in alignment.[/quote] Smartest thing you have ever said JB particularly when the various State governments can be Labour, Liberal or ones controlled by the Greens. A policy nightmare. Throw in the Commonwealths right to override State laws and you have a right kerfuffle.[/quote] ...and they are all on different medications The point Breda, is that Commonwealth Public Servants work (more or less) to the policy goals of the Commonwealth Minister. The State public servants will work to the goals of the State Ministers. Those goals will not always be in alignment. I think he understands that. At the end of the article he imagines the new federal public service as: a squad of experienced people within a sector whose job it is to ensure standards are being met and to have sufficient penalties . Which I think will be the stumbling block. As much as the states would love to get some "free" money I think they'll be reluctant to sign up to a system with random inspections by the feds and being hit with random fines. [quote comment="427440"]The point Breda, is that Commonwealth Public Servants work (more or less) to the policy goals of the Commonwealth Minister. The State public servants will work to the goals of the State Ministers. Those goals will not always be in alignment.[/quote] I think he understands that. At the end of the article he imagines the new federal public service as: a squad of experienced people within a sector whose job it is