Retiring Ken Matthews wants public servants to be bolder

This has been getting a run in Crikey – some of the comments are pretty good:

http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/10/07/time-to-shake-up-our-docile-and-unassertive-public-service/

The current Defence chief is the one who finally went on the record and told the minister that the Kids Overboard was not reality. I was surprised that he was later made Chief of Defence by the same government.

But in general, I would say going against the stated aims of the minister is a brave move.

‘Public interest’ is not always subjective. Say for example, that means testing the baby bonus would cost more in terms of staff, paperwork, computer systems etc, than just giving it to all new parents automatically. The only reason to means test it, is that focus groups have shown that people are against giving ‘benefits’ to the rich. This is not a case of ‘winners and losers’ but one of public perception. Not everything comes down to winners and losers. In fact more and more it seems that appearing to do the right thing is far more imiportant than actually achieving anything. The Indigenous Intervention is another expensive case of beign seen to do something (but achieving nothing much).

Any public servant who thinks that they work for an objectively measurable public interest is seriously deluded. Every government action involves winners and losers and the determination that one person is more deserving than another is an entirely subjective decision.

The reward for rocking the boat is avery uncomfortable career (and possibly a quite short one).

Frank and fearless! As a public servant I love to be.

Nice if the government of the day (and Ministers and Advisers) were open and receptive.