Bureaucracy: the real pollutantOur government is a mess of red tape and regulations. If we applied a cap and trade scheme to bureaucracy, perhaps we could actually get policies put into action, says Oliver Marc Hartwich.
Bureaucracy
Kevin the bureaucrat and the petitions committee
The House of Representatives petitions committee, which could be used by the Opposition as a sort of mini-Estimates process if they had their wits about them, writes Bernard Keane.
The boring, bureaucratic reality of COAG
Ministerial meetings sound like the pointy end of Commonwealth-State relations, but in reality, ministerial meetings are highly formal affairs, writes Bernard Keane.
Rudd’s new Ministry sticks to the Howard mould
Kevin Rudd’s new Ministry has a familiar feel to it. As promised, it hasn’t shaken up the Canberra bureaucracy too much, so that the pencil pushers can hit the ground running – well, sauntering – with the ALP agenda, writes David MacCormack.
Where now for Liberal staffers? The mining boom?
Ministerial advisers are well compensated with a respectable termination payment if they have served for a few years or more. And most are generally happy for a decent break after the rigorous pace of government. But it soon dawns on most that their skills are tough to transfer when they wear a Labor or conservative badge.
Is it farmers being subsidised – or the water quota system?
The drought assistance announced by the Federal Government this week is more than just bundles of cash aimed at helping out ruralists in need. It’s a reform package by another name, writes Lionel Elmore.
