Restoring trust and integrity in the Australian Public Service requires tackling the corrosive effects of past politicisation (secretary contracts) and externalisation (professional consultants) that have undermined capacity and independence, as highlighted by the Royal Commission on Robodebt fiasco, and parliamentary committee revelations around the extensive engagement of major consulting firms.

Former public service commissioner Andrew Podger AO, former head of many federal departments and currently Professor of Public policy, Australian National University, discusses these dynamics and the path to reform, long required and well understood but only hesitatingly addressed by governments.

For more on this topic P&I recommends:

https://publish.pearlsandirritations.com/restoring-integrity-to-the-australian-public-service/