Yabby
Part of the failure of reviews in government depts is the failure to consult with the people actually performing the core functions. Many times consultants are bought in to validate the wishes of the prevailing ethos or management team.

It is a great idea in theory but I am not sure the public service possesses the moral wherewithal to embrace it fully. It certainly neesd another look from the ground up rather than the top down.

Now if we had public service employment contracts, which limited consecutive employment to a maximum of 5 years, we might start to get somewhere. With a minimum 2 years private employment, [not unemployment], before a public position could be recommenced, we just might start to train some of these people in work ethic, & decision making.

We certainly could not do any worse than we do with "career" public servants.

*It certainly neesd another look from the ground up rather than the top down.*

Exactly, Pelican. Sometimes those in positions of power have
absolutaly no interest in changing anything or rocking the boat,
as long as they keep earning their healthy paycheck.

Yet valid suggestions and solutions are plain as day, for others
further down the line. They just don't get a say or a hearing.

An objective analysis from outside the present system, provided
its properly organised and structured, could bring about welcome
changes which simply won't happen while those belligerent ones
with power, rule the roost completely and without proper
scrutiny

We certainly could not do any worse than we do with "career" public servants.

Just for your information, Hasbeen, most public servants do training on ethics and decision-making and other such areas as a matter of course.

People choose to work in the public sector for security. Sure, a lot of us could earn more out in the private sector, and there is steady stream from my area (mining) that leave for that reason. I have worked in both on and off.

It would also be useful to insist that people in the private sector do a couple of years working for government - so that they understand the system they are dealing with.

Working in many government areas is, sometimes, a thankless task. Nobody gives you thanks for doing your job well, but they sure as hell will roast you for doing it badly.

It's a furphy (for shame Graham that such a wonderful Australian colloquialism as "furphy" is deemed a spelling mistake!) that privatisation is more efficient! It depends how you define "efficient". If you mean a service utterly dehumanised, cut to the bone till an equilibrium of maximum profit and minimum service is acheived, then privatisation is the modus operandi. Or if you mean a service or producer cynically devoted to the paying customer, and thus promoting a social ethos of "user pays" and stuff the rest, then yes that's efficient!
When I think of the public service I think of "Yes Minister", but those are romantic bygone days. I listened to a public lecture given by Mungo Maccallum the other week and he assured us that the public service has been put in its place, at least in Australia, and that there's a wall of separation between government and process engineered by the neoliberal assualt against Westen welfare democracies.
How you can have an "efficient" service devoted to excellence that is maximally raped for its profit, is beyond me. Privatisation is predicated on cutting the service/product to the minimal standard permissible without compromising the viability of the business and the dividends to shareholders. There's no margin for pride, satisfaction, craftsmanship or service, unless you pay a premium, and then you get a semblance of the above--patronage, that is.

Hay Phil, does that training include making a decision not to make any decision that might endanger their career.

It must include putting off until after the next election, anything that might cause their masters any problems.

It must include how to pass the buck to the next in tray, & it must include how to get the maximum number of people involved, to maximise the staff level, & minimise the danger of doing anything.