Organisation for Sustainability

Abstract

This article addresses the organisation design of government agencies to facilitate sustainability and the statutory mechanisms needed to implement sustainability. Using sustainability as a purpose for the basis of organisation design, and considering task interdependence and differentiation, appropriate organisation structures for achieving sustainability are proposed. Types of market failure that lead to unsustainable outcomes are identified—tragedy of the commons, unpriced public assets, externalities and free riders. To correct for market failure, legislative provisions for management mechanisms to achieve sustainability are needed. Legislation in Western Australia is reviewed in terms of its ability to deliver sustainability. Achievement of sustainability also requires monitoring and evaluation on the progress towards sustainable outcomes. The role of the National Land and Water Resources Audit in contributing to sustainability in water resource management is noted. It is concluded that there is a need for a wide-ranging review of institutional arrangements with respect to organisation design, management mechanisms and legislative provisions to identify changes that are needed to achieve sustainability and subsequently the adoption and implementation of these changes.