Australians have always though of those employed in the public service as working in the interest of all Australians in a apolitical way, without favouring one side of politics or the other, no personal agenda, no partisan politics. This particularly applied to those bureaucrats at the top of the ladder, people like the $900k a year, and long time head of the Home affairs Department, Michael Pezzullo. Pezzullo has been unceremoniously sacked for what was revealed as blatant partisan politics in favour of the Coalition. An independent inquiry found Pazzullo had breached the government’s code of conduct at least 14 times, including using his power for personal benefit. He failed to act apolitically, failed to disclose a conflict of interest and failed to maintain confidentiality of sensitive government information. The inquiry also found Pezzullo engaged in “gossip and disrespectful critique” of ministers and other public servants.

For me, this should send a clear message to the conservative side of politics, you are not born to rule, and when the people have spoken, get the message you're out on your 'A' and don't try to use a lackey like Pezzullo in an attempt to undermine the democratically elected Labor government.

No. We can have no confidence in the public service, which is increasing under the Marxists.

All this bollocks about an 'independent public service'!

The public service is not meant to be independent; it is meant to do as it us told by the elected representatives of the people.

I haven't read the story yet.

Paul stated "He failed to act apolitically"
ttbn stated "The public service is not meant to be independent; it is meant to do as it us told by the elected representatives of the people."

Should Paul have instead said "He failed to BE apolitical"
- Given that his job is loyalty to the elected government, whichever one that may be, and he cannot have or allow any of his own political biases to stand in the way or carrying out directives of the elected leaders?

Of course the PS is not meant to act totally independent of government. Its not there to determine policy, that is the domain of the elected MP's, rather they are required to carry out policy/laws as dictated by government. Having said that some arms within the PS, act autonomously of Government, the court system, although publicly funded it must act independent of government, which is a cornerstone of our democracy. The Reserve Banks acts autonomously of government, the ABC charter requires it to act independently, without government political interference.

Pezzullo, was clearly a political hack, acting in the interest of the Liberal Party. I say; Good riddance to bad rubbish!

Argentina has gone from being one of the richest countries in the world to suffering inflation of 140%, thanks to Marxists and the public ‘service’.

The election of Javier Milei as President looks like a good idea but, like everywhere, including Australia, you can change the politicians but not the bureaucrats. The public so-called service is known by some as an “agency problem”. The leaders of these agencies have enormous power - thanks to gutless politicians and brain-dead electorates.

What did this awful 900,000 dollar man of ours and head of Home Affairs get away with before he was nabbed?

In the UK, Suella Braverman, Home Affairs Minister, was sacked by the gutless-wonder, Rishi Sunak because she UPSET THE SAINTED PUBLIC SERVICE.

In Argentina, Milei has a plan to deal with thugs on the public teat - abolish them. Good luck with that. But at least he has the courage to give it a go. There are just too many departments, commissions and quangos with their snouts in the trough, everywhere there's government.

Michael Pezullo has been sacked. He served as
Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs,
a Senior role in the Australian Public Service
from 2017 to 2023. He's been sacked for misusing
his position.

We have a long history of MPs misusing their positions
going back decades. Some get away with it, others get
caught and are humiliated. Still apparently the rewards
are worth it for the people involved.

Can Australian have confidence in the Public Service?
The answer is - yes. Absolutely. We criticize bad
behaviour but there is no shortage of examples of the
great work that is done with considerable impact and
benefit for our citizens and communities.

There's a danger that can manifest itself in the threat
of the continued erosion in trust, capability and
credibili9ty Which is something that needs to be avoided.

According to the 2019 International Civil Service
Effectiveness (InCISE) Index, the Australian Public
Service ranked as the 5th most effective civil
service in the world. The World Bank's measurement
of government's effectiveness places Australia as 9th
especially in health and education.

And why wouldn't anyone want a job with the APS?
There's attractive remuneration packages,
health insurance, retirement plans, paid leave,
career advancement opportunities with higher salaries
and promotions, and so on.

Where would we be without our superb public libraries,
our public schools, our public hospitals, Medicare,
CentreLink, aged care, and much, much, more.

