Anne-Maree Tiernan

Advising Howard: Interpreting changes in advisory and support structures for the Prime Minister of Australia

John Howard, Prime Minister for nearly a decade, leads a disciplined Cabinet and, save for a few recent rumblings, a united and orderly backbench. He runs a tightly controlled political and policy agenda that unmistakably bears his personal stamp. How can John Howards authority be understood and explained? While undoubtedly the product of his personality and working style, his formidable political skills, experience and renowned personal discipline, it may also be attributable to the substantial and sophisticated advisory infrastructure developed to support his prime ministership. This article surveys the key institutions that provide advice and support for John Howards prime ministership, and assesses their effectiveness.

A Load of Old Garbage: Applying Garbage-Can Theory to Contemporary Housing Policy

This article reviews the applicability of Kingdon’s garbage–can model of agenda setting and alternative specification for understanding the complexities of policy–making in the housing policy context. Garbage–can theories reject conventional ‘policy cycle’ models which envisage policy development processes as rational and underpinned by the logic of problem solving. They posit a loose relationship between problems and the policy solutions offered by national governments. Using an Australian housing policy case study, this article demonstrates the usefulness of Kingdon’s garbage–can theory. A modified framework is used to explain how the policy agenda has become narrowed to focus on safety–net assistance for the most disadvantaged, while housing problems have continued to worsen.

Craft and Capacity in the Public Service

Over the past 8 years, debates about Australias public service have evolved from being focused mainly on skills and capacities to being now increasingly concerned about the operating environment for career officials, their ability to fulfil their stewardship obligations, and to practice their ‘craft’. In this article, I track those changes and ask what is the craft of public administration? How should we understand it? Are concerns it is imperilled or has been lost valid or overblown? I draw on the observations of current and former senior officials, and the findings of recent Capability Reviews. My primary focus is on the Australian Public Service, because here is where the debate has been most public and direct. I note that the focus of concern has shifted from public servants towards ministers, who have been largely absent from public sector reform initiatives of the past 40 years.

'Working with the stock we have: the evolving role of Queensland's Implementation Unit'

Abstract Queenslands Implementation Unit (IU) was established in March 2004, part of a further restructuring of the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC) following the re-election of Peter Beatties Labor government for a third term. The premier had identified implementation as a weakness during his second term and was frustrated by the performance of key ministers and agencies. This article describes the creation of IU; profiles its role, structure, functions and location in the Queensland core executive; and reports on significant developments since the units creation. The first section provides an overview of Queenslands political and administrative context. The second describes the IUs genesis and early achievements. The third section traces the evolving role of the Implementation Unit as it shifted from monitoring and reporting towards a more strategic focus. The final section explores how political crises have shaped its roles.

The learner: John Howard's system of national security advice

This article uses an explanatory framework suggested by presidential studies scholars, Charles Walcott and Karen Hult (1995; 2004), to document the forces that have shaped the structures of support to decision-makers in the Australian national security policy domain. It traces the continuities in national security advisory arrangements – the ‘deep structures’ of advice and support to Australian prime ministers and their cabinets. The article focuses especially on the variable of prime ministerial choice. It argues that John Howard is the great learner of Australian politics, who in national security, as elsewhere, has demonstrated a formidable ability to capitalise on his inheritance from his predecessors Future Prime Ministers will continue to need effective advisory structures. Howards legacy will shape these arrangements into the future.