Comments on: Fixing Politics: How to think long-term on water http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/24/fixing-politics-how-to-think-long-term-on-water/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:48:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Bob Smith http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/24/fixing-politics-how-to-think-long-term-on-water/#comment-4245 Bob Smith Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-4245 Bernard Keane's article on what the federal government should be doing to set policy agendas on water hits the right spot. All the fuss about the PM's office and the behaviour of some overcaffeinated staffers misses the point.What the government manages to do will depend on how it uses Cabinet and the public service to turn political commitments into policy projects. It will depend also on how it encourages public debate and to the many people and interests who want to contribute to government by more than voting at elections.<br /><br />We should be asking questions about how well Cabinet and Cabinet Committees are working, whether Caucus committees are linked in effectively, and how coordination and policy development are taking place in the public service.<br /><br />We might ask aso about what the PM himself is making of the mountains of briefings. Is he just looking for things to spin or is he finding out who can do what? His performance in Queensland suggests that once he has confidence in people the work load shifts from his desk to theirs and the policy initiatives really start to flow.<br /><br />If we look for answers to such questions behaviour in ministers' offices will become a third order issue. Well organised ministers' offices are very helpful not only to ministers but also to public servants and anyone doing business with government. Badly run ministers' office are a pest but not fatal if other priorities are right. Bernard Keane’s article on what the federal government should be doing to set policy agendas on water hits the right spot. All the fuss about the PM’s office and the behaviour of some overcaffeinated staffers misses the point.What the government manages to do will depend on how it uses Cabinet and the public service to turn political commitments into policy projects. It will depend also on how it encourages public debate and to the many people and interests who want to contribute to government by more than voting at elections.

We should be asking questions about how well Cabinet and Cabinet Committees are working, whether Caucus committees are linked in effectively, and how coordination and policy development are taking place in the public service.

We might ask aso about what the PM himself is making of the mountains of briefings. Is he just looking for things to spin or is he finding out who can do what? His performance in Queensland suggests that once he has confidence in people the work load shifts from his desk to theirs and the policy initiatives really start to flow.

If we look for answers to such questions behaviour in ministers’ offices will become a third order issue. Well organised ministers’ offices are very helpful not only to ministers but also to public servants and anyone doing business with government. Badly run ministers’ office are a pest but not fatal if other priorities are right.

]]> By: CJT http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/24/fixing-politics-how-to-think-long-term-on-water/#comment-4246 CJT Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-4246 Bernard - can I just commend you on the "Fixing Politics" series. It doesn't have all the answers, but it does present some very good questions about politics, the media news cycle, and the spineless wonders currently holding office. Bernard - can I just commend you on the “Fixing Politics” series. It doesn’t have all the answers, but it does present some very good questions about politics, the media news cycle, and the spineless wonders currently holding office.

]]> By: Stephen Williams http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/24/fixing-politics-how-to-think-long-term-on-water/#comment-4247 Stephen Williams Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-4247 Poor fella my river! By the time any political action happens, it looks like being too late for the Murray Darling Basin, especially the once beautiful havens for wildlife of the lower lakes and the Coorong area. Since these are in South Australia (which is a small, unimportant state somewhere west of everywhere important), nothing will nor can be done. Like gangrene, death starts at the feet and works its way up. It's time to change the Murray's name to Sh-t Creek, I think. Poor fella my river! By the time any political action happens, it looks like being too late for the Murray Darling Basin, especially the once beautiful havens for wildlife of the lower lakes and the Coorong area. Since these are in South Australia (which is a small, unimportant state somewhere west of everywhere important), nothing will nor can be done. Like gangrene, death starts at the feet and works its way up. It’s time to change the Murray’s name to Sh-t Creek, I think.

]]> By: mike smith http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/24/fixing-politics-how-to-think-long-term-on-water/#comment-4248 mike smith Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-4248 Hydraulic despotism? But will the item under question be water or oil? <br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_despotism<br /><br /> Hydraulic despotism? But will the item under question be water or oil?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_despotism

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