Public administrative reform in Australia

The chapter investigates the role and significance of context and administrative tradition for Australian reform, reviews the main reform programmes with reference to international models, examines a range of factors that affect implementation, addresses key lessons from Australia’s experience of recent reform, and reviews the prospects when the influence of international models lessened, and context became more important. Australia has been prone to initiating regular reform and had considerable success in converting public administration to a management approach and implementing aspects of new public management. Sustaining effective reform faltered when it came to implementing comprehensive change for a governance era, and when the principles of Westminster and the future of the public service were challenged by neoliberal agenda. Under these conditions, pendulum swings became more significant than layering and hybridization. If recommendations of the most recent reform review are implemented the Australian public service can expect modernization and institutional renewal.