Writer
Andrew Podger
Andrew Podger is honorary Professor of Public Policy at The Australian National University, and former Australian Public Service Commissioner and Secretary of the Departments of Health and Aged Care, Housing and Regional Development, and Administrative Services. He was national president of the Institute of Public Administration Australia from 2004 to 2010, and a member of the foundation board of the Australian and New Zealand School of Government. He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2004, and has written extensively on social policy including health financing, retirement incomes and tax and social security, and on public administration.
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Tax cuts and JobSeeker – a different view
There is understandable disappointment that the Government did not do more to improve the adequacy of JobSeeker, with many highlighting how this could have been done by scrapping the Stage 3 tax cuts. But the revenues from scrapping Stage 3 are not as great as most commentators suggest; and, though the Budget’s welfare measures provide Continue reading »
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A comprehensive approach to APS values and codes of conduct
In a recent submission to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s (PM&C’s) public service reform team, Paddy Gourley, Helen Williams and I support stronger action to improve the capability of the APS and its standing as an institution, but do not support adding ‘stewardship’ to the APS Values. Stewardship is a responsibility of ministers Continue reading »
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Super tax concessions don’t cost $45 billion a year and won’t cost more than the pension
You may have read this week that Australia’s super tax breaks are excessively generous (“well beyond any plausible purpose”) and that their costs unsustainable. Continue reading »
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Fixing APS remuneration will be a long journey
Katy Gallagher’s recent rejection of an ATO supported pay increase was entirely justified if the Government is to move away from agency-based remuneration to an APS-wide approach. Continue reading »
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Media professional standards test falls short. Will the government act?
Treasury may consider the news media professional standards test is adequate, but hopefully the Communications Minister Michelle Rowland and her department think differently. Continue reading »
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Action on the Jenkins Report: good progress on behaviour, but more needed on institutional issues
It is now a year since the Jenkins Report on parliamentary standards was published. With the release last week of the Final Report of the Joint Select Committee on Parliamentary Standards with its proposed codes of conduct, and the Review of the MOP(S) Act by PM&C reporting earlier in November, we now have the wherewithal Continue reading »
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Whitlam strengthened the public service. Can Albanese do the same?
The Whitlam government fostered a great strengthening of the public service and its policy capacity. Sadly, much of that has been lost with the excessive political controls of more recent governments. Can the Albanese Government reverse some of the decline? Continue reading »
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The Bell report: another mark against the APS leadership
The APS needs leadership that acknowledges the failures of recent years and reminds everyone, from top to bottom, that it is there to serve not only the Government but also the Parliament and the Australian public. Continue reading »
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Matching pay and responsibilities: are secretaries paid too much?
As the Government begins the difficult task of repairing the Australian Public Service (APS) pay and classification system, it also needs to change the membership of the Remuneration Tribunal then ask it to review secretaries’ pay having greater regard for their public sector roles and responsibilities. For too long the Tribunal has relied upon private Continue reading »
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An opportunity to clarify parliamentary roles and responsibilities
The Joint Select Committee on Parliamentary Standards has been charged with developing a code or codes of conduct for people working in the Parliament. While the context is to address the bullying and harassment behaviour revealed by the Jenkins Report, the Committee also has the opportunity to articulate through values statements and codes of conduct Continue reading »
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The Budget and the APS
The budget papers reveal considerable action to progress the Albanese Government’s APS reforms recently set out by Katy Gallagher. However, not all of the budget measures are clear yet, some are questionable and there remain important measures still to be pursued. Continue reading »
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NSW Inquiry into Trade Commissioner appointment has lessons beyond NSW
The former NSW Public Service Commissioner, Graeme Head, provided the Premier with a most carefully considered report on the processes leading to John Barilaro’s appointment as Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner. Continue reading »
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Politicisation in Australia – A problem that crosses jurisdictions and parties
The striking evidence of politicisation of public services in Queensland, NSW and Victoria, after the evidence about the Commonwealth, demonstrates that the problem is pervasive across Australian jurisdictions and is not restricted to one side of politics. Continue reading »
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The Gaetjens’ valedictory
I do not know the former Secretary of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Phil Gaetjens personally, but others who do and whose judgment I respect have long told me of his competence as both an economist and a manager. Continue reading »
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Reforming the MOP(S) Act and the conduct of ministerial advisers
While the introduction of the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act back in 1984 did thwart an attempt at the time to allow political appointments into the APS and regularised the employment arrangements for the growing numbers of staff of ministers and MPs, the Act has not been reviewed since. Continue reading »
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New Heads of Departments in Canberra
The appointments announced by the Prime Minister on Wednesday 22 June seem mostly sensible, offering the APS a more professional leadership which can both provide strong support for the Government and demonstrate its impartiality in its policy advising and management of programs. Continue reading »
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The Administrative Arrangements Order of the Albanese Government-a curate’s egg
The Albanese ministry and Administrative Arrangements Order represent a considerable improvement on the structures the Morrison Government used, but they could have been much better. Continue reading »
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Next steps: governing well
The Prime Minister elect made a couple of important comments on Saturday night that indicate the early steps he plans to take to begin governing. Continue reading »
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Addressing democracy’s international decline
The theme of the American Society for Public Administration’s annual conference in March was ‘Democracy under Threat’. This was in response not only to troubles in the US but to falling appreciation of democratic principles in other Western countries and the rise of authoritarianism elsewhere. Continue reading »
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If I were the minister for the public service in a new government
Improving the capability of the APS, and making best use of it, is the responsibility of all ministers with the Prime Minister being responsible for setting the overall climate. Continue reading »
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Rebuilding Australian Public Service capability – Part 2
This two-part article sets out the main measures a new Labor Government should take to rebuild the capability of the APS which would not represent a partisan agenda but could attract broad support from the Parliament. Continue reading »
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Rebuilding capability in the Australian Public Service – Part 1
In an article last December I commented on the final report of the Senate Public Administration and Finance References Committee inquiry into the current capability of the APS. Continue reading »
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PM&C is damaging the integrity and reputation of the public service
At the heart of Senator Rex Patrick’s attack on a senior public servant was a call for the public service to be more independent and impartial. Continue reading »
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Australia doesn’t need a royal commission to fix its broken media
A disappointing media diversity report was predictable and largely unhelpful. Here is how to address the genuine problems with the Australian media. Continue reading »
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Partisanship undermines another opportunity for APS reform
A Senate committee’s report on public service capability is not without merit, but the prospect of significant progress is hampered by political motivations. Continue reading »
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Frank and fearless? The insidious politicisation of the public service
Public servants’ independence continues to be eroded by the use of consultants, closer control of communications and weakening of checks and balances. Continue reading »
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Journalism needs more than better protection, it needs better standards
Nearly a decade since two separate reviews recommended an overhaul of media regulation, neither recommendation has been implemented. Continue reading »
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Nuclear submarines: We don’t know the costs and we don’t know the risks
The nuclear submarine deal with the US and the UK upends Australia’s carefully thought out forward planning in defence, without a clear explanation to the nation of the ramifications. Continue reading »
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Fix the means test for a consumer-friendly retirement income system
Australia’s retirement income system needs reform to make it more secure and user friendly. Continue reading »
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Our Democracy Needs Serious Reform
The Australian Government may be right to express concerns about China’s recent domestic and international behaviour under President Xi Jinping. But claims of having superior democratic values might have more credibility if the Government understood and genuinely upheld them. Continue reading »
