The Australian experience of public sector reform.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Commonwealth Secretariat.

Series:

Country profiles series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Public administration--Australia.

Public administration.

Civil service--Australia.

Civil service.

Civil service reform.

Australia.

Australia--Politics and government--1945-.

Politics and government.

Civil service reform--Australia.

Physical Description:

ix, 166 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Other Title:

Cover title: Profile of the public service of Australia : current good practices and new developments in public service management

Place of Publication:

London, UK : Commonwealth Secretariat, [2003?]

Summary:

Public sector reform has moved on apace since the first of the Commonwealth Public Service Country Profile Series was launched in 1995 when the principles of New Public Management (NPM) were in an early stage of adoption. Since then, the various civil services described in the series have undergone radical change in scope, organization and approach rendering a revision timely. Now up dated and completely revised, these re-issued Country Profiles continue to be an accessible and valuable source of reference which attempt to both describe and analyze the often tumultuous and controversial public sector reforms which have taken place in contributing countries since 1995. Practicing bureaucrats, diplomats, political and academic audiences will find these new books invaluable in benchmarking best practice in public sector reform across Commonwealth member countries.

Contents:

1 The Constitutional and Government Framework 1

The Structure of Government 3

Government Revenue and Expenditure 8

Inter-governmental Relations 13

2 Legislating for the Public Service 16

The Federal Public Service Act 17

The Workplace Relations Act 24

Financial Management Legislation 25

Other Relevant Legislation 25

Similarity and Change 27

3 Public Service Reviews 28

Royal Commission Inquiry 28

Review of Commonwealth Functions 30

Review of Commonwealth Administration 30

Public Service Reform Act 1984 31

Public Service Act Review Group 32

A New Reform Agenda 32

State and Territory Public Sector Reviews 33

4 Staffing the Public Service 36

Size and Shape of the APS 36

Devolution and the APS Values 39

Staffing the Service through Merit 39

Categories of Employee 43

Workplace Diversity 45

Workforce Planning 50

Performance Management 51

Remuneration, Rewards and Performance Pay 53

Termination of Employment 55

Review of Action 57

Whistleblowing 57

5 Leadership 59

Promoting Better Management 59

Agency Heads 60

Senior Executive Service 62

Leadership Development 67

6 Financial Reforms and Accountability 74

Legislating for Financial Management 75

Budgetary Reforms 79

Financial Management Reforms 85

Strengthening Accountability 92

Risk Management 94

Parliamentary Scrutiny 98

7 Structural Reform 105

Improving Strategic Planning and Use of Business Plans 106

Commercialisation and Choice 108

Structures for Delivery of Government Services 109

Competition and Contestability 109

Corporatisation 111

Outsourcing and Contracting Out 113

Privatisation 116

Private Financing 118

Purchaser/Provider Arrangements 120

The Regulators as Protectors of Public Interest 122

Regulatory Controls 124

Increasing Productivity 126

8 Service Delivery 130

Customer Service 131

Public Involvement in Policy Development 143

9 Challenges 151

The Changing Structure of Government 151

The Changing Environment of Policy Making 153

Performance and Organisational Capability 157

Devolution and Accountability 158

Whole-of-government 159

A Unified Public Service Defined by Values 162

Appendix The APS Values 165.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

0850927064

OCLC:

55505003