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The use of algorithms and automation of public services is not new, but in recent years there has been a step change in processing power and a decrease in the price of these technologies, which means we are seeing more widespread use. These advances are reframing our perception of what matters in ways that impact the ethical dimensions of day-to-day life. In turn, these changes challenge long-standing assumptions about public service ethics and how it is taught. In this multidisciplinary authored paper, we argue that public service leaders must be attentive to ethical questions that converge around adopting "data-driven" techniques, including algorithmic decision-making. Algorithmic and technology focused ethics question assumptions about the current deficits within public service ethics pedagogy in public service programs and university programs and the future direction of the discipline. To do so raises longstanding but neglected questions about the public services' role in the state and recovering what Rohr refers to as the 'ethics of the office.' This, we argue, will have implications for teaching public service ethics.

This paper charts the experiences of a group of young people and their involvement in a local government initiative to engage young people in public decision-making. Activated through a youth leaders' council that sought to influence and inform local government decision-making, the participating young people were given responsibility for enacting focus projects in collaboration with local government personnel. However, this method of simply bringing young people together with local government decision-makers did not automatically alter the way that decisions came to be made and ironically resulted in interactions that went some way to further reinforce existing perceptions of young people as incapable in situations of public administration. This paper reports on a case example detailing an interaction between the youth leaders and local government councillors, and will suggest that the experience of the young people involved in the youth leaders' council can be understood against a dynamic of 'constraint'.

This paper explores the proposition that modern universities have been changed radically by globalization not least of which has been the erosion of "public scholarship". The paper argues that whatever the kind or scale of changes which have occurred in the past few decades, "globalization" does not provide an explanation of what has happened. Rather far-reaching changes have been made driven by human capital theory and the practices of the New Public Management. Have these changes spelled the end of public scholarship? The paper proposes that in Australia at least public scholarship played little if any part in the actual work practices or culture of Australian academics in the recent past. Whatever the apparent value of the idea of the university as "critic and conscience and critic of society", the absence of any sustained intellectual or practical resistance to changes introduced into modern Australian universities (like "student-centred learning") since the 1990s points to a significant and long-term absence of a vibrant culture of public scholarship.

This paper sets out the Collaborative Service Design Playbook, to guide planning, design, and implementation of co-created health services. Successful health service development and implementation is best guided by theoretically informed approaches; however, organisations often lack design and implementation know-how and have difficulty applying it. This study seeks to improve health service design and potential for scale-up by proposing a tool to guide an end-to-end process, drawing together service design, co-design, and implementation science; and exploring the tool's feasibility to establish a sustainable service solution developed with participants and experts that is scalable and sustainable. The Collaborative Service Design Playbook phases include, (1) Define the opportunity and initiatives, (2) Design the concept and prototype, (3) Deliver to scale and evaluate; and (4) Optimise to transform and sustain. This paper has implications for health marketing through providing an end-to-end approach with phased guidance for health service development, implementation, and scale up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly a decade ago, the Australian Federal Government introduced a Digital Service Standard (DSS) for new and redesigned government services. This was an opportunity to encourage digital services and disruptive innovations to help the government improve citizens outcomes, and indeed there was a significant uptake in the digital services assessments offered by the program with key government agencies across health, human services, taxation, and education on board. However, by the 2020s the number of publicly visible assessments had significantly reduced. The initial broad adoption and recent reduction in numbers present an opportunity to explore the effectiveness of this government innovation management program that was ahead of its time. This paper reviews the impact of the DSS in fostering public service innovation and presents lessons learnt from the program. To perform this analysis, this research evaluates to what extent the DSS applied common private sector innovation management approaches of Innovation Process Management and Innovation Portfolio Management in the public sector. It also looks at the impact of these programs in encouraging specific types of modern digital innovations. The analysis draws on DSS assessments from 2015 to 2021 and considers how the program demonstrated public sector innovation leadership. This paper proposes a framework to improve the DSS by tailoring its approach for new and existing services, adopting specific standards to encourage incremental and disruptive innovations, and promoting more transparent reporting and funding of innovation management programs. This evaluation found that the DSS exemplifies Innovation Process Management in its use of stages and gates, and Innovation Portfolio Management in its use of targeted assessment criteria across innovation portfolios of various government agencies. The analysis also identified design limitations in the DSS as a whole of government innovation management approach due to its limited uptake in multiple large agencies and lack of specific standards to encourage different types of innovation. The impact of this research is to increase the adoption of the DSS and increase the innovation outcomes delivered by this government program. We conclude by reflecting some of the unique considerations in applying private sector innovation management practices in the public sector. Points for practitioners: Innovation management techniques are emerging but remain immature in the public sector.Australia has shown leadership in Government Innovation Process and Portfolio Management.Government must remain committed to innovation management programs and sharing the outputs of these programs.Government Innovation Management Programs should build in flexibility to encourage different types of innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the implications of the second sentence in Tudor Harts statement about inverse care – that its operation was strongest when exposed to market forces. In the Australian context, we briefly review some available evidence for inverse care in three groups – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and those living in remote and socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. We then discuss the extent to which these examples can be attributed to the operation of supply-and-demand within Australia's hybrid fee-for-service system in general practice. Our analysis suggests disparities in workforce