bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
RESPONSES TO GROWTH IN THE SUN‐BELT STATE: PLANNING AND COORDINATING POLICY INITIATIVES IN QUEENSLAND
Authors: Caulfield Janice 
Published: March 2008

Abstract: Queensland's population growth phenomenon has demanded responses from the state government for greater intervention in planning land use and resources utilisation. Planning, especially regional planning, represents an area of traditional policy neglect in Queensland, explained in part by the division of powers such that local authorities, rather than the state, have the major responsibility for land‐use development and physical services. Local government jurisdiction in planning poses a challenge for the state government in how best to strategically manage regional growth, while at the same time respecting local authority autonomy in planning decision‐making.Over the last three years, the Goss government has undertaken both administrative reforms and a comprehensive and innovative planning exercise to shape urban development in south‐east Queensland, the area of greatest population density and growth. In particular, it has adopted a model of corporate government as a framework for the planning process. The corporate model promotes a “whole of government” approach to strategic planning, emphasising efficient and effective outcomes for clients. The model's client orientation has elevated and formalised the role of community input in decision‐making, and provided a process for negotiation between the players in planning policy development. In an intergovernmental environment, consultation with local authorities is important but the managerialist aspects of corporate government are likely to encourage central control of the planning policy agenda. Both are necessary for improved urban outcomes, yet it remains to be seen how these potentially conflicting processes can be reconciled in practice.
A GOODS AND SERVICES TAX (GST) AND THE SMALL BUSINESS SECTOR: SOME CANADIAN REFLECTIONS
Authors: Dana L. 
Published: March 2008

Abstract: In recent years, several Pacific Rim nations have introduced a goods and services tax (GST), similar (in some respects) to European value‐added tax (VAT). Countries with GST include New Zealand, Western Samoa and Canada. In the 1993 Australian federal elections, a major issue was whether or not to introduce GST.New taxes are seldom popular, but particularly in Canada the introduction of GST caused extraordinary concern in the small business sector which was faced with compliance costs exceeding $1 billion. This article is a case study of the Canadian experience, with some comparisons made with some features of other systems. Findings suggest that, in Canada, the smaller businesses which are registered for GST are burdened by an unproportional share of the burden. Managerial time of entrepreneurs is being used for increased accounting and paperwork requirements.An understanding of GST and its difficulties may assist the small business sector in Australia and elsewhere in the Pacific Rim to be better prepared for GST‐type taxation. It may also assist the sector in voicing its concerns to government, such that the policy‐makers responsible for taxation matters may be responsive to the needs of the small business sector.
THE PRIVATISATION OF HUMAN SERVICES IN AUSTRALIA: HAS IT HAPPENED?
Authors: Lyons Mark 
Published: March 2008

Abstract: The privatisation of Australia's public services has been one of the major challenges facing public administration since the early 1980s. Its enthusiastic proponents and their equally fervent opponents have generated considerable controversy. Yet its impact may have been exaggerated. A number of writers have deplored its spread in Australia's human services. Yet their evidence for privatisation does not stand scrutiny. As well, if privatisation had occurred, it would have had an impact upon the flow of public finance and that should be reflected in public finance data. An examination of that data provides almost no support for the claim that the 1980s saw significant privatisation of Australia's human services.The current debate on privatisation … indicates a movement to return social welfare provision to sectors or systems other than government (ACOSS 1989 p.6).The re‐emergence of the voluntary sector has been facilitated by public policies designed to transfer responsibility for welfare services from the government to the non‐government sector (Baldock 1990, p. 109).with the more systematic transfer of services to the non‐governmental sector (Baldock 1990, p. 113).over the past two decades … a number of functions such as service delivery and management have been transferred from the state in a way that in most terms amounts to privatisation (NCOSS 1989, p.2).This rebirth of the non‐government sector can arguably be seen as a privatisation of the welfare state (NCOSS 1989, p.22).Human services in New South Wales have been and continue to be the subject of a wide range of reviews intended to produce changes which fit under the general rubric of “privatisation” (Evatt Research Centre 1989, p.208).The moves towards privatisation, if they are to continue, will have serious long term consequences (Graycar & Jamrozik 1989, p.296).
CHARTING A COURSE THROUGH THE HEALTH CARE POLICY MAZE
Authors: Braithwaite Jeffrey , Westbrook Johanna I. 
Published: March 2008

Health Policy: Development, Implementation and Evaluation in Australia. By Heather GARDNER (ed.) The Price of Health: Australian Governments and Medical Politics 1910–1960. By James A Gillespie Federalism and Health Policy: The Development of Health Systems in Canada and Australia. By Gwendolyn Gray The President's Health Security Plan. By White House Domestic Council Hospitals in Transition: The Resource Management Experiment. By Tim Packwood, Justin Keen and Martin Buxton
STUDYING THE STATES
Authors: Chapman Ralph 
Published: March 2008

