Premium Columnists Machiavelli meets Sun Tzu: the knives are out, and they cut all sorts of ways Friday July 16, 2021 By Verona Burgess Editors' Picks There are a few more audits in the pipeline that might cause shivers up public service spines, writes Verona Burgess. What a difference seven months…
Premium Columnists The blatant nature of the car parks pork-barrelling is plainly embarrassing Monday July 5, 2021 By Bernard Keane Editors' Picks Across the public service, election commitments must be implemented come what may, even the car ports bork-barrelling one, writes Bernard Keane.
Premium Columnists Car Park Gate: the most scathing audit report we’ve ever read Friday July 2, 2021 By Verona Burgess Editors' Picks People have come to expect politicians to rort grants programs shamelessly. It is, however, the job of the APS to ensure the moneys are spent…
Premium Columnists Opportunity knocks for those with Secretary ambitions (but mind your head) Friday June 18, 2021 By Verona Burgess Editors' Picks The drive to reach the top is not just about being close to political power, although that can be shockingly seductive. There’s a characteristic that…
Premium Expert briefings COVID ate-it: Public servants front a tough fortnight at Senate Estimates Thursday October 29, 2020 By Matthew Elmas Features As scandals circle the public service and the COVID-19 pandemic disrupts business as usual, Senate Estimates has aired some tough questions.
‘Reflecting poorly on all of us’: Treasury secretary on his role in $30 million airport land deal Tuesday October 27, 2020 By Matthew Elmas News Treasury Secretary Steven Kennedy says he was 'surprised and concerned' by ANAO findings about the Leppington Triangle airport land sale.
Premium Columnists Questions – and answers – matter over the Leppington Triangle Friday October 23, 2020 By Bernard Keane Editors' Picks What a signal to send — if you’re big enough and ugly enough to take the commonwealth to court over long periods, it will give…
Kennedy takes blame for $60b JobKeeper error Wednesday June 10, 2020 By Shannon Jenkins Economy & Industry The $60 billion JobKeeper overestimation was the result of errors in enrolment forms aligning with early estimates of the program’s take-up and cost, according to…
Senate COVID-19 committee calls on Josh Frydenberg to explain JobKeeper ‘blunder’ Monday May 25, 2020 By Shannon Jenkins Economy & Industry Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has defended the government’s JobKeeper scheme amid calls for him to appear before the senate committee overseeing the government’s response to the…
Australia ‘looking pretty good’ amid global gloom, says Steven Kennedy Friday May 22, 2020 By Shannon Jenkins Economy & Industry Australia has “gone well past the word recession” but it has handled the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic well, according to Treasury secretary Steven…
Treasury dep sec switches to Social Services after long holiday and allegations Wednesday January 22, 2020 By Shannon Jenkins Community & Social Treasury deputy secretary Matt Flavel has quietly moved to the Department of Social Services following an investigation into his conduct. Flavel went on leave in…
Great Barrier Reef management wins the Prime Minister’s Gold Award for public service work Wednesday November 13, 2019 By Stephen Easton Federal A joint initiative between federal and state public servants to manage threats to the Great Barrier Reef has won the Gold Award in the 2019…
Former Defence boss calls in favour for Raiders Friday October 4, 2019 By Shannon Jenkins Culture A throng of mandarins will be supporting the Canberra Raiders in their fight against the Sydney Roosters at the NRL grand final this weekend.
Premium Expert briefings To ensure nobody was left behind, Steven Kennedy opened his department doors to dozens of partner organisations. Digital services alone couldn’t reach all in need Friday September 6, 2019 By Stephen Easton Community & Social There is “ample space” for cooperation between all Australian governments, says the new Commonwealth Treasury secretary, and he urges public servants to make…
Premium Columnists The APS needs to radically and quickly overhaul what 'service delivery' means to them. That should start with genuinely listening to their front-line people Friday August 2, 2019 By Verona Burgess Career Advice Much of the APS needs to lose the attitude that policy is the apex of public administration and service delivery is done by lesser mortals,…
