With the benefit of hindsight: Valedictory reflections from departmental secretaries, 2004-11

Secretaries of government departments in Australia are the bureaucratic leaders of their generation. They are ambitious, highly-talented executives who have risen to the very pinnacle of their chosen vocation – public service to the Australian nation – usually after having spent most, if not all, of...

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সংরক্ষণ করুন:
গ্রন্থ-পঞ্জীর বিবরন
প্রধান লেখক: Wanna, John, Vincent, Sam, Podger, Andrew
বিন্যাস: Online
ভাষা:ইংরেজি
প্রকাশিত: ANU Press 2021
বিষয়গুলি:
অনলাইন ব্যবহার করুন:459792
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author Wanna, John
Vincent, Sam
Podger, Andrew
author_browse Podger, Andrew
Vincent, Sam
Wanna, John
author_facet Wanna, John
Vincent, Sam
Podger, Andrew
author_sort Wanna, John
collection Directory of Open Access Books
description Secretaries of government departments in Australia are the bureaucratic leaders of their generation. They are ambitious, highly-talented executives who have risen to the very pinnacle of their chosen vocation – public service to the Australian nation – usually after having spent most, if not all, of their professional careers dedicated to the public service. They serve governments as their top advisers and in policy terms are often some of the most important decision-makers in the country. This collection brings together the valedictory speeches and essays from a departing group of secretaries (and one or two other equivalent agency heads) who left the Australian Public Service between 2004 and 2011. Over this period of time it gradually became accepted that departing secretaries and heads of significant agencies would present a valedictory address to their peers at a public farewell function. The first two speeches in this collection were initiated informally and given at functions organised by their agencies; in 2005 the process was formalised with the Australian Public Service Commission acting as organiser. These contributions contain reflections, commentaries, occasional fond memories or key turning-points in careers, critiques of changes that have occurred and an outline of the remaining challenges their successors will face as the public administrators of tomorrow. From the outset it is clear that there is no uniform message, no single narrative levelled either in praise or in criticism, other than pride in the public service and strong belief in the contribution it makes to the Australian community. They have their own personal ‘takes’ on how the public service looks to them, on its performance and on the challenges confronting public administration into the future. Most spend some time looking back, reflecting on the extent of change that has occurred over the length of their careers; but equally importantly they look forward, anticipating future policy dilemmas and capacity challenges.
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spelling doab-20.500.12854ir-294322025-07-21T15:57:24Z With the benefit of hindsight: Valedictory reflections from departmental secretaries, 2004-11 Wanna, John Vincent, Sam Podger, Andrew australia civil service officials employees anecdotes Canberra Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia) Public service thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JW Warfare and defence::JWK Military and defence strategy thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JW Warfare and defence::JWK Military and defence strategy Secretaries of government departments in Australia are the bureaucratic leaders of their generation. They are ambitious, highly-talented executives who have risen to the very pinnacle of their chosen vocation – public service to the Australian nation – usually after having spent most, if not all, of their professional careers dedicated to the public service. They serve governments as their top advisers and in policy terms are often some of the most important decision-makers in the country. This collection brings together the valedictory speeches and essays from a departing group of secretaries (and one or two other equivalent agency heads) who left the Australian Public Service between 2004 and 2011. Over this period of time it gradually became accepted that departing secretaries and heads of significant agencies would present a valedictory address to their peers at a public farewell function. The first two speeches in this collection were initiated informally and given at functions organised by their agencies; in 2005 the process was formalised with the Australian Public Service Commission acting as organiser. These contributions contain reflections, commentaries, occasional fond memories or key turning-points in careers, critiques of changes that have occurred and an outline of the remaining challenges their successors will face as the public administrators of tomorrow. From the outset it is clear that there is no uniform message, no single narrative levelled either in praise or in criticism, other than pride in the public service and strong belief in the contribution it makes to the Australian community. They have their own personal ‘takes’ on how the public service looks to them, on its performance and on the challenges confronting public administration into the future. Most spend some time looking back, reflecting on the extent of change that has occurred over the length of their careers; but equally importantly they look forward, anticipating future policy dilemmas and capacity challenges. 2021-02-10T12:58:18Z 2013-11-18 00:00:00 2020-04-01T14:51:32Z 2012 book 459792 OCN: 781144645 http://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/33587 https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/29432 eng open access image/jpeg image/jpeg image/jpeg image/jpeg n/a n/a n/a n/a https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/20.500.12657/33587/1/459792.pdf https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/20.500.12657/33587/1/459792.pdf https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/20.500.12657/33587/1/459792.pdf https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/20.500.12657/33587/1/459792.pdf ANU Press 10.26530/OAPEN_459792 10.26530/OAPEN_459792 975ba519-3ce2-4517-95bf-b847729fbcf1 193 Canberra open access
spellingShingle australia
civil service
officials
employees
anecdotes
Canberra
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia)
Public service
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JW Warfare and defence::JWK Military and defence strategy
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JW Warfare and defence::JWK Military and defence strategy
Wanna, John
Vincent, Sam
Podger, Andrew
With the benefit of hindsight: Valedictory reflections from departmental secretaries, 2004-11
title With the benefit of hindsight: Valedictory reflections from departmental secretaries, 2004-11
title_full With the benefit of hindsight: Valedictory reflections from departmental secretaries, 2004-11
title_fullStr With the benefit of hindsight: Valedictory reflections from departmental secretaries, 2004-11
title_full_unstemmed With the benefit of hindsight: Valedictory reflections from departmental secretaries, 2004-11
title_short With the benefit of hindsight: Valedictory reflections from departmental secretaries, 2004-11
title_sort with the benefit of hindsight valedictory reflections from departmental secretaries 2004 11
topic australia
civil service
officials
employees
anecdotes
Canberra
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia)
Public service
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JW Warfare and defence::JWK Military and defence strategy
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JW Warfare and defence::JWK Military and defence strategy
topic_facet australia
civil service
officials
employees
anecdotes
Canberra
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia)
Public service
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JW Warfare and defence::JWK Military and defence strategy
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JW Warfare and defence::JWK Military and defence strategy
url 459792
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