The Bannon Decade: The Politics of Restraint in South Australia. Edited by Andrew Parkin & Allan Patience Trials in Power: Cain, Kirner and Victoria 1982–1992. Edited by Mark Considine & Brian Costar Keeping them Honest: Democratic Reform in Queensland. Edited by Andrew Hede, Scott Prasser & Mark Neylan The Tasmanian Parliamentary Accord & Public Policy: Accommodating the new politics? Edited by Marcus Haward & Peter Larmour Affairs of State: Politics in the Australian States and Territories. By Scott Bennett
PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES, PUBLIC SERVANTS AND DUE PROCESS
Authors: Smith Chris Selby , Corbett David 
Published: March 2008

Abstract: The parliamentary system of government in its Australian form has a number of unresolved problems, notwithstanding its many virtues. One such problem is that of the role of public servants when called before parliamentary committees as witnesses. The current guidelines are mainly advice to public servants as to how they should avoid or defer questions which neither the minister nor the departmental secretary has authorised them to answer. Of course, this is useful and proper within its limits. However, it fails to address many of the dilemmas and career‐threatening choices which can face public servants who find themselves being questioned in an aggressive, hostile manner by members of a parliamentary committee.Unfair treatment of witnesses is not a trivial matter and there are more than isolated instances. This article deals with an episode involving the Joint Parliamentary Committee of Public Accounts in 1982. The case is now some years in the past, but it is still worth examining for what it teaches about gaps in our constitutional conventions.At the end of the article we suggest action in four areas. Intensive training and retraining is needed, first in the upper ranks of the public service, and secondly for chairpersons and members of parliamentary committees. Thirdly there is a need for MAB‐MIAC to revisit yet again their guidelines on accountability and to instigate a review of the government's guidelines for public servants appearing as witnesses. Both sets of guidelines are anachronisms. Finally, we suggest that, in any future review of government policy in this area, consideration be given to the amendment of relevant legislation to bring due process and the protection of witnesses more closely into line with the rights available to persons appearing before a court.
Why Governments Should Produce Balance Sheets
Authors: Mellor Thuy 
Published: March 2008

This contribution to a controversy argues that accrual reporting at the whole of government level is appropriate and necessary as it provides a full picture of a government's financial position, discloses the impact of policy over the longer term (and therefore the sharing of the burdens between current and future taxpayers), focuses the attention of governments and public sector managers on the management of total resources and obligations and introduces discipline in financial reporting and therefore ensuring the integrity of the reported information.Yet, accrual reporting, whether at the whole of government level or individual agency level, will not bring about changes of behaviour necessary to realise the full benefits of financial and other management reforms unless it is complemented by an accrual planning and budgeting regime to ensure that financial performance is planned and assessed on the same basis.
Government Accrual Reports: Are They Better Than Cash?
Authors: Clark‐Lewis Michael 
Published: March 2008

In assessing the usefulness of consolidated accrual reporting for governments there are grounds for both optimism and caution. Accrual reporting offers some advantages although a number of government specific issues relating to the preparation and interpretation of government accrual accounts need to be addressed. These issues include the implications of the different role of governments compared to businesses and boundary issues, such as the treatment of public pensions.Accrual reports will not meet all our reporting needs and the limitations of the reports will need to be understood by users. Commonwealth and State treasuries are currently examining accrual reporting issues. A number of treasuries have already published consolidated accrual reports and most remaining jurisdictions are to trial the preparation of consolidated accrual reports.
National Competition Policy: Progress and Prospects
Authors: Althaus Catherine 
Published: March 2008

National Competition perspectives Policy — contending perspective.The Hilmer Report is to competition what fertiliser is to grass (Ian Salmon, BCA 1995).These reforms are good for the Australian economy and community. They hold the promise of helping to deliver more growth, more jobs and lower inflation but with higher real wages and a better standard of living (Hon. George Gear MP 1995).The legislation has the potential to be very far reaching and may have implications far broader than originally intended (General Evidence — Australian Senate Economics Legislation Committee 1995).The process of putting detailed legal and administrative flesh on the bare bone of the principles was not going to be easy. The resolution of issues. at times came down to the balance of power rather than good sense (Christine Charles, South Australian Dept of Premier and Cabinet 1995).The practical failure to deliver on the claims about competition and efficiency are becoming increasingly evident (Professor Frank Stilwell 1995).The Commission has a number of concerns on the impact on rural and remote communities and how the competing demands of increased competition and maintaining levels of community service obligations will be balanced in a newly competitive environment (ATSIC 1995).
National Competition Policy: The Downside
Authors: Butler Gavan 
Published: March 2008