supply and the ability of disadvantaged groups to seek preventive and proactive care are critical factors. These, in turn, suggest the need to fund general practice to be responsible for proactive and preventive care of disadvantaged population groups alongside broader structural reforms in workforce, education and taxation. This paper examines the implications of the second sentence in Tudor Harts statement about inverse care – that its operation was strongest when exposed to market forces. Examples of inverse care can be found in the disparities access to primary health care in Australia, which can be attributed to both supply-and-demand factors in Australia's hybrid market model of health care. Correcting these requires changes to the funding and workforce models, as well as specific actions at the service and community level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present article tracks the development of the Australian National Food Plan as a 'whole of government' food policy that aimed to integrate elements of nutrition and sustainability alongside economic objectives.Design: The article uses policy analysis to explore the processes of consultation and stakeholder involvement in the development of the National Food Plan, focusing on actors from the sectors of industry, civil society and government. Existing documentation and submissions to the Plan were used as data sources. Models of health policy analysis and policy streams were employed to analyse policy development processes.Setting: Australia.Subjects: Australian food policy stakeholders.Results: The development of the Plan was influenced by powerful industry groups and stakeholder engagement by the lead ministry favoured the involvement of actors representing the food and agriculture industries. Public health nutrition and civil society relied on traditional methods of policy influence, and the public health nutrition movement failed to develop a unified cross-sector alliance, while the private sector engaged in different ways and presented a united front. The National Food Plan failed to deliver an integrated food policy for Australia. Nutrition and sustainability were effectively sidelined due to the focus on global food production and positioning Australia as a food 'superpower' that could take advantage of the anticipated 'dining boom' as incomes rose in the Asia-Pacific region.Conclusions: New forms of industry influence are emerging in the food policy arena and public health nutrition will need to adopt new approaches to influencing public policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the impact of economic uncertainty shocks at the industrial disaggregated level is critical for both fiscal and monetary policy response. We estimate an SVAR model using quarterly Australian data from 1987:2 to 2018:4. The results of this paper emphasise that individual industries have a unique response to an economic uncertainty shock and do not necessarily reflect the response of the broader aggregate macroeconomy. We found the following stylised facts: (i) The construction industry is the most negatively impacted industry by an economic uncertainty shock in terms of investment, output and employment in Australia, (ii) The financial and insurance services industry also endures a substantial decline to the shock, particularly on investment and employment indicators, and (iii) Economic uncertainty is shown to have less impact on the mining, health care and social assistance and public administration and safety industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital health technologies are a proposed solution to improve healthcare delivery and reduce pressures on the healthcare system, but these technologies are new to much of the health workforce. This perspective paper highlights lessons learned from the global experience of rapid digital transformation of health workforces, including fostering a culture of learning, ensuring accreditation and recognition, and adopting a transdisciplinary approach. Evidence-based actions are proposed to address recommendations to (i) ensure foundational workforce digital health capability and (2) build specialist digital health career pathways. Australia must take a national approach and strategically leverage strong collaborations across sectors including healthcare, education and government to ensure a consistent, regulated and sustainable digital workforce capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diagnostic imaging is increasingly being used in Australia to aid clinician diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making. There is concern that this increased use represents an overconsumption of inappropriate health services, which wastes finite resources and may cause direct or indirect harm to the patient. Australian health policies have primarily focused on increasing patient access to diagnostic imaging. While these policies address inequitable access and may lead to timely diagnosis and improved health outcomes, these benefits have not been weighed against the unintended harms. This perspective article will explore the unintended consequences of increasing access to diagnostic imaging as well as provide potential solutions to improve the effectiveness of policies in this area. What is known about the topic? When warranted, diagnostic imaging aids the diagnostic process by ruling in (or out) conditions that benefit from treatment and lead to improved patient outcomes. What does this paper add? This paper describes recent policies related to diagnostic imaging in Australia, discusses how increasing access may lead to unintended harms and create further inefficiencies in the system, and provides direction for future health policies in this area. What are the implications for practitioners? Addressing the inappropriate use of diagnostic imaging is crucial for the sustainability of the sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers Australia's approach to telecommunications infrastructure from the perspectives of the policy official and the public administration scholar. From the official's perspective, the approach has been successful in stimulating private sector investment in many markets. This has been achieved by promoting open competition and where necessary establishing a government business enterprise as a transitional measure to build and operate a next‐generation National Broadband Network (NBN) to provide high‐speed fixed‐line broadband to all Australian premises by 2020. From the academic perspective, however, the approach reveals the shifting balances between political objectives and market challenges. This paper consists of three main parts. The first is an introduction by a former senior public servant turned public administration scholar. The second is from a policy official and provides an overview of the Australian telecommunications market, starting with some historical context, the deregulation in the 1990s and the privatisation of the former government‐owned telecommunications incumbent, Telstra. The third is from a public administration scholar and provides a short complementary critique of Australia's communications policy. The paper discusses, from different perspectives, the policy settings that have been adopted to support infrastructure competition and investment in the Australian telecommunications market, including the development of the NBN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of networks has gained interest in public administration and management. They address concerns such as the coordination of multiple actors within the policy process. Networks take both formal and informal forms. As the integration of formal and informal networks in public service delivery is gaining traction, this paper uses the example of diabetes care in Australia and India to provide an analytical