menu_open
Paddy Gourley

Paddy Gourley

Brisbane Times

We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

Lehrmann and the engagement of ministerial staff

In the oceanic commentary on the Bruce Lehrmann cases, little attention seems to have been given as to how he got into Minister Linda Reynolds office...

previous day 7

Pearls and Irritations

Paddy Gourley

We were told to get ready for APS reform on steroids. Time to up the dosage?

When elected in May 2022, the ALP government inherited a federal public service that had been debauched for many years, the damage reaching a high...

14.04.2024 10

Canberra Times

Paddy Gourley

A victory against the flow of the tide

Under the Morrison and Albanese governments it may well be that the FoI Act has been more restrictively administered than at any time since it came...

26.03.2024 6

Pearls and Irritations

Paddy Gourley

Government shock as subordinating foreign and defence policy to US strangely unpopular with voters

A recent Essential Poll published in The Guardian proves yet again that silly questions often get silly answers. One of its question was “Which...

17.03.2024 9

Pearls and Irritations

Paddy Gourley

Two cheeks of the same backside: Galloway’s UK victory foretells ALP spanking

The Albanese ALP (Australian Labor Party) has become a true people’s government in the sense that its timidity restricts it from doing just about...

08.03.2024 8

Pearls and Irritations

Paddy Gourley

The Home Affairs security “GURU”

With the scalp of poor Mr Mike Pezzullo dangling from his belt, The Age/Sydney Morning Herald journalist Michael Bachelard continues to take a...

29.02.2024 6

Pearls and Irritations

Paddy Gourley

How long does it take to skin a cat?

Well, if the cat is the referral of public servants by the Robodebt Royal Commission for code of conduct investigations now being dealt by the Public...

19.02.2024 5

Pearls and Irritations

Paddy Gourley

The change that could fix the problems and politics of appointments

The politicisation of appointments to statutory offices has been an ugly scab on Commonwealth public administration for a long time. $0/ (min cost...

11.02.2024 8

Canberra Times

Paddy Gourley

Mike Burgess’ “annual threat assessment”: Testing our reserves of patience

For the last few Februaries the Director-General of the ASIO, Mr Mike Burgess, has delivered an “annual threat assessment” by way of a speech to...

25.01.2024 20

Pearls and Irritations

Paddy Gourley

Australia’s ever expanding security apparatus

Gareth Evans ,former Foreign Minister and the former  ASIO head, Alan Wrigley, are likely not the only ones to be dubious about the value of much of...

04.01.2024 5

Pearls and Irritations

Paddy Gourley

Freedom of information laws: grand in theory, dismal in practice

Accountability only works if information about government is readily available. And who doesn’t believe in accountability, at least in theory? ...

20.12.2023 20

Pearls and Irritations

Paddy Gourley

Appointment of Home Affairs Secretary Foster not merit-based

On 1 November 2023 the Minister for the Public Service, Senator Gallagher said “in the next stage of reforms” to the public service the government...

04.12.2023 6

Pearls and Irritations

Paddy Gourley

APS leaders set a worthy integrity goal, but something has been missed

In the middle of November the secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Glyn Davis, and the Public Service Commissioner, Gordon...

01.12.2023 6

Canberra Times

Paddy Gourley

The time for “slow” has expired: Reduce reliance on consultants now

The excessive use of consultants and contract labour was one of the most damaging injuries sustained by the Australian Public Service in the 10 years...

18.11.2023 10

Pearls and Irritations

Paddy Gourley

APS pay deal an unholy mess with figures plucked from the ether

Of all the unholy public service messes inherited by the ALP government last year, t he staff remuneration policy and its consequences was probably...

15.10.2023 4

Canberra Times

Paddy Gourley

It's almost as if Home Affairs had been set up for failure

What a fabulous trove the Pezzullo papers are. The hundreds of recently disclosed text messages sent by the Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo...

05.10.2023 4

Canberra Times

Paddy Gourley

Getting the facts right on departmental tenure

Commentary on the tenure of Secretaries of Commonwealth Government departments is becoming perilous territory as those wading into it continue to make...

30.09.2023 7

Pearls and Irritations

Paddy Gourley

Asleep at the wheel of public service reform

The rehabilitation of the federal public service is a slow waltz – one step forward, one sideways and a couple backwards. To stretch the metaphors...

19.09.2023 6

Pearls and Irritations

Paddy Gourley

1c4d03d28cd7d4477bd28e6ebeba2ff0