Many department heads earn more than the prime minister or treasurer. It’s a situation that’s now under review.
- Honorary Professor of Public Policy, Australian National University
The public service is bracing for thousands of job losses if the Coalition is elected. In echoes of Trump policy, diversity and inclusion roles would be first to go.
More needs to be done, including in the legislation, if we are to rebuild the trust that is essential between the public service and all sides of politics, the parliament and the Australian public.
There’s little doubt the extent of the use of consultants and contractors has gone too far in recent years.
Estimates produced by the Grattan Institute and the Treasury assume that the right tax treatment for income from retirement savings is the same as income from other savings.
With one exception, it offers refreshing guidance to jurisdictions across Australia showing signs of complacency about integrity.
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.
Rather than a royal commission focused on News Corporation, the best approach would be an inquiry into ways to maintain standards and better fund public interest journalism.
Regulation is fragmented, and the Press Council is short of funds.
Viewing China as an ‘enemy’ to the West is counterproductive. We need to embrace a new approach that simultaneously ‘engages and constrains’ China instead.
Public servants are supposed to be apolitical. But there is a difficult line to walk between their freedom of speech as citizens and impartiality as government officials.
The government’s approach to Bridget McKenzie reveals a remarkable misunderstanding (or perhaps a remarkable misrepresentation) of the respective roles of ministers and administrators.
While the long-awaited Thodey Report makes many sensible recommendations, the detail is often missing and the analysis weak. And the government’s response rules out key reforms.
There is a case for not proceeding with, or at least deferring, the legislated increase in employers’ compulsory super contributions, but it isn’t the one the Grattan Institute makes.
Clive Hamilton’s book is perhaps a useful reminder that we must not be naïve about our relationship with China, but his prescription is the wrong direction for tackling the genuine issues he raises.
The government has dropped plans to index age pensions to CPI and opted instead to tighten income and assets test. These are welcome changes but more needs to be done.
Prime minister Tony Abbott’s decision to sack three departmental secretaries within hours of his swearing-in earlier this week has not attracted the same shock John Howard’s decision to sack six secretaries…
Election FactCheck is checking key claims in political advertisements. Here we look at the “If Tony Abbott Wins, You Lose” ad from Labor. Families will lose the Schoolkids Bonus The Coalition has made…
“The Liberals have a secret plan to cut jobs in Canberra – 20,000 public service jobs are just the start of the Liberals’ plan to punish Canberra. Housing prices will plummet, unemployment will rise, and…
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