Turning ideas into action

The release of the Commonwealth Treasury’s Measuring What Matters statement is an important step towards better government decision-making and a shared vision for the Australia we want, but it’s only the first step.

Give us a job

What do you do after you’ve lost the most important job in the country? If you are wealthy, like Turnbull or Kevin Rudd, there is nothing to worry about. But matters are more complicated for others.

The new National Anti-Corruption Commission has a lot of work to do

Australia’s new National Anti-Corruption Commission is beginning its operations today in the middle of a spate of political scandals.

Grave misconduct

Most politicians and public servants in Australia operate with great integrity, but the public’s faith in the system has suffered some significant shocks in recent years.

Another way of hearing “The Voice”

The proposed referendum on an indigenous ‘Voice to Parliament’ has generated a great deal of debate, with passions rising on both sides.

Three different views from Shangri-La

The optimism expressed by Kevin Rudd about the ‘Asian Century’ and close relations with China has been tempered in recent years by a more realistic appraisal of China’s true intentions and the need to protect Australia through stronger ties to traditional allies.

Professional ethics

The PwC scandal should open a debate on the role and importance of ethics in Australia’s governments, public service and professions.

Democracy in decline?

The ascendancy of democracy seemed assured after the collapse of Soviet domination in Europe but after reaching a zenith in 2012, there are now fewer democracies, fewer people live in democracies, and most established democracies have veered towards more authoritarian responses.

Fiji in crisis

The fact that Fiji’s Parliament has been without an opposition for weeks has largely escaped the attention of the international media, but the growing political crisis is stoking fears of another military coup.

PWC down the WC

The outrageous conduct of PwC should consign the firm to the international dustbin, reduce the use of expensive consultants in core government roles and provide an early test case for the power and reach of the national anti-corruption body.

Cori Bernardi, Apartheid and the Voice to Parliament

Allegations that the proposed Voice to Parliament is tantamount to apartheid are based on a deep ignorance of what apartheid was and what the effect of the Voice would be.

The great PwConspiracy

The scandalous behaviour of PwC in advising multinational companies how to evade tax based on information given in confidence by the government has prompted scrutiny of the use of consultants overall.