Trust is quite important in the latest State of the Service report from the Australian Public Service Commission. In commissioner Gordon de Brouwer’s report message, he argues that “Australia is performing above the OECD average on key composite measures including trust, prosperity, and satisfaction with public services”. In contrast,
Commonwealth departments and agencies have started telling taxpayers how well they are cutting back on consulting services, with some reporting they failed to meet self-imposed targets. The strategic commissioning framework is designed to encourage bureaucrats to slash how much they spend on external consultants, given Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ and Finance
As David Graeber notes in The Utopia of Rules, the term bureaucrat has become a synonym for a ‘civil servant’. During a press conference in 1986, Ronald Reagan expressed a common concern about government bureaucracy: “I think you all know that I’ve always felt the nine most terrifying words in the
You could call it a case of the electronic eyes have it. The Minns government has committed to ensuring its next big toll road, the Western Harbour Tunnel, is free of the 1990s-vintage e-tag technology. You know — the unreliable adhesive transferable radio transponders that ping toll gates as drivers
Australia has finished its first official Submarine Maintenance Period on a US nuclear-powered submarine. Navy personnel and Australian Submarine Corporation staff worked with US crews to complete more than 160 tasks on USS Vermont (SSN 792). ASC has revealed that Vermont, a Virginia class fast-attack submarine, spent around four weeks
An electric vehicle milestone has been reached in NSW, with the government revealing more than 100,000 cars have been registered in the state. In 2025, NSW EVs accounted for 8.6% of new light vehicle sales, representing a significant increase from sales numbers five years prior (0.7%). The NSW government has
Australia is getting its first independent national environmental regulator following the passing of Labor’s environment protection reform bills. The suite of bills, which passed last Thursday after the government was able to secure a last-minute deal with the Greens, will see the establishment of a National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA)
A corruption watchdog has called for greater political transparency after revelations that a disgraced mayor fabricated his military service, medical records and his education. Findings from Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) reveal former Townsville mayor Troy Thompson was a far cry from the military serviceman he claimed to be. It
Former Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus KC has been given a special advocacy role to advance Australia’s human rights leadership on the international stage. As the new International Human Rights Envoy, the Australian MP will call for the abolition of the death penalty, as well as for the rights and protections of
Taking control of finances in a changing economy helps build clarity and confidence. The goal is to make decisions that balance immediate needs with long-term plans. In times like these, strategic financial guidance helps people make thoughtful decisions with a longer-term view. Recent data reinforce this. Research from Russell Investments
Things have been rocky at Australia’s primary scientific research body, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). On November 18, the agency confirmed 350 research redundancies following a staff and union meeting. This heralds the largest cull of permanent researchers since pandemic funding under the four-year “COVID safety
Senior Executive Service Band 2 Penelope Spies has become assistant commissioner, operational capability, at Home Affairs. Louise Gates Louise Gates, Richard Juckes, and Alistair Beasley have been appointed executive directors at the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in the Department of Health. Band 1 Lauren Power moves from an
Trust is quite important in the latest State of the Service report from the Australian Public Service Commission. In commissioner Gordon de Brouwer’s report message, he argues that “Australia is performing above the OECD average on key composite measures including trust, prosperity, and satisfaction with public services”. In contrast,
Commonwealth departments and agencies have started telling taxpayers how well they are cutting back on consulting services, with some reporting they failed to meet self-imposed targets. The strategic commissioning framework is designed to encourage bureaucrats to slash how much they spend on external consultants, given Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ and Finance
As David Graeber notes in The Utopia of Rules, the term bureaucrat has become a synonym for a ‘civil servant’. During a press conference in 1986, Ronald Reagan expressed a common concern about government bureaucracy: “I think you all know that I’ve always felt the nine most terrifying words in the
You could call it a case of the electronic eyes have it. The Minns government has committed to ensuring its next big toll road, the Western Harbour Tunnel, is free of the 1990s-vintage e-tag technology. You know — the unreliable adhesive transferable radio transponders that ping toll gates as drivers
Australia has finished its first official Submarine Maintenance Period on a US nuclear-powered submarine. Navy personnel and Australian Submarine Corporation staff worked with US crews to complete more than 160 tasks on USS Vermont (SSN 792). ASC has revealed that Vermont, a Virginia class fast-attack submarine, spent around four weeks
An electric vehicle milestone has been reached in NSW, with the government revealing more than 100,000 cars have been registered in the state. In 2025, NSW EVs accounted for 8.6% of new light vehicle sales, representing a significant increase from sales numbers five years prior (0.7%). The NSW government has
Australia is getting its first independent national environmental regulator following the passing of Labor’s environment protection reform bills. The suite of bills, which passed last Thursday after the government was able to secure a last-minute deal with the Greens, will see the establishment of a National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA)
A corruption watchdog has called for greater political transparency after revelations that a disgraced mayor fabricated his military service, medical records and his education. Findings from Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) reveal former Townsville mayor Troy Thompson was a far cry from the military serviceman he claimed to be. It
Former Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus KC has been given a special advocacy role to advance Australia’s human rights leadership on the international stage. As the new International Human Rights Envoy, the Australian MP will call for the abolition of the death penalty, as well as for the rights and protections of
Taking control of finances in a changing economy helps build clarity and confidence. The goal is to make decisions that balance immediate needs with long-term plans. In times like these, strategic financial guidance helps people make thoughtful decisions with a longer-term view. Recent data reinforce this. Research from Russell Investments
Things have been rocky at Australia’s primary scientific research body, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). On November 18, the agency confirmed 350 research redundancies following a staff and union meeting. This heralds the largest cull of permanent researchers since pandemic funding under the four-year “COVID safety
Senior Executive Service Band 2 Penelope Spies has become assistant commissioner, operational capability, at Home Affairs. Louise Gates Louise Gates, Richard Juckes, and Alistair Beasley have been appointed executive directors at the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in the Department of Health. Band 1 Lauren Power moves from an
