Yesterday
Federal public service has an ‘Asian penalty’ problem
A study has found there is built-in prejudice against staff from non-English-speaking backgrounds, meaning the senior end of the public service is almost entirely white.
- Tom Burton
This Month
Consultants banned from public service core work
A major revamp of public service outsourcing means consultants will lose out on lucrative contracts as federal agencies take their core work in house.
- Tom Burton
- Opinion
- Government Observed
Why cabinet needs the two Mikes – Pezzullo and Burgess
The ASIO chief and his portfolio secretary come from Canberra’s warrior class. Despite any personal failings, their frank and fearless advice is valuable.
- Tom Burton
How consulting made Blair Comley a better public servant
The incoming Health Department boss has helped reform the GST, design Kevin Rudd’s carbon reduction scheme and Julia Gillard’s carbon tax. He answers our public servant Q&A.
- Ronald Mizen
PwC spin-off Scyne gets Canberra green light
The powerful Department of Finance has signed off on the private equity-backed consultancy, allowing it to do government work.
- Edmund Tadros
Tony Burke’s department moves to strike
Staff at the department dealing with the government’s sweeping industrial relations bill could be walking off the job over pay within weeks.
- David Marin-Guzman
- Opinion
- Opinion
Australia needs more public servants like Mike Pezzullo
The tall poppy who fixes government, makes it work and do things it otherwise could not is the natural target for those who want to critique policy, without openly challenging it.
- Robert Potter
September
‘Trail of blood’: inside Michael Pezzullo’s behind-the-scenes world
Neighbours call his home “Southfork”, and just as J.R. schemed his way through Dallas, the top security mandarin put back channels to good use.
- Andrew Tillett
How the 80:20 rule makes Danielle Wood more productive
The incoming boss shares her defining career moments, best advice, love of authors Anna Funder and Zadie Smith and her plans for change in our public servant Q&A.
- Ronald Mizen
Pay strike to hit Centrelink, child welfare agencies
The Albanese government is facing its first strike in an expected wave of industrial action by public servants protesting over its 11 per cent pay offer.
- David Marin-Guzman
Pezzullo’s fate an ‘urgent matter’: PM
Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo has stood aside while a trove of text messages exchanged with a Liberal Party powerbroker are investigated.
- Andrew Tillett
Home Affairs boss stands aside for investigation of texts leak
Michael Pezzullo will stand aside from his job as an independent investigation considers leaked text messages he exchanged with a Liberal Party powerbroker.
- Updated
- Tom McIlroy
- Exclusive
- NSW budget
NSW uses fund for ‘transformative’ infrastructure for truck stops
A $1.5bn fund set up to build “once in a lifetime, transformative infrastructure” will be spent on regional roads, an aged care facility upgrade, and ambulance bases.
- Samantha Hutchinson
Satellites that can see through smoke to fight fires this summer
Using Australian locational and building data from Geoscape Finnish satellites will give emergency responders near real-time intelligence on damage and fire path warnings across the country.
- Tom Burton
- Analysis
- Government Observed
Technology’s dangerous-by-design era to come to an end
Cyber minister Clare O’Neil is pushing for Australia to join the rest of the world and shift responsibility for digital safety away from consumers and onto software vendors and smart device makers.
- Tom Burton
Baby monitors are the front line for new digital safety rules
Major software vendors are to be made responsible for cyber and privacy security of their products as part of major shift in strategy to stop consumers having to bear the brunt of poorly written code.
- Tom Burton
Electronic statutory declarations spell end of the passport queue
New laws mean people will no longer need a physical witness or justice of the peace to verify their statutory declaration.
- Tom Burton
Robo-debt should not stop governments using AI, Dominello says
Generative AI will fundamentally change government services, hyper personalising delivery, and governments need to embrace it, says former NSW digital minister.
- Tom Burton
‘Needs’ test plan to slow surging NDIS costs
A needs-based assessment system, autistic children to be treated by mainstream services, and tighter control of service providers are part of a suite of changes being pushed by a NDIS review team to cap surging costs.
- Tom Burton
Australia a far cry from most competitive aviation market in the world
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s claim that Australia has the most competitive aviation market in the world is not backed up by the data.
- Tom Burton