framework to examine one of the ways such integration of networks take place. Diabetes, a chronic long‐term disease, poses to be a global problem with a high rate of diagnosis with implications for public health expenditure. A multi‐disciplinary team, which comprises both formal and informal categories, is required to manage diabetes. This paper highlights the integration of networks in diabetes care in different institutional and cultural settings. For such form of integration of networks to work, collaboration among the various actors is important. Lessons learnt from diabetes care will be relevant for other long‐term chronic conditions to help reduce the human resource and financial burden. The analytical framework developed based on the example of diabetes care will provide useful lessons for examining the mechanics and dynamics of the integration between formal and informal networks in the field of public administration and management. The concept of networks is gaining prominence as a useful model. This paper supports the existing literature on the need for both formal and informal networks using the example of diabetes care. It develops an analytical framework to examine the interactions of formal and informal networks, which will be relevant for similar studies related to other long‐term chronic conditions and for public administration and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the outcomes of an 18-month developmental action research study to enhance the governance capability of a national sport organization. Bowls Australia, the national governing body for lawn bowls in Australia, includes nine independent state and territory member-associations. An intervention was designed and implemented with the Bowls Australia Board. The purpose of the intervention was to enact collaborative governance to overcome a perceived cultural malaise in the governance of the sport. This study is one of the first to examine collaborative governance in a federal sport structure. Results demonstrate the utility of collaborative governance to overcome adversarial national, member-state relations for the purpose of establishing a common and unifying vision for bowls, while also enhancing governance capability. This study identified the importance of collective board leadership in governance decision-making throughout the sport. It also highlights future research directions in relation to collective board leadership in federal governance structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Substitute decision makers (SDMs) can be required to make difficult health care decisions on behalf of individuals lacking decision-making capacity. Online resources may be helpful in preparing and supporting SDMs. This study systematically explored the frequency, content and usability of Australian online resources containing health care substitute decision-making content written for consumers. Methods: In April 2019, Google searches were conducted to identify online resources containing health care substitute decision-making content for consumers. Analysis comprised mapping resource characteristics, including target audience (individual-specific, SDM-specific, mixed) and thematic analysis of content. Usability was assessed using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT). Results: Of the 61 resources identified, the most frequent were webpages (57%), individual-specific (43%) and those produced by government organisations (31%). Only 15 resources (24%) were written for SDMs. Content themes identified were: defining the scope of the SDM role (93%); recommended traits or characteristics of SDMs (80%); instructions or principles regarding standards for decision making (75%); duties of SDMs (70%); and supports (46%), rights (16%), barriers (8%) and benefits (5%) for SDMs. The median (interquartile range) PEMAT scores (out of 100) were 66 (27) for understandability and 60 (55) for actionability. Conclusions: SDMs have a vital role in making decisions for people lacking decision-making capacity. Online resources are a potential source of information and support for SDMs in Australia. This study identified key gaps in availability, content and usability of existing SDM resources, highlighting the need for the further development of such resources. We suggest that future resource development include SDMs in the design and evaluation processes. What is known about the topic?: An aging population and a greater need for decisions to be made on behalf of others who lack capacity means that health care substitute decision-making is occurring more frequently. Appointing one or more SDMs may occur as part of the advance care planning process. However, being a healthcare SDM can be difficult and stressful. People frequently use the Internet to search for health-related information. What does this paper add?: This paper systematically examined the frequency, content and usability of existing Australian online resources with substitute decision-making content written for a consumer audience in English, and identified key gaps in online resources available to support SDMs. What are the implications for practitioners?: Although there is a need for resources written for SDMs, authors of online resources need to pay careful attention to the purpose, content and usability of their resource. Future resource development should include input from SDMs and involve them in evaluation to assess whether the resources meet target audience needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the case study of ketamine as a new treatment for severe depression is used to outline the challenges of repurposing established medicines and we suggest potential solutions. The antidepressant effects of generic racemic ketamine were identified over 20 years ago, but there were insufficient incentives for commercial entities to pursue its registration, or support for non-commercial entities to fill this gap. As a result, the evaluation of generic ketamine was delayed, piecemeal, uncoordinated, and insufficient to gain approval. Meanwhile, substantial commercial investment enabled the widespread registration of a patented, intranasal s-enantiomeric ketamine formulation (Spravato®) for depression. However, Spravato is priced at $600–$900/dose compared to ~$5/dose for generic ketamine, and the ~AUD$100 million annual government investment requested in Australia (to cover drug costs alone) has been rejected twice, leaving this treatment largely inaccessible for Australian patients 2 years after Therapeutic Goods Administration approval. Moreover, emerging evidence indicates that generic racemic ketamine is at least as effective as Spravato, but no comparative trials were required for regulatory approval and have not been conducted. Without action, this story will repeat regularly in the next decade with a new wave of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy treatments, for which the original off-patent molecules could be available at low-cost and reduce the overall cost of treatment. Several systemic reforms are required to ensure that affordable, effective options become accessible; these include commercial incentives, public and public–private funding schemes, reduced regulatory barriers and more coordinated international public funding schemes to support translational research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the challenges of bridging the gap between academics and practitioners in the field of public administration. It introduces a new section in the journal called "Practically Speaking" (PS) that will feature articles with practical implications for public administration. The article also establishes new minimum standards for PS submissions, including the requirement for co-authors who are both scholars and practitioners, as well as an executive summary explaining the practical implications of the article. Two papers are included in the article, one examining the responsibilities of public officials and the other discussing the breakdown of the relationship between civil servants and political officials in Australia's "Robodebt" crisis. The authors hope that this new section of the journal will help bridge the gap between theory and practice in public administration. Additionally, the text discusses the responsibilities and duties of career civil servants and elected/appointed officials in providing advice and making decisions in the public sector. It emphasizes the importance of career civil servants being apolitical and providing unbiased advice, while elected/appointed officials have a duty to seek out and listen to the advice of career civil servants. Both parties also have a duty to carry out lawful decisions, even if they disagree with them. The text uses the example of the White House's "Return to Office" memo to illustrate these duties in action. Ultimately, the text highlights the need for all parties to fulfill their obligations within the system of governance, even if it goes against personal views. [Extracted from the article]

