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[eclipse]

A discussion on the Beyond Federation email list prompted questions about the once-in-a-lifetime chance for Departmental efficiency if various State departments were amalgamated into National Departments (for Health, Child Protection, Police, Education, etc).

Concerns were raised that if Departments did not implement really efficient design the first time around, then that would be a once-off opportunity lost.

I'm not so sure I am as pessimistic. Sure it would be great to get it right the first time around, but a few other thoughts occur. Surely departments being nationalised is the key reform, whether or not they become more efficient than they were before, because it will allow more efficient legislation, policy, co-operation where there was division, streamlined national approaches and systems where before human capital had to re-learn state systems whenever individuals moved between states, for example.

Once the State system is gone and we have a national Department of Police, surely that is a massive efficiency gain whether or not there are more or less Police Officers and management?

Anyway, once they are nationalised following governments will be able to restructure here, add money there, make efficiency cuts here and a bit of bloat there, depending on the national agenda at the time, the technologies in use, the political mandate, etc.

This leads me to think through even larger, global efficiency gains.

If we ever achieved our goals then Australia would certainly be in the forefront of political innovation and might inspire a whole new generation of political thought. Imagine the world-wide implications of what we might achieve? Imagine the USA a generation or 2 later adopting something like our model, and the sheer human capital that would free up in a market of 300 million people? What if China eventually became a democracy, and yet adopted a simple political system like ours with 1.4 billion people, yet one parliament writing the basic laws and policies, with flexibility for implementation at the local/and or regional level?

Wouldn't this open up the potential for a truly democratic World government? See my thoughts under the thread called "The Only Federation I could support".

[Charles Mollison]

Reforming the bureaucracy will prove more difficult than reforming the system of government.

Bureaucracies are created to prevent behaviour different from the norm that has been established by legislation and regulation. A "good" bureaucracy is one in which there is no aberrant behaviour. So far so good.

Only problem is, when the requirement is for the bureaucracy to change, they find it nearly impossible. Even worse is the inability of a bureaucracy to be innovative in a new situation.

Very strong oversight of the transition from what we have now to the new system will be necessary if the potential savings are to be realised.

Back in 1979 I wrote a book on "Accountability in the Public Service". I never bothered to have it published but it went to the Public Service Board and I gather many of the recommendations have been adopted. Perhaps I should resurrect it.

Charles S Mollison