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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]

The following Symposium on Australia's national integrity systems, drawn from an Australian Research Council-funded project conducted in 2002-2004 by researchers from Griffith University, Charles Sturt University, University of Sydney, RMIT University, Monash University and the Australian National University, together with Transparency International Australia. The first three papers examine the public integrity regimes at federal, state (NSW) and local levels. The remaining four papers develop three themes as a framework for assessing strengths and weaknesses in Australia's major integrity regimes: consequences, capacity and coherence. The papers were originally presented in sessions of the Australasian Political Studies Association (University of Adelaide, September 2004) and the 5th National Investigation Symposium (NSW Ombudsman, Independent Commission Against Corruption and Institute of Public Administration Australia NSW, Sydney, November 2004). [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]

Purpose - This paper attempts to replace the understanding of public sector accountability as a linear and hierarchical process with one in which accountability occurs within a network of social relationships. It associates the former approach with the introduction of New Public Management principles in Australian public administration. It investigates the effect of this on the ability of Australia's indigenous people both to access democratic accountability as citizens, and to develop their community organisations as service providers. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is based on field experience with aboriginal community organisations and critical assessment of the literature on this aspect of Australian public administration. Findings - The paper finds that New Public Management approaches in Australian public administration have not led to greater political accountability but the reverse. As a disadvantaged, culturally distinct minority, aboriginal people are the subject of, rather than partners in, accountability regimes which mire their community service organisations in reporting requirements at the expense of practical activity. In some respects Aborigines are dealt with as individual citizen/clients, at other times as a disadvantaged minority group, and third, as culturally distinct polities. Each of these approaches implies different forms of accountability both by Aborigines to the state and by the state to them. Research limitations/implications - This analysis is inherently interpretative rather than exclusively empirical. However, greater efficiency as well as culturally appropriate outcomes can be found by instituting regional regimes of reciprocal accountability. Originality/value - The analysis of developments in public administration is rarely brought to bear on Australian indigenous affairs. [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]

Victoria's Regional Management Forums were established in 2005 to facilitate collaboration between Victorian Government departments and local government in each of Victoria's eight administrative regions. At the time they were established, Regional Management Forums were a pioneering experiment in collaborative governance. Seven years after their establishment, this paper examines the Regional Management Forums to consider how they have evolved, what role they now serve, and what lessons can be learned. This paper finds that Victoria's Regional Management Forums have been able to adapt to an evolving policy and governance context. While not without their challenges, Regional Management Forums have given rise to regional-scale thinking and collaborative relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a practical guide for improving the quality of evidence-based policy. Rather than adopting an approach that gives priority to particular types of research methodologies, this paper argues that evidence drawn from any methodology will improve if standards of transparency and accountability are followed in the process of gathering, analysing, interpreting, and presenting evidence for policy. The papers details what these standards of transparency and accountability mean in practice, how these standards can be achieved, and possible limits to their adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public value theory has had its supporters and critics, with debate about the use of strategic management by public managers and confusion about the meaning of public value. This paper formalises Moore (1995) into a simple theory. That theory introduces the concept of an 'ideal state.' The ideal state is a simple means of describing and analysing public value, using a graphical presentation. In an ideal state roles are clear and public value is optimised. Insights from that ideal state are then applied to a more real world to clarify the nature of public value and to consider the appropriate use of strategic management by public servants. The conclusion is that public value theory provides some justification for strategic management, but the paper also demonstrates the limits to strategic management by officials. [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 article examines several papers relating to public policy schools and programs around the world. According to the author, the paper focused on six emerging programs that had representatives present, including four that usefully supplemented the conference paper's survey of broad trends in Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. In addition, the programs examined have complex relationship with the demand side of policy education. Furthermore, a table showing a descriptive overview of some of the programs discussed is offered.