I've experienced some of the services mentioned.

The Rehab services, and the Transition Care Program,
in which I ended up being placed was part of a public hospital.
They - were first class. The staff I dealt with were
also first class. As was the home monitored programs that
followed and the equipment they provided for me.

So if some MP misuses his position and gets caught out -
this is not a reflection on the APS but on him.
And in this case he's been rightly punished.

Of course our system is not perfect. No system ever is.
But we are the envy of many, many countries. And we should
count our blessings.

Hi ttbn,
"The election of Javier Milei as President looks like a good idea but, like everywhere, including Australia, you can change the politicians but not the bureaucrats."

Yes, some of these career bureaucrats that remain no matter which government is in power are a part of the problem.
- Politically biased and pulling the strings in the background.
From what I understand many people in the Public Service are Labor supporters.

I hate to break it to you, but Javier Milei is another one of Klaus Schwabs WEF initiates.
(was he really chosen, or installed?)
He's also the first Jewish President, an economist and apparently, a former Tantric sex coach.
http://jewishpostandnews.ca/rss/argentinas-shocking-primary-winner-could-become-the-countrys-first-jewish-president/

Paul goes on as though Pezzullo was some sort of Liberal plant. But the fact (sorry to use words you don't understand Paul!) is that Pezzullo was very much a Labor appointee. His big break came when he was appointed to Gareth Evans' staff way back when and Evans considered him a friend.

He also saw meteoric rise during the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd clown show period. He may have committed the crimes of which he is now accused during the Liberl tenure but he was very much a public servant to however was paying his bills at the time.

Paul writes "Australians have always though[t] of those employed in the public service as working in the interest of all Australians".
Wow, how naive can you be? The Australian public service has always worked for the benefit of the Australian public service and that's not nearly the same thing.

The PS is centred around the Canberra bubble. In the recent referendum, it was the only state/territory that voted 'Yes' showing how out of touch with real Australians it is.

Talking about the PS service working for the benefit of Australians, the recent Robodebt RC has recommended further investigations/charges/sanctions against 16 public servants who acted unethically, or illegally or incompetently during the Robodebt saga. The government has accepted the Robodebt RC recommendations and will move away from the regime that led to its implementation. And their solution to the problem? Employ 3000 MORE public servants to paper over the gaps.

See how it works? The public service screws up big time and we end up with more public servants. Sir Humphrey would approve.

Working for the benefit of Australians or working for the benefit of the Public Service?

Pezullo served both Labor and Coalition governments at
that time, but it was under the Coalition that he acquired
a bureaucratic stronghold.

There's more at the following:

http://www.independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/leaked-pezullo-texts-evidence-of-attack-on-democracy.17934

Here's the link again:

http://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/leaked-pezullo-texts-evidence-of-attack-on-democracy,17934

Its too much for our conservatives, ttbn wants to deflect to Argentina, he should go and live there. mhaze bangs on about the Canberra bubble and wants to deny that Pezzullo was a Liberal Party love child . One thing is for certain, in its time in office the Noalition attempted to politicise the PS as much as it could. Robodebt, is clear evidence of the senior bureaucrats knowingly acting outside the law to put into practice the political philosophy of the Noalition; "Screw the poor and disadvantaged."

Thanks Foxy, Pezzullo was part of Morrison's inner sanctum, which included PS flunkies and lackeys. Good, the grub can't take a huge golden handshake, he's been sacked, the new "law" about payout to grubs came into force last week.

Attaboy Paul. Ignore the facts and continue the propaganda.

Pezzullo got to where he was because he was trusted and promoted by the ALP. Campbell, the main PS behind Robodebt, was a Gillard appointment.

But why am I talking facts with Paul. I may as well talk nuclear fission with my parrot.

