Public service

Analysis and Comment (8)

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The role of politicians and public servants are blurred in countries such as China, which announced its new leadership last week. EPA/Adrian Bradshaw

Looking to Asia to reform Australia’s public service

By Helen Sullivan, University of Melbourne

What will the Asian Century mean for public administration in Australia? This probably isn’t the first question that occurs to people pondering the implications of shifting economic and political power…
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Terry Moran has called for the strengthening of the Australian Public Service. Alan Porritt / AAP

Terry Moran: time for an inquiry into the public service

By John Alford, Australia New Zealand School of Government

Terry Moran was Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet from 2008 to 2011. He is now President of the Institute of Public Administration Australia and a governor of the Committee…
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Former Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Terry Moran AC, has called for the strengthening of the Australian Public Service. Alan Porritt / AAP

Terry Moran in conversation: full transcript

By John Alford, Australia New Zealand School of Government

Terry Moran was Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet from 2008 to 2011. He is now President of the Institute of Public Administration Australia and a governor of the Committee…
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Peter Shergold, pictured here at COAG with former prime minister John Howard, was Australia’s top public servant from 2003-2008. AAP/Alan Porritt

Peter Shergold: political staffers aren’t killing the public service

By Peter Shergold, University of Western Sydney

In 2007, soon after becoming prime minister, Kevin Rudd found himself unable to attend the Christmas party of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) of which I was the secretary. This…
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The UK’s recent rail fiasco shows outsourcing isn’t always the answer. EPA/Andy Rain

To outsource or not to outsource? It all depends…

By Janine O'Flynn, University of Melbourne

As governments increasingly come under fiscal stress, many leap at the opportunity to cut costs by outsourcing services. The current flurry of activity around outsourcing, gaining much attention in the…
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David Cameron has championed the ‘Big Society’ – but is it the right fit for Australia? Andy Rain / AAP

Will a smaller state create a bigger society in Australia?

By Helen Sullivan, University of Melbourne

Public service reform is never far from the minds of newly elected governments, particularly in times of fiscal constraint. The pressure to cut budgets combined with a determination to “do something” about…
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Are cuts the best way to achieve efficient Government? Joe Castro / AAP

Slash, burn and churn: public service cuts miss the mark

By Janine O'Flynn, University of Melbourne

I was sitting in a session at the Institute of Public Administration Congress recently where Greg Hywood, the CEO of Fairfax, boldly announced that the public sector simply did not understand cuts. Not…

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