Fixing the Queensland Public Service or putting in a new political ‘fix’?

The costly Wellcamp project and the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games shemozzle with its many false costings and manipulated reports are just two examples of these problems.

The new LNP Government's challenges

Premier Crisafulli has said in his victory speech that he wants a "world class" public service, but what does that mean?

It has not been articulated in any detail in any LNP policy statements released to date.

Although Premier Crisafulli has indicated that most of Queensland's Public Servant jobs are 'safe' this does not necessarily mean the senior ranks are. In that instance he is referring to the large cuts to the QPS across all levels that occurred under the Newman LNP Government (2012-15).

He has already stood down Mike Kaiser who headed the Premier's Department because of his clear partisan background.

The issues are:

• What is going to happen to the many other department heads and senior executive service public servants appointed by the previous government - is it going to be wholesale sackings of the senior ranks, the "now it's our turn" approach to modern government?

• Or is the new government going to embark on more lasting reform and try to reintroduce the Westminster model of a permanent, independent public service?

Learning from the Newman Coalition Government on what not to do

The Crisafulli Government has said it is not going to repeat the mistakes of the Newman Government (2012-15). In case you have forgotten these include:

• Wholesale replacement of most department heads: many existing senior appointees were replaced by new LNP appointees - many from the Brisbane City Council where Newman had been Mayor;

• Appointing former Liberal parliamentarians to department secretary roles and others with overt partisan connections and limited experience;

• Appointing an Audit Commission chaired by former Federal Liberal Treasurer, Peter Costello, thus undermining its perceived independence, which led to wholesale cuts to the public service, enforced redundancies and whole areas of the public service decimated; and

• Interference in the appointment of judges.

What the new Crisafulli Government could do

Hasten slowly

First, the Crisafulli Government should consider as we enter the November-December-January Christmas holiday period with its related distractions, not making major public service personnel changes or departmental restructuring of any kind if it wants its program to be implemented during this period.

Continuity and stability is essential. New ministers need time to come to grips with their portfolios and their personal staff to be selected.

So, many current senior staff should be retained as long as they are loyal to the elected government. Their experience and knowledge counts in this critical transition period. If balance, integrity and professionalism is to be restored to Queensland public administration it is also important that people are treated fairly.