Govt to learn to manage brilliant, difficult workers if to innovate, Liz Pommer and Vicky Darling

If govt wants innovation, learn to manage the brilliant, difficult workers

Defence force’s structure, for example, doesn’t support someone who “lays on the outer”, says deputy chief of Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Warren McDonald (pictured). Speaking at the Air Power Conference in Canberra, McDonald laid bare his concerns that disruptors — the very people most likely to have the innovation inspiration organisations are looking for — […]

Code ball, govt to replace 1500 websites with uber portal, Liz Pommer and Vicky Darling

Gov.au to replace 1500 government websites with an uber-portal

The federal government is to close down many of its more than 1500 websites, with the hope to offer an integrated coherent all of government service  through one mega portal website called gov.au. The first alpha version of the website was released today by the Assistant Minister for Digital Transformation Angus Taylor and the Digital Transformation […]

Reverse web image, govt must adapt, Liz Pommer and Vicky Darling

Reverse web and what government must do to adapt

What is the reverse web — and why do our agencies need to be on it? Dries Buytaert, a founding father of the open source movement, speaks exclusively. Governments and public agencies should begin thinking of themselves not as depositories of information for citizens to access at will, but instead reposition as technology platforms providing […]

Tortoise, slow thinking, Liz Pommer and Vicky Darling

Understanding slow and fast thinking – the keys to deliberative engagement

When presented with the facts, many people don’t automatically let go of their feelings or personal ideas. It is particularly easy in this era of rapid change, for some people to reach a conclusion based on their gut feeling rather than the evidence. To get genuine contributions from the public, community engagement practitioners need to […]

Mini-publics linking citizens and elites in policy deliberations

Citizens’ juries are growing in Australia, but are usually divorced from decision-makers. A better design consciously couples mini-publics and elites. Modern politics is often characterised as a world of electoral sound bites and party competition, with few opportunities for informed public debate. But this is perhaps an unfair representation of what goes on at the […]