Identifying the ‘downside’ of competition policy raises the question of whether there is an ‘up‐side’. Competition is supposed to drive the organisers of commodity production to minimise the costs they have to bear in some short to medium term, within environments more or less circumscribed by government regulations. The actual period tends to be that for which the providers of finance are prepared to wait for returns after a poorly performing company is restructured. Economists used to say that cost minimisation requires an industry structure in which there are many independent producers. Nowadays, more enlightened writers speak of ensuring that the market positions held by existing producers are contestable by prospective new producers.The question of what government in Australia may do to establish competition in this sense of competition has recently focussed on the desirable re‐organisation of public enterprises, perhaps especially those that exist at the level of the states. So what are the dimensions of the ‘downside’ of opening the market positions occupied by public enterprises to contestation by private companies, especially those which are monopolies? The answer takes a large measure of the gloss off the Hilmer promises. The problems to be addressed are: the limit put on contestability where there is an element of natural monopoly; the tendency for cost minimisation to depend on the tighter management of labour; and, the difficulty of insisting simultaneously on both ‘competition’ and the satisfaction of ‘community service obligations’ (CSOs).
The Privatisation of GIO Australia: Success or Failure?
Authors: Casey Anthony , Dollery Brian 
Published: March 2008

The privatisation of GIO Australia took place amidst acrimonious public debate on the merits of selling this government trading enterprise. Yet the innovative methods employed in the privatisation process represented a landmark in contemporary Australian economic history, With the passage of time and the attendant flow of information, it is now possible to assess the outcome of the privatisation of GIO Australia. Without considering the wider philosophical dimensions of privatisation, we conclude that from a tripartite perspective that the privatisation of GIO Australia should be regarded as successful.The article is subdivided into four main parts. Section 1 provides a brief synopsis of the historical evolution of GIO; Section 2 details the actual privatisation process. Section 3 analyses the impact of the privatisation in terms of its effects on the GIO, the wider insurance market in Australia, and the ‘net worth’ of the NSW government. The article ends with some brief concluding remarks in Section 4.
Managing and Leading in the Next Century
Authors: Mellors John 
Published: March 2008

A ‘quick scan’ of the literature on management and leadership reveals a wealth of writings 1 This article offers a broad overview and some thoughts, based on personal observation and experience, on future management and leadership needs in the Australian public sector. The present article first outlines, by way of illustration, some key pressures for continuing change within Australia's public sector and their possible implications for future management needs. Second, it addresses the distinction between ‘management’ and ‘leadership’; and suggests that while the requirements placed on public sector management will continue to change, the skills required of public sector leaders are essentially timeless (and differ, in some respects, from private sector stereotypes of ‘leadership’).Finally the article suggests why and how we should be seeking to develop ‘leadership in depth’ within public sector organisations, drawing on some illustrations from the Australian Department of Administrative Services.
Thailand: The Politics of Reform of the Secretariat of the Prime Minister
Authors: Bowornwathana Bidhya 
Published: March 2008

This article discusses the politics of administrative reform. Though politicians and bureaucrats may agree on a reform blueprint, both tend to view administrative reform as means towards achieving different ends. To demonstrate the ‘political tool’ function of administrative reform, I will review the reform experience of the Thai Office of the Secretariat of the Prime Minister (OSPM) during the Chuan government (1992–95). Despite several proposals to reform the OSPM, at the end of its tenure the Chuan government had made only minor changes to the OSPM. This article argues that while failing to achieve significant reform, the process does demonstrate the politician‐bureaucrat relationship.The article is divided into two parts. The first outlines the conceptual framework which captures the politics of reform. The second presents four case studies representing efforts to introduce reform to the OSPM during the period of the Chuan government.During the Chuan government, the author served as the Head of the Secretariat of the Administrative Reform Commission (ARC), ad hoc office in the OSPM established by the Prime Minister, charged with reviewing proposals to reform the OSPM. The author was also appointed to committees which were assigned to advise the PM about ways to reform the OSPM.
Symposium: Exporting Government Services
Authors: Smith RFI 
Published: March 2008

To explore the prospects for exporting government services, guest symposium editor RFI Smith invites three agencies to comment on their experience. This overview stresses the need to specify carefully costs and benefits in taking operations offshore — both in strict financial terms and in dealing with perception and accountability issues.The prospects for exporting public sector skills and services are at the same time tantalising and frustrating. After initial enthusiasm in the 1970s and 1980s, the management of export programs has turned out to be complex, demanding and not without controversy. Such programs have challenged their proponents to be at once sophisticated in business management, rigorous and transparent in public accountability, and sensitive to the capabilities and ambitions of private sector providers of similar services. Further, after approximately 10 to 20 years of experience in different Australian jurisdictions, aims, methods and estimates of results remain diverse.
Some Thoughts about the Roles, Responsibilities and Future Scope of Auditors‐General
Authors: Barrett Pat 
Published: March 2008