I have waffled on about the rotten apples in the crate that is the Public Service ever since posting here.
And, who has been denouncing my posts ? Paul1405 & Foxy ! Now they’re still at it. I have long stated that blaming Govt is not right when the heavily Labor leaning outfit is hell-bent to sabotage everything a Coalition administration is trying to achieve. People seem to think it is incompetence. No, it is deliberate mismanaging to make the LNP look incompetent.
I challenge anyone to tell us that the Coalition Govt instructs the Public Servants to persecute & hound innocent members of the public.
Govt policies are never perfect simply because they can’t be because the constituent aren’t either. If higher ranking Public Servants were to be chosen on their loyalty to the Public Service instead of their Party things would run a lot better. We need people in those position who side with integrity instead of their unions !

Public servants are just that, servants of the people. They are not the servants of the political classes. The two should be working in partnership for the betterment of us all and be prepared to call out the missteps or excesses of the other.

We expect them to provide frank and fearless advice which is not politically massaged to make elected people look good and avoid scrutiny.

The politicisation of the public service gave us Robodebt.

I did support Danial Andrews on quite a few things but having him embrace a Kennett style control over the public service had me looking to seek another place to park my vote.

We really need to march back some of the right wing need to neuter the public service.

The politicisation of the public service gave us Robodebt
SteeleRedux,
No, the unionised middle ranks in the PS gave us Robodebt ! The top bureaucrats did not direct the hounding, that was done by bureaudroids with a sick sense of authority. The lower ranks had no say whatsoever.
I have done my own little survey over many years & I found that more than 80-90% of Public Servants are indeed Labor supporters ! So, to blame the Coalition for that inexcusable mess is the height of hypocrisy !

Indy, you are clueless, your hate for public servants is legendary. 'Robodebt' was instigated from the top, Coalition politicians through senior bureaucrats perpetuated an illegal scheme for political reasons, a scheme they knew to be illegal, they wanted to hound the most vulnerable in the community. You are such a fool, don't you know they would have eventually came after an old fart like you whose spent years and years, sucking off the taxpayer teat, through aged welfare. How long now 20 years, any tax you ever paid, highly unlikely, has been returned to you one hundred fold! Its old dead meat like you that's making thing unsustainable! Bring on a Seniors National Service. Surely you could do 20 hours a week, to earn your keep?

Robodebt.... read the RC conclusions Paul.

Robodebt' was instigated from the top
Paul1405,
When did I ever say it wasn’t ? It was the insensitive hounding that wasn’t instigated by the top. That was done by bureaudroids with your mentalty & going by the vindictive nature of your posts that’d be a fairly accurate assertion.

Regarding welfare, being old dead meat I’m still not as much of a burden to society than the likes of you salary sacrificing, negative gearing no use for society inepts. I’m at a loss why you haven’t brought your standard race card into this yet.

I have trust in those who serve the public as volunteers.

As for the others, where does their employer, government, get the money to pay them?

It takes it in taxes, and while some people, possibly even most, pay their tax happily, there are also those who are unwilling to pay, which government regardless either robs or steal from.

How could one trust people who live off the proceeds of crime?

Calling oneself fancy names does not exempt you from the 8th commandment, "Thou shalt not steal".

Unless the top bureaucrats are changed with a change of Govt & PS unions are side-lined during conservative Govt nothing beneficial can ever come from the unrestraint force that is the PS.

As usual, the village idiot throws stones at conservatives without considering the consequences for the left whingers.

Labor has fired a senior public servant for acting against the interests of the labor party. Since the public service is overwhelmingly left-leaning, this gives the liberals carte blanche to start mass firings of left-leaning public servants when the government changes.

Shonky
What a crock of you know what! Left leaning PS, what do they do walk around leaning to the left. Anyway will you be around in 3030 to find out? O'Neil was right about Dud Dutton, as a macho conservative he talks the talk, but can't walk tha walk! Granted a visa to an asylum seeking pedophile, who the High Court said has to be released into the community. Then the Noalition voted against laws to stop the likes of this grub going near schools!

Village idiot,

Lying again I see. Labor let this pedo out and their answer to this cock up was to pass a moronic law banning all 100s of illegal immigrants from being within 200m of schools that was completely unenforceable. The pedo protector was the moron that gave the high court the ammunition to release these criminals ie. Albozo

They would have had a better outcome banning all greens from approaching schools.

It is no point in anyone pretending that the public service is not
just a branch of the Labour Party.
The vote for the Voice proved that. Just look at the figures.
Look at the ACT election vote as well.

Don't know much about Robodebt, was it not just an attempt to get
back an overpayment ?
Perhaps it could have been better handled by giving more time to pay.
Or by simply reducing a present entitlement by a percentage.
Surely no one believes the excess payment should just be written off ?

shonkyminister,

It was your man Dud Dutton who gave this paedophile a visa to stay in Australia, it was the High Court which ordered his release. Wake up fool, your Mr Potato Head is exactly what O'Neil said he was!

Village idiot, Dutton never gave him a visa, he permitted him to apply.

Stop lying.

"The accusation also relates to a claim by the government that Dutton did not use discretion to deport a convicted pedophile while immigration minister, instead allowing him to reapply for a visa."

Village idiot, you have an unhealthy fascination with paedos, you need help.

Dutton didn't deport either of the two Greens paedophiles either. Most probably because he faces execution back in his native country, neither did Labor deport this paedo (not green) and let him out of prison unsupervised.

shonkyminister,

"you have an unhealthy fascination with paedos, you need help"

That's rich coming for the poster who has made references to paedophiles on this forum hundreds of times. You get off on the subject. Other posters have told you many times to get help with your addiction! Hows the kiddy fiddler The NATIONAL PARTY member James going to jail, doing time for what you call a "minor transgression"! You need help!

Perhaps it could have been better handled
Bezza,
That mishandling wasn’t down to incompetence, I’m convinced that it was a blatant & callous act of sabotage by Labor supporting bureaucrats to severely hurt the Morrison administration.

Village idiot,

Still fascinated by paedos I see. Jono Doig was jailed for a "minor transgression" as you described it.

Indy,

Your hatred for both the Labor Party and the Public Services doesn't allow you to think rationally about those responsible for the injustice of 'Robodebt'. You concoct a total fallacy in your state of dementia that somehow it was the work of Labor loving public servants, out to destroy Morrison and his Noalition. For someone who has lived off public welfare ever since they arrived in Australia 50 years ago, from that undisclosed 'Sh!tsville" of a country you crawled out of, you should get your hand off it, and stop biting the hand that feeds you!

Paul1405,
No hatred whatsoever, just utter dismay that people like you are allowed to ruin what decent honest folk have been building over the years. For what, just for some illogical ideological reason ? Imagine what could be achieved if the Public Service strove to actually be a service to the public instead of working against the common good.

Indy,

Be truthful, for how many years has the public service served you? How many times have you missed out on your fat fortnightly welfare payment? None! You carry on with the nonsense that YOU contributed to your aged welfare handout, if that was the case you'd be getting a "pension" of fifty cents a week!

Paul1405,
I personally have generally been treated well by the PS apart from a Centrelink officer. My complaining is not about me. I’m on about what I witness & the irreparable damage to our society by officers of the PS who either through sheer incompetence, indifference & personal ambition ruin so much. All led by a self serving PS union. It’s fine to support your members but to support them at the expense to others & particularly when clear wrong is done is simply not moral. All I’m saying is that with the salaries these officers receive, the least they could do is show some interest for those they’re supposed to be serving. As it is the PS has become a self service unit. It’s all about excuses & shifting blame & avoiding responsibility. Surely you watch the news & current affairs programmes ?
Wouldn’t you like to see the Peter Principle abolished ?

YOU contributed to your aged welfare handout, if that was the case you'd be getting a "pension" of fifty cents a week!
Paul1405,
If your Super would be only from what you contributed & minimum tax paid via salary sacrifice & negative gearing plus the time you spent at work doing sfa, you’d get even less than us blue collar workers.

From my own experiences & observations my conclusion is that,
1; there are too many bureaucrats
2; Bureaucrat salaries are too high in every aspect
3; Accountability is only ever implemented when scapegoats are needed to deflect attention
5; There is no apparent incentive to foster integrity in the PS by the PS Unions
6; The PS has become like a Monarchy rather than merit based
7; PS should be exempt from voting
8; The Peter Principal must be abolished

Please add to this list or edit.

Indy,

"From my own experiences & observations my conclusion is that" No, its impossible given the broad nature of the PS, that with your limited experiences and observations to draw wide ranging conclusions about the PS in general. You simply hold a perceived "minds eye view' of the public service and public servants, based on limited knowledge, and your own prejudices. Next time you are in the emergency department of a public hospital getting treated for whatever, tell it to the nurses and doctors trying to save your life, about your experiences and observations!

Anyone who puts Doctors & carers into the same basket as bureaucrats obviously has a mental problem that should be looked at asap before they’re reproducing !

Indy,

You are full of it, in the past on this forum you have said 95% of Public Servants should be sacked, 95% of hospital staff, coppers, teachers, ambos, military personnel, the blokes who pick up your garbage, and you produce a lot of it etc etc. Are you going to deny you said that? The one who should be sacked is the bloke you pays your welfare handout every fortnight and has done so for the past 20 or 30 years.

We would soon known how good you are if you are ever willing to name the sh!thole country you crawled out of all those years back, and hit the jackpot by landing in the taxpayers lap in Australia. You are ashamed of where you come from, to name it would should how well that joint was looked after by the likes of you.

Paul1405,
I’m hitting one nerve after another with you but as the old saying goes no brain no pain.

A mentality building Gap Year National Service would go some way towards when only those who served should be qualified to enter the Public Service. We have to get away from the mentality that by doing nothing i.e. by not making decisions one can not make a wrong decision & therefore be blameless. The exact opposite is the reality of this mentality.
People all over the World have bad experiences with bureaucracy but each Nation has to work on bettering the outcomes rather than just accept the failings. Bureaucrats should not be immune by shifting fault of their policies to the lower ranks. Laws really aren’t anywhere near where they should be to provide stability in society. It’s bad when perpetrators get rewarded & victims face persecution as was the case with Robodebt for example.

Indy,

Would you care to repeat your previous statement on this forum, that 95% of Public Servants should be sacked! I have friends and relatives in the employ of the public service. These are hard working folk, some with families, kids at school, paying off a mortgage, paying high rents. Then you come on here and bad mouth them from your point of ignorance. You, who for years have had your snout in the public trough! Well you want a National Service, how about we start with YOU, one who is receiving benefit now.

Paul1405,
I heard on your GayBC Radio that there’s some upheaval in the Victorian PS about similar what I’m on about.
Of course there are are decent Public Servants & the bad things only happen when the good do nothing.

Indy,

Weasel words from you; "Of course there are are decent Public Servants & the bad things only happen when the good do nothing." It must be a small minority if you want 95% sacked. That's 95% of nurses, police officers, army personnel, teachers and the people who pick up your garbage!

You bang on about things like a National Service as a spiteful punishment for young people, but when I mention a Seniors National Service for the likes of Old Farts like YOU, you clam up. Surly even in your 80's you'ed be capable of sticking toothpicks in a bag in some sheltered workshop somewhere for 20 hrs a week! Yes/No?

Paul1405,
The Public Servants on your list don’t make up 95% of the Public Service who fail to perform. It’s the bureaucrats in the decision making circles whose policies the aforementioned are forced to work by & which cost the Nation dearly. You’re the one using weasel word excuses but the evidence is out there on a daily basis that 95% of bureaucrats are not only not needed, they’re actually & perpetually in the way of the running of the Nation. The ones you so vehemently defend & you very likely are part of.

Indy,

Don't try and weasel out of what you said in a broad statement, it was; "95% of public servants should be sacked".

Realising what an idiotic goose that makes you look, you now try to weasel out of it with words like "bureaucrats". You bang on about a National Service for young people, but when I suggest old farts on aged welfare should stump up with a seniors National Service, doing a bit of yakka to help earn your keep, for 30 or 40 years you've contributed nothing, you clam up. Would you, or wont you, be willing to be part of a Seniors National Service? If not, why not?

Paul1405,
I have already contributed & it’s your turn now so don’t try to weasel out of your responsibilities ! Liking stamps & playing Solitaire on Govt computers might see you through the day but to let others drag you along to every payday is nothing to be proud of.

with a bent against the public service in general
Paul1405,
That kind of retort is typical of guilty minds. No-one is against the Public Service in geberal, in fact most people concede that a Public Service is absolutely vital for a society. What is not vital nor desired are the hordes of bureaudroids, expensive no-performers who could not even tell what they’re actually doing all day. You need to start distinguishing between Public Servants & mere bureaudroids. Look at the education system for argument’s sake. Teachers can’t educate because you guessed correctly, the bureaucrats & droids are not allowing teachers to be teachers.
Also, we have Laws & we have lawyers who work against the Law instead of with it. The list of the Peter Principle lemmings is scarily long.

'with a bent against the public service in general'
What astounds me is how one is to look at the public servants when the level o discernment when voting for a political candidate is virtually zilch.
If a party decides to nominate a amoeba as it's candidate, the like minded party followers vote for it simply because it's the party candidate for the area.
The person can be a total moron and the electors will blindly vote for them, no questions asked.
When it's a public servant it's given, they're lazy and incompetent.
The voters aren't lazy and incompetent, it's the public servants.
So who and what do we have in Parliament?
We have those who were voted in by the myopic voters who are about as discerning as a silkworm occupied with it's cocoon.
The ability to vote for an independent requires a certain input and discernment.
I suppose the public servants are to blame for that as well

Indy,

On numerous occasions on this forum you have posted; "95% of public servants should be sacked" you have posted it over and over. Are you not man enough to fess up? Now! with weasel words you try to change, without apology, what you said. Only a total goose would post; "95% of public servants should be sacked." That makes you a total goose!

Special Delivery,
Our sparring partner Paul1405 is a perfect example why Public Servants should be exempt from voting.
Public Servants with integrity on the other hand should not be exempt. How to solve this dilemma to choose ? Introduce a Gap Year National Service & only those who served should be eligible to enter the Public Service. I firmly believe that without a benchmark such as a NS we’ll just keep wallowing along in the same sad way towards self defeat.
We need to work as a symbiosis ! The old saying “you scratch my back I scratch yours” should really be “you scratch my back & I scratch the back of the one in front of me & so on”.

Indy,

Of course you dogged it yourself, when you had the opportunity to do you bit of national service (enlistment between the ages of 18 and 35) you failed to do so. Why is that? You're a bloke who likes to impose a lot of harsh rules and penalises on others, whiles avoiding any such impose on yourself, a free loader! How about a Seniors National Service for the likes of YOU with your snout firmly in the taxpayer trough! You create a fantasy in your minds eye that you have been a positive contributor to society, but for the past 20 years you've been on taxpayer funded aged welfare! People like you are a net negative on Australia, sad bu true. the reality is if you went tomorrow Australia would be better off, one less snout in the trough. Many including public servants become self funded retirees, through careful management and thrifty saving in their working life they don't have to rely on the taxpayer in their twilight years, like those who pissed and gambled everything away, they ever earned in their life. Here's a test for you; On reaching retirement age we'll have a public servant do a "Piss Away Test" on the likes of you. Yep look at your previous work history, tax paid et etc then it; "Sorry sunshine you've failed the pissed away test, no aged welfare from the taxpayer for YOU! Go look after yourself."

PS Once on the forum you lamented that the pension rise wasn't enough to buy another schooner! Remember that cry?

Why is that?
Paul1405,
Just one more time just for you. Your God the Goaf abolished or rather sold out the NS for votes ! That’s how we ended up with people such as you.

You're a bloke who likes to impose a lot of harsh rules and penalises on others,
Paul1405,
You sure live up to SM’s characterisation of you. I don’t “like” to impose on others. Only parasites & hobbyist anarchists interpret basic human qualities such as discipline & basic responsibility as imposing. They’re champions in passing the buck yet when the buck is handed to them they fall to pieces. Symbiosis is abhorred as it involves effort hence their heavy leaning towards Parasitism. The PS entrenched Peter Principle & tireless bleating of discrimination is the their method of progress. Indifferent bureaucrats are their vehicle to Parasitism.