Poor Decisions, Compliant Management and Reactive Change: The Public Sector in 2003

Abstract

Reviewing the public sector during 2003 highlighted how 'reform' as a strategy for public sector change no longer occupied the same centre stage as it did during the 1970s and 1980s. 'Reform' was then a major issue on the policy agenda and governments spent considerable time and effort outlining their visions for public sector change and devoting resources to its implementation. By contrast, during 2003 at both Commonwealth and state levels there was almost a total absence of the rhetoric of 'reform' in explaining or prompting administrative changes. It has almost disappeared as a major policy issue. Rather, public sector change has been subsumed under a host of other policy agendas like defence and national security, economic management, industrial relations, energy and transport issues, tax and competition issues.