From its origins in the study of the European Union, the concept of multi-level governance (MLG) can contribute to understanding the capacity for, and barriers to, dynamism and innovation in the Australian federation. By placing the quality of the interactions between different jurisdictions at different spatial scales at the centre of analysis, the concept helps to underpin the argument that constitutional change in formal roles and responsibilities is not sufficient, and may not even be necessary, for reform of Australian federalism. The following steps are made in the paper. The first defines the main elements of MLG and its advantages for extra-constitutional analysis of multi-level policy coordination. The characteristics of MLG observed in contemporary Australian federalism are set out next. The final section presents a critique of the current Reform of the Federation White Paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transformation of public infrastructure and services into vehicles of profit-making through privately financed and operated partnerships (PPPs) has successfully weathered high profile project failures, changes in government, scathing audits, public resistance, financial crises, fiscal austerity, and found a home around the world despite vastly different legal, cultural, and institutional contexts. Public procurement and traditional budgeting practices are now a distant memory in many jurisdictions – not by happenstance but through dogged efforts to transform public sectors from service provider into commodity purchaser. Understanding the political economy of global PPP markets requires knowing the connection to managerialism underpinning the story of public administration as contract management. This paper explores the emergence, sophistication, and normalization of PPP using primary and secondary sources including interviews with those involved in, or keenly aware of, the historical creation of pioneering PPP markets. It identifies three apposite categories of PPP management: models, methods, and mindsets. Models are homogenously portable yet malleable templates for partnering. Methods include accounting treatment and standards, and new budgeting and tendering practices. Mindsets are the ideas and ideals initially spread by enthusiasts like the Big Five consultancy firms and Macquarie Bank, later entrenched through specialized quasi-public agencies such as Partnerships UK and the World Bank's PPIAF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia's Fifth National Mental Health Plan required governments to report, not only on the progress of changes to mental health service delivery, but to also plan for services that should be provided. Future population demand for treatment and care is challenging to predict and one solution involves modelling the uncertain demands on the system. Modelling can help decision-makers understand likely future changes in mental health service demand and more intelligently choose appropriate responses. It can also support greater scrutiny, accountability and transparency of these processes. Australia has an emerging national capacity for systems modelling in mental health which can enhance the next phase of mental health reform. This paper introduces concepts useful for understanding mental health modelling and identifies where modelling approaches can support health service planners to make evidence-informed decisions regarding planning and investment for the Australian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional approaches to system management are not suited to highly uncertain conditions. Hard system approaches with a top‐down management approach are often used to manage well‐defined systems that are not easily able to cope with uncertainty. Soft system approaches of the with bottom‐up or participative style may cause a lack of conformance to industry standards. Few studies have investigated these approaches within the context of COVID‐19 pandemic. Therefore, this paper aims to use the philosophy of Total Systems Intervention to investigate the applicability of an integrated management approach to cope with the uncertainty of COVID‐19. Three different countries from Europe, Oceania and Asia are selected as typical case studies to clarify the strengths and weaknesses of differing management approaches. The case studies demonstrate that using an integrated management approach can potentially assist decision‐makers to deal with crises and conclusively reveal the superiority of the integrated approach, independent of cultural milieu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The translation of official personal documents is widely needed and practised. As people migrate physically or virtually for employment and other purposes, millions of personal documents are translated and submitted to public administrations and private companies. This is also one of the areas of translation that is most regulated around the world, with translators often required to sit a test, demonstrate relevant qualifications, and/or be sworn in by the relevant ministry or administration. However, the confidential nature of the source documents often implies that the quality of the corresponding translations can only be assessed by the clients themselves or the institutional staff who process the applications and cases. In this paper, we assess the quality and integrity features of a corpus of translated official personal documents collected in Australia. While the analysis shows a high standard overall, it also reveals areas for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments frequently develop policies that are strategic in nature. Strategic issues at the national level are those requiring long timeframes for impact, coordinated approaches across multiple tiers of government, are cross-sectoral, and require systemic approaches to design and implementation. Yet the process of how national strategic polices are developed and implemented in Australia is unclear, and largely unattended in the literature. This paper provides a foundation to understanding the characteristics of strategic polices and approaches to their development. Five national policies are compared (National Competition Policy, National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development, the Strategic Roadmap for Australian Research Infrastructure, Australia in the Asian Century, and the National Food Plan) and discussed. An analytical framework is constructed and key attributes of strategic policy identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper conceptualises think tanks and edu-businesses in relation to education policy work in the Australian