PS: Let's be Friends

Politicians, not public servants, answer to the people, and therefore should make the big policy decisions, the Prime Minster tells a gathering of senior public servants. By Nick Cater

There must be times in the life of a Prime Minister when you’re facing two oppositions. One sits on the other side of parliament, the other occupies government offices, discharging its workload in the manner made familiar by the TV comedy, Yes Minister.

“‘Under consideration’ means ‘we’ve lost the file’,” Bernard explains to his minister, Jim Hacker. “‘Under active consideration’ means ‘we’re trying to find it’.”

The Prime Minister’s speech to senior public servants this week was both a pep talk and a clear reminder who is in charge. May’s election bestowed a degree of authority on the PM and his government unmatched in recent years. The public service would be foolish to discount the possibility of a fourth term for the Coalition Government. Hunkering down and waiting for the storm to blow over is no longer a feasible option.

MORE: Read Scott Morrison's speech here 

The subtext of Scott Morrison’s address was unmistakable: you and I will need to be friends. “The public service is meant to be an enabler of Government policy not an obstacle,” Morrison said.

“I’ve talked about the need for a culture of regulatory congestion busting in our bureaucracy. That doesn’t mean cutting corners or not meeting regulatory requirements. But it does mean being relentless in finding ways to help Australians make things happen and reach their goals… We need interactions with government to be simpler, more human, and less bureaucratic.”

Morrison’s call for a more human government echoed the message of Steve Hilton, a former advisor to David Cameron, in his 2015 book, More Human: Designing A World Where People Come First. Hilton’s thesis was that the remoteness of bureaucracy, both in the public and corporate sectors, was frustrating the ambitions of individuals to make a success of their lives.

Hilton’s call for “a post-bureaucratic age” may be a little fanciful. He was right, however, in urging individuals to take back power over the things that matter to them from the anonymous, distant bureaucrats in government and business.

“The first step in designing a more human world is to change the priorities of government. My argument is that we have to start from the notion that certain things must be in place for people to lead a decent life, and that government’s overarching priority should be to ensure that they are. Government should lay the infrastructure (in its broadest sense) that will allow people to live happy, healthy and flourishing lives.”

Taming the bureaucracy is no easy task. Public servants should be aware, however, that the public will be cheering the Prime Minister on if he chooses to pursue that path.