Beth Noveck and Rod Glover argue that to reverse the ‘creeping crisis’ faced by the public service, the government must train public servants to use creative problem-solving methods.
Shutterstock
On the ‘creeping crisis’ in the public service
The Conversation, CC BY28.8 MB(download)
A timely study of the public service, titled Today's problems, Yesterday's toolkit discusses the ‘creeping crisis’ of effectiveness and legitimacy the Australian public service is facing.
Selection panels interrupt women more than men and ask them more follow-up questions, subtly questioning their competence.
Andrey Popov/Shutterstock
The vast majority of managers said they wanted “the best person for the job”. They had less idea of just who that might be, or how to ensure appointments on merit and equity targets co-exist.
The public service union has welcomed the new Public Service Commissioner Peter Woolcott as “a much needed change” from his controversial predecessor.
Control Arms/flickr
Woolcott is a public servant with a career in diplomacy. While in the Turnbull office he has been on leave from his position as a deputy secretary in the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Australia’s public service has gradually become more politicised in recent times.
Flickr
The public service is meant to be independent and bipartisan. But “political” appointments and funding arrangements can hamstring their ability to give fair and frank advice.
The public sector of the future will need to embrace a new way of thinking.
Image sourced from www.shutterstock.com
Roy Green, University of Technology Sydney; Don Scott-Kemmis, University of Technology Sydney; Goran Roos, Swinburne University of Technology, and Renu Agarwal, University of Technology Sydney
In the wake of the proclaimed “budget emergency”, should we get ready for the “innovation emergency”? With fewer resources, Australia’s public sector will not achieve its performance targets by working…
The Commission of Audit, led by Tony Shepherd, has recommended radical changes to the way we do government in Australia.
AAP/Lukas Coch
The Commission of Audit’s report, released yesterday, sets out a radical blueprint for the role of government, the scope of its activities and how it goes about getting things done. For the most part there…
Is Australia’s public sector delivering the right levels of ‘bang’ in return for our ‘bucks’?
AAP/Tracey Nearmy
How efficient is Australia’s public sector? This question is difficult to answer with precision, but important to all of us. After all, this is our money being spent on us and the things we care about…
In one of his first acts in office, prime minister Tony Abbott axed three department heads, while treasury secretary Martin Parkinson (pictured) will depart next year.
AAP/Saeed Khan
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…
The Coalition government’s attitude towards the public service is unclear beyond its promise to cut 12,000 jobs.
AAP Image/Alan Porritt
Commonwealth public servants will have arrived at their offices this morning feeling a mix of relief and trepidation. Relief because the disorder and uncertainty of serving a divided and besieged minority…
Does Labor’s most recent attack ad pass the truth test?
Labor Party
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…