polity. It situates the enhanced influence of both in relation to the restructured state, which has lost some key capacities in relation to the generation of research and ideas for policy. This restructuring has been strongly influenced by the techniques of new public management, the auditing of education through national and international testing and new forms of network governance, which have opened up spaces for the increased influence of think tanks and edu-businesses across the policy cycle in education. We see here the workings of a 'polycentric state'. The paper also considers changing concepts of 'evidence', 'expertise' and 'influence' in respect of the involvement of think tanks and edu-businesses in circulating policy ideas and affecting policy development in Australian education. This introduction to this special issue of The Australian Educational Researcher serves as a provocation to further research on this new policy scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Governments have historically offered their workforce a public service bargain founded on stable pay and conditions and job security. However, while the Westminster system aims for public service employment to be protected from the whims of government, public servants are nonetheless affected by the political environment in which they operate and changes to this bargain can occur with a new government. This paper focuses on a Queensland public service change process that resulted in large‐scale forced redundancies, non‐renewal of temporary contracts, and legislative changes that nullified the provisions in job security, organisational change, and redundancy policies. Using communication as a lens through which to understand leadership, it examines how the government communicated with the public service about this organisational change, immediately before and after the 2012 election. In particular, through analysis of public and media commentary, speeches and Hansard records, it examines Premier Newman's change leadership and communication by contrasting pre‐election messages to the public service with post‐election messages about the public service and the justifications for change during this period of downsizing. This analysis is used to reflect on political leadership, communication, fair treatment, and trust in public service change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper provides a knowledge‐based perspective to understanding public value management (PVM). As distinct from other approaches to public administration, PVM focuses on collaborative capacity building for the creation of public value. To develop the notion of PVM further, we explore the role of a knowledge‐based strategy in a case study of change implementation in 18 disability service organisations in Western Australia. Our findings show important inter‐relationships between knowledge management strategy, adopting a person‐centred approach to service provision, and sustainability of change implementation. We discuss the implications of the study for disability sector change management and for the further exploration of the strategic role of knowledge management capabilities in the study and practice of PVM in public sector administration. The paper explores the relationship between an organisation's knowledge capture and sharing systems and processes and its ability to implement change in a way that generates long‐term benefits for both public sector employees (e.g., engaging with key stakeholders to generate innovative solutions for serving client needs) and clients (i.e., increased well‐being through better service design and support). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper examines the use of evidence in collaborative policy making focusing on the challenges of implementing national decarbonisation policies in regional areas. Its case study of a staged policy intervention to promote the ‘transition to a low carbon economy’ in Victoria's coal‐dependent Latrobe Valley reveals the selective use of evidence to support policy directions that emerged from the interaction of policy knowledge and the political mood. The paper shows how local conditions can be manipulated to enable the production of evidence consistent with the policy objective, but also suggests that despite combining orchestrated evidence with customised forms of networked governance, it is not possible to suppress or deflect unresolved political disagreements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we argue for a systems perspective as the theoretical and analytical basis of national innovation ecosystems. Drawing on the system concepts of holism, emergence and open systems features, we analyse the national innovation ecosystems of Australia and Singapore. The analysis of national innovation ecosystems is based on five dimensions of policies: human capital investment and the availability of professional labour, infrastructure, private–public sector collaboration, support for funding and commercialization and innovation corporate culture. We find both countries' national innovation ecosystems to have aspects of holism, emergence and being open systems; however, the extent of these features varies between the two countries in terms of the five dimensions of national innovation policies that we focus on. The paper provides implications for theory and practice particularly for policymakers to consider systems perspective in order to properly design and also gain benefits from national innovation ecosystems. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although talent management is acknowledged for its role in building competitive advantage, very little research has examined the factors that influence the success of talent management programmes at an individual level. In this paper we explore participant experiences (n = 68) from two public sector 'fast track' graduate development programmes, one in the UK and one in Australia. Drawing on psychological contract theory we examine how talent management programmes shape individual expectations and how these expectations influence participant experiences and evaluations of the programme. Our findings highlight the role of both talent management strategy and talent management implementation as well as factors external to the organisation, (such as employer brand and the influence of family and friends), in shaping expectations. Our analysis highlights the impact of multiple agents, particularly line managers, in the ongoing development and fulfilment of the 'graduate psychological contract'. At a practical level, we argue that organisations need to manage expectations by more explicitly communicating what will, or will not, be offered in a graduate fast-track programme. We also suggest that organisations need to consider the importance of line managers in the implementation of talent management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of palliative care is to relieve suffering. Opioids are an essential part of the pharmacological options required to address suffering by helping to relieve the pain and chronic breathlessness that may be experienced by someone with a life-limiting illness. This paper considers the recent history and current issues of the 'opioid crisis' providing recommendations to which regulatory and peak bodies can work with the Australian government, ensuring consistent adherence to WHO guidelines maintaining access to evidence based opioid management for palliative care patients whilst actively avoiding unintended suffering restricted access can cause. The recommendations are as follows: Review of the Palliative Care schedule of the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme Support of prescribers with current evidence, clinical practice guidelines and regulatory frameworks National opioid prescribing policies promoting linkages