This article treats Auditors‐General in a generic sense, but focuses on those institutions developed out of the Westminster system of government which undertake financial statement or regularity audits as well as performance or value for money or efficiency‐type audits. The audit offices included are those at both federal and state levels in Australia, the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada and New Zealand.The article is in two parts. The first selectively addresses perceived roles and responsibilities arising out of parliamentary legislation, debates and reviews or inquiries, Auditor‐General reports, papers or similar contributions by academic and other interested commentators. The second deals with the future scope for influence, focusing mainly on possible contributions to the improved performance of the public sector including that of audit offices themselves. The latter recognises that auditors‐general are very much part of the governance framework within which they operate. While they might be able to influence its development, the framework largely dictates their role, responsibilities and possible scope for action. Reflecting on that framework beyond the next few years might be an inviting conceptual exercise but is unlikely to add much value.
Seeking to Inspire Public Policy Analysts
Authors: Chesterman John 
Published: March 2008

The 1997 Public Policy Network Conference was held at Melbourne University's Centre for Public Policy. John Chesterman, one of the organisers, provides a taste of the debates.The 1998 Public Policy Network Conference will be held at Victoria University, Wellington, on 29 and 30 January. Enquires or offers of papers may be forwarded to Dr RJ Gregory (e‐mail Bob.Gregory@vuw.ac.nz).
A Regulatory Analysis of Australia's Anti‐dumping Law and Policy: Statutory Failure or Regulatory Capture?
Authors: Feaver Donald 
Published: March 2008

Anti‐dumping and countervailing (AD/CVD) law and policy permits nations to impose corrective duties against unfairly traded imports found to have injured domestic industries. However, administrators of AD/CVD policy around the world are criticised for misusing the remedy as an elaborate and complex protectionist mechanism.A problem with many critical reviews is that explanations as to how misuse occurs, or at what point in the administrative process regulatory authorities are able to exercise bias, are rarely provided. In the Australian context, the task of identifying a source and opportunity for misuse is made complicated by three major forces affecting the decision‐making processes of the Australian regulatory authorities, the Australian Customs Service and Australian Anti‐Dumping Authority (ACS and ADA). This article examines the influence which Australia's international obligations, government and public policy processes and the Federal Court have upon the administration of AD/CVD law and policy in order to determine the degree of autonomy afforded to the ACS and ADA.
The Environment: How to Solve Problems That Don't Respect Borders
Authors: Hundloe Tor 
Published: March 2008

Many environmental problems do not respect political or jurisdictional borders. Not only does this frustrate the formulation of technical solutions, it also leads to duplication of effort, overlap and jealousies.Australia has attempted to address such jurisdictional problems, as in the case of the Oceans Policy. At a global scale borders are fundamental stumbling‐blocks. Disparities in wealth (the North‐South divide) will need to be addressed if threats such as global warming are to be met.
Should the High Court Consider Policy Implications in Deciding Cases?
Authors: Byers Sir Maurice 
Published: March 2008

If the High Court is to consider policy implications when making judicial decisions, a number of preliminary matters require examination. First, what parliaments, executive governments and other instrumentalities will be affected? Next, may the High Court validly exercise this function? And last, is it likely to do so?I shall discuss these preliminary matters in the order stated and thereafter express my view on the question raised by the editors for discussion. In the course of discussion, I shall mention some incidental matters related to the High Court and its functions.
Public Officials, Government and the Public Trust: Schizophrenia?
Authors: Hood Antra 
Published: March 2008

In late 1996 the Queensland government introduced new legislation to govern its public sector, the Public Service Act 1996. For a few short weeks the supposedly draconian legislation was front‐page news, as the government was forced to defend its changes to standards of accountability in public sector employment. Was the fuss a storm in a teacup? Were the changes really so significant? In this article the impact of the legislation upon the central core of public sector employment, the public trust, is considered, and the legislation's interrelationship with the Queensland public sector ethics regime is analysed.These unhappy people were proposing schemes for persuading monarchs to choose favourites upon the score of their wisdom, capacity and virtue; of teaching ministers to consult the public good; of rewarding merit, great abilities and eminent services; of instructing princes to know their true interest by placing it on the same foundation with that of their people: of choosing for employment persons qualified to exercise them; with many other wild chimeras, that never entered before into the heart of man to conceive, and confirmed in me the old observation, that there is nothing so extravagant and irrational which some philosophers have not maintained for truth (Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels).