The Australian experience of public sector reform

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Preface

This paper is the second in a series of APS Commission Occasional papers.

The paper was prepared in the first instance as the Australian contribution to the Country Profile series, published by the Commonwealth Secretariat in London. The Country Profiles are intended to 'distil and analyse innovations and best public service management practice from across the Commonwealth'.

The Profile provides an overview of the Australian government and public administration framework. It describes significant reforms that have influenced public service management since the 1970s, their incorporation into current practices, and developments currently underway. While the principal focus is on the Commonwealth experience, this has been complemented by contributions from state and territory experience related to particular themes or topics.

Production of the Australian Profile has been achieved by way of a substantial cooperative effort by the staff of a range of APS agencies, state public services, and the APS Commission. Mr JR Nethercote prepared the introductory overview independently. The APS Commission undertook coordination and overall editing.

While the Profile is being published in the Commonwealth Secretariat series, I believe that there is benefit in making it more immediately and widely available through the APS Commission's Occasional paper series. Its broad canvas and authoritative status should make it useful to many organisations and individuals, including international visitors and new entrants to the APS at all levels. It should be a valuable reference document on contemporary public service administration, and a guide to sources of more detailed official information.

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Andrew Podger
June 2003