between palliative care and pain and addiction specialists. National real time monitoring of all opioid prescriptions Palliative care involvement in all opioids stewardship programs in acute services. Reform Medical Benefits Schedule to improve access for primary and other speciality practitioners to provide palliative care services. Compulsory palliative care education in undergraduate medical, nursing and allied health tertiary courses. Adequate, consistent stock of evidence based opioids for palliative care in community pharmacies and residential aged care facilities. These recommendations provide the regulatory guidance required to ensure persons with life limiting illness have continued access to safe and effective medication that can relieve suffering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information technologies have been important in the emergence of new forms of control and surveillance of welfare recipients and of those who administer labour market programmes. These technologies have often appeared at the margins of accounts of welfare reform, for example as means of increasing the efficiency or consistency of services, or as constraining frontline discretion. Henman has argued, however, that information technologies need to be analysed not just as administrative tools, but as "non‐human actors," shaping policy development and implementation in ways beyond the intentions of their human creators (Henman, Governing Electronically: E‐government and the Reconfiguration of Public Administration, Policy and Power, Palgrave MacMillan). This paper explores the way that the use of government information systems has shaped employment services in remote Australia where over 80 per cent of those included are Indigenous people. The article describes how the production and use of administrative data within employment services have supported and extended the framing of Indigenous people in remote communities as non‐compliant and as needing external direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of commissioning is starting to gain traction in the Australian health system. Primary Care Networks began operations in July 2015 with a remit around commissioning health services. Despite the centrality of this concept, we know relatively little about commissioning in Australia. Other systems have experimented with it for some time, and this paper reviews the evidence and lessons inherent within the international literature. The study defines commissioning, and explores experiences of others who have adopted commissioning approaches and the evidence concerning the outcomes of these experiments. Commissioning is a difficult topic in many senses and its application to a complex area such as health reform can make it even more challenging. Ultimately, this evidence suggests that commissioning is more than simply a technical or operational process, but one that is value-based and relational. This is not to downplay the technical aspects, which in many jurisdictions have resulted in explicit and evidenced-based approaches to planning and priority setting. However, if new commissioning organisations, such as Primary Health Networks, are to have an impact, they need to balance the operational and relational elements of commissioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Commonwealth's periodic attempts at housing and urban policy reform since the 1940s have been made in the face of a federal structure that allocates responsibility for such matters to the states. This paper explores the experience of federal governments since the 1940s, considering the various styles of political leadership, varying ways in which the problem has been framed, and differing policy settings that have been employed in resolving policy challenges. The historical narrative clarifies phases of active engagement and reaction, linking these to fiscal asymmetry and distribution of federal--state responsibilities, historical 'gateway' events, and transitions in policy paradigms. We argue that housing is a perpetual concern (both a basic need and an aspirational objective) and is so integrally related to other policy domains--in which decisions may have unintended consequences for housing--that it is never conclusively resolved. The complexity (and uncertainty) consequent upon these inter-relationships ensures that housing remains a wicked problem. The visual metaphor of a complexity cascade, however, may assist a more nuanced appreciation of the direction of policy travel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective: Out-of-pocket costs strongly affect patient adherence with medicines. For asthma, guidelines recommend that most patients should be prescribed regular low-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) alone, but in Australia most are prescribed combination ICS–long-acting β2-agonists (LABA), which cost more to patients and government. The present qualitative study among general practitioners (GPs) explored the acceptability, and likely effect on prescribing, of lower patient copayments for ICS alone. Methods: Semistructured telephone interviews were conducted with 15 GPs from the greater Sydney area; the interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed. Results: GPs reported that their main criteria for selecting medicines were appropriateness and effectiveness. They did not usually discuss costs with patients, had low awareness of out-of-pocket costs and considered that these were seldom prohibitive for asthma patients. GPs strongly believed that patient care should not be compromised to reduce cost to government. They favoured ICS–LABA combinations over ICS alone because they perceived that ICS–LABA combinations enhanced adherence and reduced costs for patients. GPs did not consider that lower patient copayments for ICS alone would affect their prescribing. Conclusion: The results suggest that financial incentives, such as lower patient copayments, would be unlikely to encourage GPs to preferentially prescribe ICS alone, unless accompanied by other strategies, including evidence for clinical effectiveness. GPs should be encouraged to discuss cost barriers to treatment with patients when considering treatment choices. What is known about the topic?: Australian guidelines recommend that most patients with asthma should be treated with low-dose ICS alone to minimise symptom burden and risk of flare ups. However, most patients in Australian general practice are instead prescribed combination ICS–LABA preventers, which are indicated if asthma remains uncontrolled despite treatment with ICS alone. It is not known whether GPs are aware that the combination preventers have a higher patient copayment and a higher cost to government. What does this paper add?: This qualitative study found that GPs favoured combination ICS–LABA inhalers over ICS alone because they perceived ICS–LABA combinations to have greater effectiveness and promote patient adherence. This aligned with GPs' views that their primary responsibility was patient care rather than generating cost savings for government. However, it emerged that GPs rarely discussed medicine costs with patients, had low knowledge of medicine costs to patients and the health system and reported that patients rarely volunteered cost concerns. GPs believed that lower patient copayments for asthma preventer medicines would have little effect on their prescribing practices. What are the implications for practitioners?: This study suggests that, when considering asthma treatment choices, GPs should empathically explore with the patient whether cost-related medication underuse is an issue, and should be aware of the option of lower out-of-pocket costs with guideline-recommended ICS alone treatment. Policy makers must be aware that differential patient copayments for ICS preventer medicines are unlikely to act as an incentive for GPs to preferentially prescribe ICS alone preventers, unless the position of these preventers in guidelines and evidence for their clinical effectiveness are also reiterated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In the context of global new public management reform trends and the associated phenomenon of performance auditing (PA), the purpose of this paper is to explore the rise of performance audit in Australia and examines its focus across audit jurisdictions and the role key stakeholders play in driving its practice. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopts a multi-jurisdictional analysis of PA in Australia to explore its scale and focus, drawing on the theoretical tools of Goffman. Documentary analysis and interview methods are employed. Findings: Performance audit growth has continued but not always consistently over time and across audit jurisdictions. Despite auditor discourse concerning backstage performance audit intentions being strongly focussed on evaluating programme outcomes, published front stage reports retain a strong control focus. While this appears to reflect Auditors-General (AGs) reluctance to critique government policy, nonetheless there are signs of direct and indirectly recursive relationships emerging between AGs and parliamentarians, the media and the public. Research limitations/implications: PA merits renewed researcher attention as it is now an established process but with ongoing variability in focus and stakeholder influence. Social implications: As an audit technology now well-embedded in the public sector accountability setting, it offers potential insights into matters of local, state and national importance for parliament and the public, but exhibits variable underlying drivers, agendas and styles of presentation that have the capacity to enhance or detract from the public interest. Originality/value: Performance audit emerges as a complex practice deployed as a mask by auditors in managing their relationship with key stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cloud computing is gaining increasing interest as an enabling technology for improved productivity, efficiency and cost reduction. It also has the potential to add value to reliability and scalability of organisation’s systems, which would allow organisations to better focus on their core business and strategies. This research paper aimed at exploring the perceived potential for value creation from cloud computing in Australian Regional Governments. Using the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework, the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory and Desires Framework (DF), a conceptual research model is devised. The key identified factors that are likely to influence adoption of cloud computing are identified along with the implications to current policies, anticipated benefits and challenges of adoption of cloud computing. The research employed a qualitative approach involving 21 in-depth interviews with Australian local councils’ IT managers. The findings of this research are mapped to the research model factors, thereby presenting and validating a number of value-adding concepts that are expected to contribute to investment decisions on cloud computing adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This manuscript delves into the intricate connection between climate change and Indigenous mental health in Australia, with a focus on the aftermath of the defeat of the 'Voice' referendum. Climate change, recognized for its broad impact on mental health determinants, poses heightened risks to vulnerable communities, including Indigenous populations. The defeat of 'The Voice' referendum adds complexity, highlighting concerns about the lack of meaningful rights for the First Peoples of Australia. The bushfires further underscore ecological consequences, affecting Indigenous ecosystems and intensifying existing environmental challenges. Climate change exacerbates existing health challenges for Indigenous peoples, introducing new issues like ecological sorrow and anxiety. Methodology: The manuscript advocates for prioritized research in Indigenous communities to explore the link between climate change and mental health. It emphasizes interdisciplinary and collaborative research, giving voice to those directly affected by climate change. The lack of trust between Indigenous populations and authorities, along with the implications on self-determination, is crucial research focus. Results: Renewable energy emerges as a potential solution deeply ingrained in Indigenous practices. The manuscript discusses challenges in achieving eco-friendly resettlement, emphasizing collaboration difficulties between the government and remote communities. The indigenous worldview, with its interconnectedness, is crucial for sustainable strategies. Discussion and Future Directions: Indigenous perspectives on planetary health are crucial, emphasizing the importance of Indigenous knowledge in shaping effective climate policies. The manuscript stresses dialogues between policymakers and Indigenous elders for formulating respectful land laws. It calls for global attention to the role of Indigenous peoples as biodiversity caretakers and urges recognition of their knowledge in climate change. Future directions include data collection for ecosystem protection, improving mental health outcomes post-climate events, and supporting impacted communities. Mental health care approaches in remote communities and practitioner training for climate-related issues are emphasized. The manuscript calls for increased funding for interdisciplinary research to understand the long-term impact of climate change on mental health, especially among vulnerable populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The concept of "health security" is often used to motivate public health responses, yet the ethical values that underpin this concept remain largely unexamined. The recent Australian responses to COVID-19 serve as an important case study by which we can analyse the pre-existing literature to see what ethical values shaped, and continue to shape, Australia's response. Methods We conducted a critical interpretive literature review of academic and grey literatures within key databases, resulting in 2,220 sources. After screening for duplicates and relevance, we analysed ninety-six sources. Results First, risk and uncertainty are a leading focus, with a heavy concentration on risks to life and health. Second, free movement, safety, and security were recurringly emphasized, albeit narrowly focused upon the safety of the population. Third, legitimacy was a recurring theme, and it is here that discussions of "health security" figured highly. Conclusion Discussions of harm from government and associated official bodies fail to adequately distinguish between various senses of harm. Moreover, while the literature often discusses the balancing of rights, the steps involved in the weighing of these rights is rarely adequately explained and defended. We suggest that decision-makers should endeavour to clearly identify and defend the values undergirding their decisions in the public sphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been little discussion or analysis regarding how integrity agencies work together. This paper looks at Western Australian watchdog collaboration activities in the context of concerns raised by senior judicial and political figures. Issues addressed include whether such collaborative activities impinge on the independence of watchdogs, impede their ability to oversight each other, and whether such activities take them beyond their legislative remit. Analysis of practice revealed a wide array of collaboration activities of varying intensity. It was found that such collaboration enhanced watchdog effectiveness