The Fifth Risk and what it means for Australia
What is happening in the US public service right now makes an interesting laboratory study from which we could draw lessons for the Thodey Review. Read More
APS review
Can former political staffers turn into impartial public servants?
A better system is needed to acknowledge experience in a ministerial office to enable public servants to transfer back at a higher level and non-public servant staffers to have their service recognised in the APS, says Verona Burgess. Read More
APS Review update: panel leaning towards a small list of big ideas
The APS Review panel is planning to craft a concise set of big ideas for public service reform rather than a highly prescriptive blueprint, according to its chair. Read More
Canberra ‘too remote’ from most Australians, says de Brouwer
Government risks becoming separated from the people, warn a group of mandarins, as policy and service functions move apart. Read More
APS review: panel member Glyn Davis senses momentum for a major rethink
Submissions to the ongoing Australian Public Service review indicate enthusiasm for fundamental changes rather than just a few tweaks and adjustments, says panel member Glyn Davis. Read More
Dr Martin Parkinson: Brexit, multilateralism and how the media impacts policy work
The secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet was interviewed by the UK government's Civil Service Quarterly about what a post-Brexit UK can learn from Australia, how policy development is changing, and rebuilding capability and public trust. Read More
Mathias Cormann: the ‘state of the service’ is strong
Commonwealth administration spending controls are staying, the Finance Minister signals. He urged the APS to not forget the basic enabling skills as it builds new skills like data analytics and coding. Read More
Peter Woolcott: where to for the Australian Public Service
The APS needs to become more politically astute in its advice to ministers, the Australian Public Service Commissioner says in his first major address. Read More
The most influential voices outside of government on improving the APS
The panel reviewing the APS should reinforce its identity as a distinct institution within government, and build a stronger general consensus around what federal bureaucrats and ministerial advisers are supposed to do these days, argues a group of Canberra's most experienced ex-mandarins. Read More
DIRDC secretary Steven Kennedy’s thoughts on the role of the APS
Dr Steven Kennedy is the secretary of the Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities. This is the second half of a speech hosted… Read More
Experts in the APS: DIRDC boss Steven Kennedy challenges talk of capability decline
One of the federal government's newest departmental secretaries, Dr Steven Kennedy, disputes the narrative that Australian Public Service has experienced a severe capability decline over recent decades. Read More
Pre-selection of candidates for political office is failing us
Our national governance is failing because the process for selecting political leaders is inadequate for the role that our system of government assigns to them. Read More
Andrew Podger’s brilliant reimagining of the Australian Public Service
Verona Burgess analyses former APS Commissioner Andrew Podger’s thought-provoking 8800-word submission to the Thodey review. Read More
From walk to talk: academics and practitioners join forces for public policy learning
ANZSOG chief of staff David Threlfall explores how our public service practitioners access and respond to academic policy frameworks. How did you learn to do… Read More
What is the point of the public service?
The APS needs a new 'theory of the business' that more effectively explains and validates the role, purpose, work and impact of a public service for the digital age. Read More