Public ownership is back in vogue, after the Coalition promised publicly owned nuclear plants in a decade. The problem is, the public service has been hollowed out.
Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada picket outside the Service Canada office during strike action in Canmore, Alta., in April 2023.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
New research suggests Canada’s public servant of the future must build relationships, communicate complex and controversial ideas and manage conflict more than ever before.
Dysfunctionality in South Africa’s public service has led to poor access to piped water.
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The coalition is increasingly using parliamentary urgency, cutting the public service and fast-tracking legislation – all of which risks upsetting the equilibrium between government and the governed.
Barbara Allen, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington; Karl Lofgren, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington e Michael Macaulay, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
History suggests the new NZ government’s pledge to cut budgets and jobs in the public sector will cost more in the long run – and damage morale in the process.
An inquiry found the Home Affairs secretary used his position for personal advantage, gossiped disrespectfully about ministers, broke confidentiality and didn’t disclose a conflict of interest.
Having interviewed advisers to past and present prime ministers in Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand, my new research shows how crucial it is to recruit and train staff – before an election.
There are formidable obstacles to changing a culture of outsourcing billions of dollars worth of decisions to the private sector. Here’s how to start getting back the public service we deserve.
Physical ailments and deteriorated health may be the one area in which politicians can escape scrutiny.
Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) stand at a picket line outside Place du Portage in Gatineau, Que., on April 28, 2023.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Will an increase in wages make federal government workers happier and more efficient while dealing with the public on taxation, public safety and a multitude of other daily and often frustrating issues?
Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada picket outside a Service Canada office in Canmore, Alta., in April 2023. More than 150,000 federal public-service workers are on strike across the country after talks with the government failed. Remote work is a negotiation issue.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
COVID-19 transformed the workforce, including in the public sector. A complete reversal to pre-pandemic work models is unlikely, but there’s lots at stake as employers contemplate the future of work.
The sacking of senior public servant Rob Campbell and questions about the neutrality of others are a reminder of the line between robust policy debate and perceived partisanship.
Former President Jimmy Carter has decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care.
AP Photo/John Bazemore, File
A media scholar who studied Carter and interviewed him explains how he attempted to translate Jesus’ teachings into action through his life of public service.
Richard Boyle outside the Adelaide Magistrates Court in July 2019.
David Mariuz/AAP
Many reviews over the years have revealed the efficiency dividend often does impact the level and quality of services, particularly for smaller agencies and particularly over time.
Mike Mrdak and Jenny Wilkinson.
Lukas Coch/AAP; Mick Tsikas/AAP
With a change of government a real prospect according to the opinion polls, public servants are starting to gossip about what an Albanese administration would mean for them. For Canberra’s bureaucrats…