while the concerns expressed appeared over-stated. The analysis identified precautions required to protect watchdog independence and ensure accountability for collaborative activities, including steps to recognize and remove barriers to greater collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In 2015, the Australian Government's Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) assessment of research quality declined to rate 1.5 per cent of submissions from universities. The public debate focused on practices of gaming or 'coding errors' within university submissions as the reason for this outcome. The issue was about the in/appropriate allocation of research activities to Fields of Research. This paper argues that such practices are only part of the explanation. With the support of statistical modelling, unrated outcomes are shown to laave also arisen from particular evaluation practices within the discipline of Psychology and the associated Medical and Health Sciences Research Evaluation Committee. Given the high stakes nature of unrated outcomes and that the evaluation process breaches public administration principles by being not appealable nor appropriately transparent, the paper concludes with recommendations for the strengthening ERA policy and procedures to enhance trust in future ERA processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National and jurisdictional governments are increasingly using commissioning in health and community services. This includes the devolution of functions such as service planning, resource allocation, and regionalised approaches to intake and service delivery, to non-government organisations. The aims of this paper are to reflect on the experiences of commissioning as a not-for-profit health provider, and to identify some important early lessons. This analysis highlights the importance of a rights-based approach in which consumers, carers and communities actively participate in the design, implementation and evaluation of service systems, not just individual service needs; and that pays special attention to the most disadvantaged and the most vulnerable. The mechanisms and approaches used by cohealth to implement these principles are described. Service users need to be supported to develop advocacy capacity individually and collectively, in order to make informed choices about their own service needs and about the system more broadly, to ensure accessible and appropriate services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on interviews conducted between 2010 and 2013 with senior officials involved in Australian federal environmental policies over the past 30 years. It examines whether they have a prior sense of whether an environment policy is likely to succeed and their experience of the key factors driving environment policy success. Most interviewees claimed a strong prior sense of policy outcomes, but their expression of the key factors indicating success (consultation, clear objectives, a clear mandate, and a strong evidence base) varies from the usual emphases found in the public policy literature. The research illuminates the ways in which the policy officials at times exert a greater role than that suggested by the Westminster conventions or the policy theory literature. Not emphasised in the literature, yet pivotal for success in the vexed space of environmental policy, was the self-directed yet at times skilful policy 'agency' exhibited by officials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research and practice have observed a shift towards service-oriented approaches that depend on input from citizens as co-producers of services. Yet in the delivery of public infrastructure the focus is still on managing assets rather than services. Using a Policy Delphi approach, we found that although experts advocate service-centric approaches guidelines and policies lack a service-centric perspective. Findings revealed a range of impediments to effective stakeholder involvement. The paper contributes to co-production and new public governance literature and offers directions for public infrastructure decision-makers to support and reconnect disengaged government–citizen relations, and determine ways of understanding optimal service outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural pressures confronting the federal budget are well documented. Given the political risks associated with reducing the federal deficit by either increasing taxes or reining in expenditure at a national level, the Commonwealth has outlined its intention to freeze (in real terms) tied grants to the states from 2017. If implemented, this strategy will see Commonwealth transfers to the states decline from a peak of 29% of federal expenditure in 2001 to a projected 21% in 2024. Cost shifting on this scale is unprecedented in the Australian federation and arguably heralds a new era of 'fend-for-yourself federalism'. The potential significance of this move is exacerbated by the current budgetary context and the concurrent reviews of the national tax system and Australian federation. This article presents an analysis of tax and funding reform options available to the states that could bolster own-source revenues and fill the funding gap left by the Commonwealth while enhancing the efficiency of the national tax system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With over 50 inquiries in 75 years, Australian communities continue to suffer from the impact of extreme events whether fires, floods, cyclones, or other emergencies. Einstein is reported to have said 'Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results'. The insanity may not lie in responding to fires and emergencies the same way, and facing another tragedy, but in reviewing these events in the same way and expecting the quasi-judicial process to identify how to prevent the next one. This paper argues that it is time to do the post-event review in a different way and suggests some possible options for new approaches to learning lessons from tragedy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses how effectively local government in Australia performs its functions as a key element of subnational governance. Service delivery and local democracy are identified as the core functions of local government. The analysis takes into account paradigms of public administration, democracy and management, the public organization, accountability and capacity. The concept of ‘capacity' brings together many of the issues discussed in this paper. Questions of capacity relate to whether local governments are effectively performing their institutional functions, how they do so with regard to principles of good governance, and whether the dimensions of their capacity can be reformed if there was the need to meet additional demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telecommunications forms a part of every aspect of our lives. This paper looks at mobile telecommunications infrastructure (TI) and how it impacts visually on the urban landscape from a planning perspective. First, the impact of low-impact and non low-impact TI on the build environment. This includes examples of differences types of TI. Also, current trends in Western Australia in terms of the planning approval process, and specifically, the accumulative effect of low-impact TI on the streetscape. Second, ways in which local and state governments can more proactively and effectively deal with TI by enabling site specific design outcomes that reduce the visual clutter of TI on the skyline. In addition, how do we deal with existing TI that may be considered urban blight? How do we encourage carriers to remove and/or redesign these existing TI? How can existing legislation be improved to enable best practice in the deployment of TI? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]