Politicisation: the attack on merit and our way of life

Most recently, the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme (RCRS) reignited concerns about politicisation of the Australian Public Service (APS) as it heard evidence about "APS leaders (both Secretaries and SES leaders) being excessively responsive to government, undermining the concept of impartiality and frank and fearless advice". Andrew Podger's report for the RCRS summed it up thus:

… over the last 35 years, there has been a significant shift towards closer Government control … These concerns include whether it has led to excessive responsiveness by APS leaders (both Secretaries and the SES…) to the wishes of ministers, undermining 'frank and fearless' advice … public confidence …(and) contributed to a loss of capability in the APS.

Together, these trends confirm Professor John Halligan's argument that:

The politicisation of public services has been a relentless trend in public administration internationally … Politicising tendencies over time point to a long-term trend … incremental politicisation is ingrained.

Halligan believes such trends are not peculiar to Australia and are evident across all western democracies, including those countries once thought immune or only lightly politicised, and has been intensifying more in places previously prevalent. His argument has been that in Australia, "politicalisation has extended to greater influence over appointments of top officials and more intense pressures exerted by political leaders on how senior officials operate" than elsewhere.

Five issues emerge from these developments that need to be addressed.

1. What is meant by 'politicisation' and 'merit' and what are their various permutations?

2. What has changed from the past, if anything?

3. What are the drivers for increasing politicisation?

4. What are the possible adverse impacts?

5. Can anything be done to ameliorate these adverse effects of 'politicisation'?