Today
- Exclusive
- Research
Aussie innovators pushed to focus on five ‘missions’
New priorities, outlined by Science Minister Ed Husic, include the net zero transition, supporting healthy communities and “elevating” Indigenous knowledge systems.
- Updated
- Tom Burton
This Month
- Analysis
- Government Observed
Hybrid working mishmash for 1.7m government workers across Australia
The NSW government’s push for public servants to work from their offices has left a jumble of work arrangements for the nation’s largest employers.
- Tom Burton
NSW to lease more offices for public servants ordered back
NSW is ready to lease extra office space after declaring it was time to end pandemic work-from-home conditions for its 80,000 public servants.
- Tom Burton
- Analysis
- Government Observed
Five projects to fix Australia’s productivity woes
The answer to the nation’s sagging productivity is staring us in the face says former NSW minister Victor Dominello.
- Tom Burton
July
- Analysis
- Government Observed
Tech meltdown revealed a fundamental flaw in plain sight
The global CrowdStrike breakdown revealed just how much of the global IT system is built on inherently unsafe code.
- Tom Burton
Senate urged to pass NDIS bill to get reforms back on track
Disability advocates have called for reforms to the NDIS to be passed despite protests that some recommendations could be catastrophic for the severely disabled.
- Tom Burton
- Opinion
- Canberra Observed
Middle Australia is indeed the lucky country
A suite of new data sources has enabled the Productivity Commission to revise its measure of economic mobility. The result surprised everyone.
- Tom Burton
- Exclusive
- Biosecurity
Avian flu surveillance to be upped amid fears of spring outbreaks
A $7 million package of federal initiatives is to be rolled out to prepare for possible outbreaks of the highly dangerous H5N1 avian flu strain
- Tom Burton
Surge in NDIS top-up claims costing $5.5m a day
The number of NDIS participants seeking unscheduled top-ups has jumped by 50 per cent as landmark reforms to control galloping costs are stalled in the Senate
- Tom Burton
Small consulting firms to get a leg-up from new Canberra rules
An overhaul to federal government procurement rules means agencies must now seek quotes from at least one small firm when seeking consultancy services.
- Tom Burton
June
Salesforce slammed for lavish gifts, meals with NDIA
The business software giant spent thousands on golf games, high-end meals and gifts for public servants while managing a $135 million contract.
- Tom McIlroy
Men still winning the best-paid federal jobs
The Commonwealth public sector leads the private sector on gender equity, but women still earn $19,000 less on average.
- Tom Burton
Fights over pay rises challenge a bold prediction in NSW budget
A $10.7 billion windfall from soaring property taxes will pay for more public servants but won’t stop NSW posting deficits for nine straight years and risking its AAA credit rating.
- Updated
- John Kehoe and David Marin-Guzman
Consultants to lose $5.76b of UK government work
Public sector consultants are under attack in the UK, following a pullback on their use by the Australian government.
- Simon Foy
- Opinion
- Regulation
The man who made economic rationalism popular
Working out how to lower his household water bill set Professor Tom Parry on the road to lowering prices for electricity, water and transport in NSW.
- Michael Easson
- Updated
- Disability
‘Too late to prosecute’: Fraud rife among NDIS managers
The integrity chief for the NDIS says nine out of 10 plan managers surveyed showed “significant indicators of fraud” including using scheme money for drugs and alcohol.
- Tom Burton
This tiny government office is gunning for the big four
The nascent group says it can’t keep up with demand for its services, and will assist the Defence Department as it sets up its own consulting division.
- Maxim Shanahan
May
They battled blokey workplaces. Now these 33 women enforce the rules
Energy regulator Clare Savage and competition chief Gina Cass-Gottlieb are among 33 women leading Australia’s regulatory bodies, once the domain of male enforcers.
- Tom Burton
Anti-vax claims flood Senate inquiry. Officials say they’re wrong
The ABS, Health Department and actuaries say there is no evidence to support claims there were more deaths from non-COVID causes due to government vaccine mandates during the pandemic.
- Tom Burton
Crisis-focused Home Affairs fails to prepare for security threats
A review of the $6.3 billion Home Affairs department has found it is too focused on crisis management, and lacks the trust of other key intelligence agencies.
- Tom Burton
