After years of hearing about what governments can’t do, shouldn’t do, or will inevitably stuff up if they try, it’s time to recapture a vision of the positive role of government, and put forward an agenda for public sector reform in the 21st century. At the heart of this vision should be a public service that works in cooperation with citizens to build a fair, sustainable and democratic society.

The CPD Public Service Program aims to develop a robust knowledge base about the state of the public service: its funding and capacity; performance in delivering community services; and attitudes toward and expectations of the Australian Public Service. Click here to read more.

CPD thanks the CPSU, the Becher Foundation and Slater & Gordon for their support of this program.

What would ‘Big Society’ mean for Australia?

Our first major report in CPD’s Public Service research program, The State of the Australian Public Service: An Alternative Report, analysed political commentary and media coverage that, at times, depicts the Australian Public Service as inefficient, large, costly and unwelcome in some aspects of our lives. Our research revealed the disconnect between this rhetoric, community attitudes and the reality of public service staffing, funding and functions. We now turn our gaze to the radical public … more

Melissa Sweet | Federal govt urged to withdraw all support for private health insurance

In this article, Melissa Sweet promotes John Menadue and Ian McAuley’s discussion paper on private health insurance subsidies in Australia. With the government debating whether to introduce means testing on private health insurance, the new report urges the Government to withdraw all support for private health insurance, on equity and efficiency grounds. Given that the government has a stated policy of ‘social inclusion’, it seems strange that the well-off are able to opt out of sharing their … more

 

John Menadue and Ian McAuley | Govt proposals on private health insurance don’t go far enough

Writing in Crikey, CPD founder and board member John Menadue and CPD fellow Ian McAuley give their opinion on government proposals to apply a means test to private health insurance subsidies. Menadue and McAuley call for even more action than simply means testing, suggesting that a single national insurer would provide the most efficient and equitable means of sharing our health costs. “We are not advocating what some may call “socialised medicine”. Private hospitals serve an … more

PUBLIC SERVICE IN THE NEWS | Can transnational corporations deliver public goods to citizens?

Scandalous cost of justice: £861 a night to lock up young crime suspects… £650 to stay at the Ritz > Locking up young crime suspects for a night costs more than a suite at London’s Ritz hotel, it was revealed today. While the highest price of a bed at one of the country’s privately run secure units is £861, a stay at the Ritz costs £650. Charities have condemned the ‘outrageous’ waste of taxpayers’ cash … more

IPAA 2012 International Congress | 18-20 September

The Institute of Public Administration Australia’s 2012 International Congress will be held in Melbourne, Australia, bringing together more than 1000 administrators in one of the largest gatherings of public administrators ever held in Australia. Already the ideas and speakers on the program are impressive – find more here. Speaker highlights include: DR SHASHI THAROOR is a former UN Under-Secretary-General and Indian Minister of State for External Affairs. India’s central and state government employ 10 million … more

 

Reforming Public Services Summit | Melbourne, 7-8 May 2012

Real reform towards citizen-centred social policy
 and empowered users of public services
 Why a Summit on Reforming Public Services? Reform of public services has been a constant theme amongst governments, policy officials, and service delivery organisations for the last two decades. Despite the constant talk, real change towards citizen-centred social policy and empowered users of public services is hard to find. What is more common is a pattern of frequently restructured financing arrangements for service delivery … more

PUBLIC SERVICE IN THE NEWS | Evidence mounts against the efficiency dividend

Agency staff report increased mistakes > A NEW survey reveals that more than 50 per cent of staff from agencies including Centrelink, Medicare and the Child support agency are reporting that more mistakes are being made because of the Gillard Government’s efficiency dividend. Nice work if you can find it > The UK’s ambitious, well-intentioned welfare-to-work programme is struggling against the economic current. Some believe that the payment-by-results system itself is failing. Ian Mulheirn of … more

James Whelan | Public Service Race to the Bottom

This article was first published on ABC’s The Drum here. The Gillard Government’s announcement last week to cut public sector spending by $1.5 billion is unwise fiscal policy, out of step with community attitudes and a significant broken promise. Increasing the efficiency dividend from 1.5 per cent to 4 per cent will tighten the vice on Australian Public Service agencies that are already stretched after two decades of belt-tightening. The direct consequences will include contracted … more