James Whelan | Debating the PS Burden: A View From Both Sides

Public sector budgeting issues have come into focus as the government stands by its purely political commitment to run a surplus next year in the face of strong economic arguments that suggest a continued deficit. So is the Public Serivce bloated, inefficient and unnecessary or stretched, effective and in high demand? The ongoing debate between IPA contributor Julie Novak and CPD Public Service Research Director Dr. James Whelan and  has been picked up as a … more

James Whelan responds to Julie Novak | Evidence please, not more bashing of our public sector

This Monday. Julie Novak from the IPA once again targeted public service cuts as a necessary step toward a surplus budget. In her most recent article published on Online Opinion, she took aim at our report on the public service. Among her targets are the “policy advisory, administrative and regulatory roles” of the public service that are an “unnecessary burden” to the Australian economy. James Whelan, CPD’s Public Service Research Director, today responded to Novak … more

James Whelan | Attitudes toward our Public Services

James Whelan, Public Service Research Program Director, recently wrote an article for Government News discussing the newly published CPD paper entitled State of the Public Service Report. Within this article for Government News James discusses the big questions debated around the Australian Public Service including: Are there enough or too many public servants in Australia? Are public service agencies and the services they provide meeting the Australian public expectations? And do Australians feel they are adequately investing … more

 

Laura Eadie | ABC Local Radio Newcastle

CPD researcher Laura Eadie appeared on ABC 1233 Newcastle Local Radio this morning – interviewed by Jill Emberson –  talking about Australia’s future sustainable economy and the increasing recognition of climate change in Australian coastal planning within public policy. Laura is the author of Stocking Up: Securing Our Marine Economy the first in a series of reports that will look at how different sectors of Australia’s economy can benefit from policies to preserve the environment and resources that sustain … more

PUBLIC SERVICE IN THE NEWS | UK continues to analyse ‘Big Society’ reforms and with it comes increasing criticism

Accounting for the new philanthropy >  Britain’s Big Society initiatives exemplify a new regime: Rather than fund public programs directly, the state will incentivize private investment in public outcomes. After all, since markets are inadequate to meet public needs and create many “externalities” – unpaid social costs – the exchange market for private goods should be corrected by a kind of gift market for public goods. But this formula exposes a deeper problem with our … more

GovCampNSW | Sydney, November 19

    GovCamp is an open, ‘unconference’ style discussion format and aims to simply provide a space to share ideas ranging from eGov, Gov 2.0 and opengov to innovation for public sector resilience.  GovCampNSW is an invitation to be part of an emerging conversation, that may inspire and shape new opportunities for innovation in government in Sydney, in NSW and beyond. It is an opportunity to talk with a mix of people – from inside … more

 

PUBLIC SERVICE IN THE NEWS | UK’s public sector reforms favour private sector, ‘Big Society’ reforms spread to Eurozone and Canada

UK’s Public services white paper favours private sector, says UK’s Trades Union Congress > Publishing its response to the coalition’s Open public services white paper today, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) says that there is a gap between the paper’s Big Society ideals and the reality of greater private sector involvement. The TUC says that voluntary sector organisations lost out in an early example of the government’s competition plans. Thirty-five of the 40 main contracts … more

PUBLIC SERVICE IN THE NEWS | NZ citizens happy with public services, evidence reveals UK’s public services are breaking down and UK charities are flailing

There’s little charity in the Work Programme > Charities are losing out on contracts to get people into jobs through the government’s Work Programme, and vulnerable jobseekers are being sidelined. Two separate surveys published this week by two voluntary sector umbrella groups, the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (Acevo) and London Voluntary Services Council (LVSC), reveal that charity confidence in WP is at a pitifully low ebb, just four months into the scheme.  Some … more

CPD at Aprecon

                CPD’s public service research team enjoyed participating in ‘People First’ – the 12th Regional Asia Pacific Aprecon public service conference, spruiking our research and publications.  We had interesting discussions with international delegates from the Asia Pacific region on how public service trends are effecting their communities. We were intrigued to hear that, despite the diversity of social contexts that delegates come from, they spoke of many of … more