Missile defences, drones, and nuclear submarines in the AUKUS deal will be prioritised as part of a record spend on defence infrastructure outside of wartime. Defence Minister Richard Marles handed down the 2026 national defence strategy on Thursday, laying out the path for Australia’s armed forces and the projects it
As exposure increases, our anxieties about AI continue to bubble to the surface. We worry about the atrophy of judgment through disuse; about the decline in our individual and collective understanding as AI prompting replaces comprehension; and about becoming passive overseers of systems that make decisions at speeds beyond our
One of Australia’s key accounting bodies has criticised the Australian Accounting Standards Board for proceeding with an agenda consultation process before any restructure is decided by the federal parliament. The Institute of Public Accountants has said the current agenda consultation document is slimmer than prior consultations, opens the AASB to
2026 BiiG Conference Held across two distinct days from 4 to 5 June, BiiG brings together people from across government, industry, academia and the not-for-profit sector to explore practical ideas, share real-world lessons and spark collaborations that lead to better public outcomes.
Australian governments should streamline heavy vehicle regulations to improve productivity, according to the Productivity Commission. Heavy vehicle freight is a key economic enabler, serving ports, farms, factories, shops and homes. Overall, the road transport sector and in-house road transport activity represent around 5% of Australian GDP and employ ...
The Senate committee responsible for public administration is scheduling a busy year, slotting three new public inquiries into its calendar. The Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) launched separate inquiries yesterday into the privacy management of public sector entities, the administration of the age pension, and defence procurement.
My first report on the 2026 American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) conference focused on how the US civil service is struggling to maintain public sector capability and integrity under the Trump administration. This article looks more broadly at international developments canvassed at the conference that should be of interest
How AI can transform public services without hollowing out human judgment Governments everywhere are rushing to use AI – clearing backlogs, digitising services, and chasing productivity gains. But what if speed is the wrong metric? What if the tools we’re adopting to make government faster are actually making government weaker?
A factional ally has been handed the reins of health as a state premier swings a major cabinet reshuffle seven months out from polling day. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan’s new ministry was sworn in at Government House on Wednesday morning. She picked Harriet Shing to become health minister, replacing Mary-Anne
The Royal Australian Navy has officially put an operational name to its growing fleet of remotely controlled seaborne beasts, as the maritime force publicly enters the so-called drone age in anger. Equipment and platforms once designated as experimental will now enter official service through the formally named ‘Maritime Autonomous Systems
There’s nothing like a pre-election ministerial reshuffle to get an agency’s senior executives and their support staff to sit bolt upright to attention. Today will be one of those days — one of many days — for Victoria’s public service. If it feels like you’re a little bit late to
The Queensland Productivity Commission will inquire into the effects of federal regulations on the state’s resources sector. Treasurer David Janetzki tasked the commission with examining how the 2025 changes to the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation are affecting Queensland. The inquiry will examine “economic impacts, risk to ...
Missile defences, drones, and nuclear submarines in the AUKUS deal will be prioritised as part of a record spend on defence infrastructure outside of wartime. Defence Minister Richard Marles handed down the 2026 national defence strategy on Thursday, laying out the path for Australia’s armed forces and the projects it
As exposure increases, our anxieties about AI continue to bubble to the surface. We worry about the atrophy of judgment through disuse; about the decline in our individual and collective understanding as AI prompting replaces comprehension; and about becoming passive overseers of systems that make decisions at speeds beyond our
One of Australia’s key accounting bodies has criticised the Australian Accounting Standards Board for proceeding with an agenda consultation process before any restructure is decided by the federal parliament. The Institute of Public Accountants has said the current agenda consultation document is slimmer than prior consultations, opens the AASB to
2026 BiiG Conference Held across two distinct days from 4 to 5 June, BiiG brings together people from across government, industry, academia and the not-for-profit sector to explore practical ideas, share real-world lessons and spark collaborations that lead to better public outcomes.
Australian governments should streamline heavy vehicle regulations to improve productivity, according to the Productivity Commission. Heavy vehicle freight is a key economic enabler, serving ports, farms, factories, shops and homes. Overall, the road transport sector and in-house road transport activity represent around 5% of Australian GDP and employ ...
The Senate committee responsible for public administration is scheduling a busy year, slotting three new public inquiries into its calendar. The Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) launched separate inquiries yesterday into the privacy management of public sector entities, the administration of the age pension, and defence procurement.
My first report on the 2026 American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) conference focused on how the US civil service is struggling to maintain public sector capability and integrity under the Trump administration. This article looks more broadly at international developments canvassed at the conference that should be of interest
How AI can transform public services without hollowing out human judgment Governments everywhere are rushing to use AI – clearing backlogs, digitising services, and chasing productivity gains. But what if speed is the wrong metric? What if the tools we’re adopting to make government faster are actually making government weaker?
A factional ally has been handed the reins of health as a state premier swings a major cabinet reshuffle seven months out from polling day. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan’s new ministry was sworn in at Government House on Wednesday morning. She picked Harriet Shing to become health minister, replacing Mary-Anne
The Royal Australian Navy has officially put an operational name to its growing fleet of remotely controlled seaborne beasts, as the maritime force publicly enters the so-called drone age in anger. Equipment and platforms once designated as experimental will now enter official service through the formally named ‘Maritime Autonomous Systems
There’s nothing like a pre-election ministerial reshuffle to get an agency’s senior executives and their support staff to sit bolt upright to attention. Today will be one of those days — one of many days — for Victoria’s public service. If it feels like you’re a little bit late to
The Queensland Productivity Commission will inquire into the effects of federal regulations on the state’s resources sector. Treasurer David Janetzki tasked the commission with examining how the 2025 changes to the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation are affecting Queensland. The inquiry will examine “economic impacts, risk to ...
