Shannon Jenkins News Two new secretaries have been appointed to lead the Australian Public Service. David Fredericks has been appointed to lead the Department of the Environment and… Read more
Premium Columnists The good, the bad, and the ugly ways of explaining oneself in a Senate estimates committee; Wong on song Tuesday October 29, 2019 By Verona Burgess Editors' Picks THE OBSERVER: There comes a point when every democratic government bureaucracy needs to remember why it is there, why it has outlived successive political leaders,… Read more
Lowy Institute: Lack of women in Australia’s international relations sector harms national interest Wednesday July 10, 2019 By Shannon Jenkins Defence A scathing review from the Lowy Institute says there is a "severe gender imbalance" across the international relations sector, despite evidence of gender-balanced workforces functioning… Read more
So long and thanks for all the fish: the oddly polite history of political farewells Monday May 13, 2019 By Scott Hamilton & Stuart Kells Features Something strange happens when politicians leave the political stage. The other side suddenly becomes much more civil – even affectionate. There is an outbreak of… Read more
What key quality should Australia’s next PM have? Thursday May 9, 2019 By Jayani Nadarajalingam Editors' Picks There are many characteristics of political leadership – strength, courage, wisdom, vision, judgment, responsiveness. All are elusive, difficult to describe in the abstract, and turn… Read more
Which agencies got a break from Senate estimates hearings? Thursday April 11, 2019 By Stephen Easton Federal Labor is crying foul over their missed opportunities to quiz public servants after Senate estimates was cut short by the beginning of the election campaign… Read more
Legislature vs executive: auditor-general's independence trumped by budget secrecy Wednesday May 30, 2018 By Stephen Easton Features This year, budget secrecy trumped the independence of Commonwealth auditor-general Grant Hehir, and the deputy chair of the parliamentary committee that backs him up is… Read more
Lloyd makes calls on free speech and union-bargaining policies Wednesday February 28, 2018 By Stephen Easton News The Australian Public Service Commissioner has provided a new practical example of how the rules on public commentary operate: if a member of parliament mentions… Read more
Cracks form in the convention of cabinet confidentiality, PM&C gets the glue Thursday February 1, 2018 By Stephen Easton News “Apart from anything else, you ought to be found and sacked," says former head of the Australian Public Service Terry Moran, to whoever is responsible… Read more
Why public sector corporations need an independent watchdog Monday February 22, 2016 By Stephen Easton Features FEATURE: The idea that there are holes in the federal accountability landscape won't go away. Veterans of debacles say the PGPA Act, although an… Read more
And the next sex discrimination commissioner is ... Tuesday February 9, 2016 By David Donaldson News ESTIMATES LATEST: Ministers and top bureaucrats engaged in a few testy exchanges in their first Estimates hearings for 2016. Read more
Government-less arbitration: why trade officials like ISDS Wednesday November 11, 2015 By David Donaldson Features ISDS provisions in free trade agreements have come under fire for allowing governments to be sued over social policy. So why do trade negotiators like… Read more
