The Centre for Policy Development is touting their latest research “Attitudes towards the public service” of which an extract is available.
Here’s the skinny:
- • Most Australians support government exercising an active role in society and the economy.
• There is strong community preference for public (rather than private) sector agencies delivering services including transport, policing, health and education.
• Outsourcing and privatisation occur despite and contrary to these preferences.
• Australians are generally supportive of increased public service funding, even if that means paying higher taxes.
• A majority of citizens express reservations about the current bipartisan determination to return the Australian budget to surplus as soon as possible. Surveys indicate that this is not widely supported if it comes at the expense of adequately funded public services.
• Surveys indicate a higher level of confidence in public service agencies than major companies.
• Agency surveys provide an inadequate assessment of client satisfaction.
• The mainstream media communicates primarily negative stereotypes of public servants.
• Australian politicians reinforce these stereotypes, expressing distinctly less positive attitudes toward the public service than those of other community members: they are less likely than citizens to express satisfaction, confidence or willingness to fund and regularly invoke very negative stereotypes.
• Studies of APS employees toward their workplaces and employers present contradictory impressions. Surveys administered by the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) present a largely positive picture including high levels of employee satisfaction, motivation and sense of personal accomplishment. These surveys also indicate that many APS employees feel that their agencies discourage innovation and that their interactions with Ministers and other elected representatives are often difficult.
• Surveys conducted by the Commonwealth Public Sector Union (CPSU) present a significantly less positive impression. For instance, a significant proportion of female public servants report their work-life balance difficulties and bullying in their workplaces