Whilst often being overshadowed by debate surrounding personal income and consumption taxes, the Howard government has also devoted significant resources to reviewing and reforming business and capital taxation. This paper provides an overview of the Ralph Review of Business Taxation and the Howard government's mixed record when it came to the implementation of the Ralph reforms. Having documented the subsequent changes in corporate income, capital gains and superannuation taxation, the paper analyses their economic impact. The paper concludes with an assessment of the longer term political significance of these changes and asks whether the concessional taxation of capital that has occurred under the Howard government represents a fundamental shift in the basis of Australian taxation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, a significant shift has occurred in regional governance arrangements with the emergence of new forums for the practising of regional leadership. In this paper we provide a critical reading of a recent report on the representation of women in governance in rural and regional Australia as well as a textual analysis of the language in use around the entities reviewed in the report. We first consider women's representation in regional local government. While women have increased their representation in elected positions in this sphere of governance, we argue they continue to occupy a marginal position. We then consider a range of institutions identified as making up the new regional governance arrangements. Our analysis suggests that many of these new governance bodies are modestly staffed and modestly resourced and are expected to facilitate/ coordinate networking activities. We conclude with a caution against viewing women's involvement in new forms of nonmetropolitan governance as symptomatic of a shift in rural and regional gendered power relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Funding of local government systems in Australia has been falling relative to other tiers of government for the past 30 years with various adverse consequences, especially the decline of local government infrastructure. This paper seeks to explain this phenomenon by drawing on two relatively new theoretical strands in the political economy literature; the Australian theory of local government failure and the Wittman model of democratic efficiency. Three explanations are assessed: a traditional public finance perspective, Australian local government failure, and the institutional efficiency of democratic preference revelation. A secondary aim of the paper is to evaluate the implications of the Wittman model for the local government failure paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to determine the appropriateness of a general-purpose financial reporting model derived from a "decision-useful" framework for government departments. Design/methodology/approach - This research in this paper uses a survey methodology to access users of government department general purpose financial reports and is innovative because it has directly studied actual users across the entire public sector. Findings - The findings of this paper indicate that general-purpose financial reports are used to satisfy financial accountability and public accountability rather than decision making - indicative of users having an accountability focus rather than a "decision-useful" focus. This provides systematic empirical evidence against the current financial reporting model used international in the public sector. Research limitations/implications - The paper has important implications for policy makers since the choice of an accounting framework has the capacity to affect the information content of reports - what is reported and how it is measured, and thus have a direct impact on the operations of government. The paper argues that it is crucial that public policy regulators re-examine the financial reports provided to stakeholders. Originality/value - The research in this paper is original in that it has, for the first time, systematically reviewed all of the three elements of the public sector general-purpose financial reporting model as well as directly accessing users. The authors can categorically argue for the abandonment of the model in favour of one, which is better suited to the public sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing pressure being placed on government agencies both in Australia and internationally to act in a more collaborative, integrated manner. Community and welfare programs are being conducted in new "shared" or "whole-of-government" ways, which pose a challenge to traditional models of public sector reporting. Existing accountability mechanisms are designed for vertical accountability relationships, and these are inadequate for horizontal or "networked" accountability across government agencies. This paper uses the case of the Community Renewal Program based in the Queensland state government department to illustrate the problems which arise when reporting on "shared" programs. The paper offers a different approach to improve reporting and accountability for shared programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outcome of the Symposium reported in AJPA 58(1) is said by the convenors to be that there are many different kinds of accountability and that there may be clashes between them. This paper suggests one possible reason is that the Westminster label hides the potential tensions between the increasing demands for accountability, more responsiveness and responsibility, the new public management and the institutional framework. Everyone wishes to cover perceived unmet demands and expectations, providing we remain with basic Westminster as our starting point. The paper suggests that commitment to what we call Westminster is the problem. It restricts understanding of the reality of Australian governance because it is not an uncontested term. Westminster is made to mean whatever the normative stance of the commentator requires. The paper argues that it is an opportune time to answer some basic questions about responsible parliamentary democracy in Australia. [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]