article says "Public service may not be cut so deeply"

[Maggie2012]

Well, may not be so doom for ACT after all: Original article:

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/public-service/public-service-may-not-be-cut-so-deeply-20130908-2teiy.html

[Petals]

Does this mean that we will not have to wait more than the usual 20 -30 minutes in a queue to talk to the minions :laugh: Unbelievable these phone queues. Unskilled work thin on the ground would think that they would employ more people not less at least they could then pay taxes

[Slean Wolfhead]

That's the thing here, alluded to in that article.

They hire and fire, but don't seem to get to the point of realising if they fired and then reinvested the savings into better systems and retraining the lower paid ambitious staff, they wouldn't be forced into re-hiring the same old people a year later and still not see any improvements in the service.

They go up and down, but find it harder to move forward. Lots of union power here....they have no incentive to do things better.

[ABL275]

Well, may not be so doom for ACT after all: Original article:

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/public-service/public-service-may-not-be-cut-so-deeply-20130908-2teiy.html

 

I've consulted and contracted in the APS and my wife works there - believe me, there is so much deadwood that losing 12,000 people is likely to remove far more blockers and waisters than real workers - the APS cannot only afford it, it needs it!

[Maggie2012]

I've consulted and contracted in the APS and my wife works there - believe me, there is so much deadwood that losing 12,000 people is likely to remove far more blockers and waisters than real workers - the APS cannot only afford it, it needs it!

 

would she be one of the dead wood than? Obviously, if unions are so strong, there is a point in spending money to pay people off. Certainly there would need to be a review process to streamline the system. Let's face it is easier said than done. Plus as the nation grows so does the government workforce and need for it or not so?

[Quoll]

Of course it was never going to happen but it made for good scary press so that Canberrans kept up their strong Labor voting patterns. I think they hoped that the dreadful Get Up man might get in if they scared hard enough. I agree with Peach - there is a good supply of dead wood in the APS and always has been really. Lots of people taking early retirement then coming back as higher paid consultants! They could prune a hell of a lot without even going to VRs

 

I think a good many of the call centres are outsourced - I can remember having the very dickens of a time trying to get sense out of the ATO call centre at one stage - sadly, English was not the first language of either of the two I spoke to and they couldnt understand my question and I sure as hell couldnt understand their answers!

 

Id like to see an end to a lot of the duplication - what is essentially a State program doesnt need an army of Federal bureaucrats buzzing around making the situation worse IMHO

Edited September 11, 2013 by Quoll

[ABL275]

Actually no, she was previously CIO of one of Britain's larger and better known companies.

 

Presumably you're not seriously suggesting that the APS is 100% efficient and that everyone who works there is fully utilised, highly productive and highly efficient?

 

If so let me share one experience with you; I was consulting in Federal Department on restructuring and was asked by one lady if I could improve the expense claims system by allowing scanned documents to be attached to claims. She opened the requisite screen and I could see a paper-clip so I asked her to click on it and lo and behold, it allowed her to attach electronic documents.

 

And her role? She was a senior manager in charge of the Department's finance and expense systems section - need we go on?

[Misplaced]

It's strange how everybody can find fault with how government departments are run and that they are all full of deadwood and people have now ambition etc etc etc..

 

I have seen the workings of government of both sides of the water and yes there are people who could do with a kick up the backside and lack ambition etc etc etc. However, one observation I have made is the massive use of consultants within both! Now I have worked with a lot over my time and I can honestly say that most are ....... Well lets just say that most come in use all the buzz type words, invent a few new ones, deliver documents that have splinters in from sitting on the fence with their opinions and produce flowery colourful presentations. Make recommendations and then either leave or move to another department so the mud doesn't stick.

 

My own point view of would be for the government of the day to invest and train their employees fully to build and maintain their systems and to encourage honesty of opinion and act on that honesty.

 

What people do not seem to remember is that working for a government is not easy as each time the government changes, so does the policies, which in turn leads to new legislation and regulations which can in turn lead to more confusion; not just for employees but also the public. When a chairman or chief exec of a company is sacked or resigns someone will take over who really wants that business to succeed. Whereas a government is more interested in votes and policy winning headlines. They rely on stats and not procedure to do this.........this point isn't that clear but I hope you can understand where I am coming from.

 

The thing about letting people go and getting them back as consultants just doesn't happen in the government, I have known it happen in the private sector as well on many occasions.

 

To sum up we all have opinions on government employees and yes there are good and bad ones, but, that is same in all businesses. A lot of people say that the employees of governments have many benefits and are paid well.......I know from a UK point of view they were paid ok but many others working in the private sector were paid more (a lot more) for doing the same job.

 

And don't believe all the hype you are fed by a political party about government employees!

 

PS - this is not written to offend but to just give another point of view.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Maggie2012]

It's strange how everybody can find fault with how government departments are run and that they are all full of deadwood and people have now ambition etc etc etc..

 

I have seen the workings of government of both sides of the water and yes there are people who could do with a kick up the backside and lack ambition etc etc etc. However, one observation I have made is the massive use of consultants within both! Now I have worked with a lot over my time and I can honestly say that most are ....... Well lets just say that most come in use all the buzz type words, invent a few new ones, deliver documents that have splinters in from sitting on the fence with their opinions and produce flowery colourful presentations. Make recommendations and then either leave or move to another department so the mud doesn't stick.

 

My own point view of would be for the government of the day to invest and train their employees fully to build and maintain their systems and to encourage honesty of opinion and act on that honesty.

 

What people do not seem to remember is that working for a government is not easy as each time the government changes, so does the policies, which in turn leads to new legislation and regulations which can in turn lead to more confusion; not just for employees but also the public. When a chairman or chief exec of a company is sacked or resigns someone will take over who really wants that business to succeed. Whereas a government is more interested in votes and policy winning headlines. They rely on stats and not procedure to do this.........this point isn't that clear but I hope you can understand where I am coming from.

 

The thing about letting people go and getting them back as consultants just doesn't happen in the government, I have known it happen in the private sector as well on many occasions.

 

To sum up we all have opinions on government employees and yes there are good and bad ones, but, that is same in all businesses. A lot of people say that the employees of governments have many benefits and are paid well.......I know from a UK point of view they were paid ok but many others working in the private sector were paid more (a lot more) for doing the same job.

 

And don't believe all the hype you are fed by a political party about government employees!

 

PS - this is not written to offend but to just give another point of view.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

 

One of the agencies criticized my resume that we have both emphasized that we are committed and dedicated and not shy of staying the extra hour or so. That particular individual said that "you should be able to do your own work within the set hours and everyone in Canberra is dedicated and committed". Apparently this guy never worked at any workplace his whole life. For instance, try to stick to a deadline if you have to wait on other people (ie. consultants) to deliver their part so you can finish. Agree, that consultants are worthless, but are paid and hired because they are ex managers or existing buddies of other senior managers (who are also useless most of the time). But this is the the business system or work hierarchy that is derived from the time of kings (the ladder system). Look at Google as a company how they operate. It is a well working "bee hive" that should be copied all over the world. Innovation takes time. Returning to the title, I have doubt that TA knows what he is talking about. All comes from a PM who uses public money to do sporting events. It is all what it is, but maybe Canberra needs a shake up anyway. After all, you can always re-hire someone at a higher cost later....