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Policynews BUILDING POLICY CAPACITY Special Change of Government Edition policynews BUILDING POLICY CAPACITY Edition 2 • April 2012 Download your free pdf copy from www.policyskills.com.au ampbell Newman was sworn in as Premier on Monday 26 March 2012. In this issue CNew governments bring change, none more important than the shape of Policy and programs in context government itself. Premier Newman is committed to the Queensland public sector Machinery of Government 1 being transformed, not just in its structure but to change the focus to delivery. The Ministers 2 That means smarter administration, better focussed programs and building efficiency. That needs good policy from the best people you can get. The Departments 3 MoG Process 4 One of his top priorities is to reorganise government, breaking apart the so-called Factors relevant to MoG decisions 5 super-departments to focus on service delivery and “return a culture of frank and Policy officer’s checklist 6 fearless advice”. Tools and skills for policy practitioners 7 In this special post-election edition of Policy News you will find articles about the Resources and references 8 importance of policy in a “can do” environment and everything you want to know about machinery of government changes: who does them; who they affect; what principles guide decision making and much more. What you need to deliver Machinery of Government First class policy to deliver on the government’s objectives To deliver on change, the shape of government itself is changed, through First class policy officers to deliver first “machinery of government” or MoG. class policy First class policy skills and capability The components of MoG building: http://www.policyskills.com.au/ 1. People – the ministers and the officials with responsibility for organisations and areas of government service; 2. Organisations – the departments and other agencies that bring together A CanDo LNP government will encourage the functions and the staff who deliver services return to a culture of frank and fearless advice from a professional and permanent public 3. Responsibilities and functions – the role of each organisation and the service led by Ministers who are accountable legislation it administers; We’re committed to a public service that focuses on revitalising front line services 4. Resources – the allocation of existing budget among agencies to ensure the for Queensland. This can be achieved in functions are able to be discharged and that the changes do not result in part by refocusing management structures on improving front line services rather than windfalls or underfunding against the last budget. on bureaucratic internal processes and procedures. Government is organised, and power distributed among various players and institutions, by administrative arrangements orders and notices declaring the An LNP Government will break apart the so-called ‘super-departments’ of DERM and entities that are departments and their functions. DEEDI to restore accountability and reduce bureaucratic gridlock. Decisions about MoG are about “the allocation and reallocation of functions between departments” (Pollitt, 1984). They are not about the internal organisation http://lnp.org.au/news/leader-of-the-lnp/ or reorganisation within departments commonly referred to as “restructuring”, a lnp-to-deliver-a-public-service-that-serves- queensland matter for the departmental chief executives rather than the Premier. Click here Tools and skills for policy practitioners Register online to register Two Day workshop 19-20 June 2012, Brisbane policyskills.com.au BUILDING POLICY CAPACITY Peter Bridgman and Nonie Malone Special Change of Government Edition Edition 2 • April 2012 • Page 2 policynews BUILDING POLICY CAPACITY The Ministers The First Newman Government was actually just three Ministers who assumed Did you know government from the outgoing Bligh administration on Monday 26 March 2012, two days after the election. They took all the Bligh Ministry titles, presumably to “The maximum number of Ministers ensure a speedy transition. This model has become common in Australia once a at any time is 19”: Constitution of change of government is clear, but this was the first triumvirate. All other interim Queensland 2001 section 43(4). ministries have been duumvirates (two person Cabinets). The interim ministerial However, Cabinet, the collective arrangements are listed in Resources and References meeting of the Premier and other Ministers, but could be a lot smaller. The full Ministry was sworn in on 3 April 2012. There are 19 ministers, forming the There must be at least two Ministers to Cabinet, and 11 assistant ministers (previously called parliamentary secretaries). conduct the business of the Governor in Cabinet Ministers (in order of seniority) Council: Constitution section 50(3)(b). Campbell Newman Premier Assistant Ministers are appointed Jeff Seeney Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure under section 24 of the Constitution as and Planning parliamentary secretaries and cannot be Tim Nicholls Treasurer and Minister for Trade members of the executive council. Lawrence Springborg Minister for Health John-Paul Langbroek Minister for Education, Training and Employment David Gibson Minister for Police and Community Safety Jarrod Bleijie Attorney General and Minister for Justice Scott Emerson Minister for Transport and Main Roads Bruce Flegg Minister for Housing and Public Works John McVeigh Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Andrew Powell Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection Andrew Cripps Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Mark McArdle Minister for Energy and Water Supply David Crisafulli Minister for Local Government Tracy Davis Minister for Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services Ros Bates Minister for Science, IT, Innovation and the Arts Steve Dickson Minister for National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing Jann Stuckey Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and Commonwealth Games Jack Dempsey Minister for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander & Multicultural Affairs and Assisting the Premier Assistant Ministers Lisa France Assistant Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Tim Mander Assistant Minister for Sport and Racing Chris Davis Assistant Minister for Health Gavin King Assistant Minister for Tourism Steve Minnikin Assistant Minister for Public Transport Rob Molhoek Assistant Minister for Child Safety Ian Walker Assistant Minister for Planning Reform Deb Frecklington Assistant Minister for Finance, Administration and Regulatory Reform David Kempton Assistant Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Saxon Rice Assistant Minister for Technical and Further Education Robert Cavallucci Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs Click here Tools and skills for policy practitioners Register online to register Two Day workshop 19-20 June 2012, Brisbane policyskills.com.au BUILDING POLICY CAPACITY Peter Bridgman and Nonie Malone Special Change of Government Edition Edition 2 • April 2012 • Page 3 policynews BUILDING POLICY CAPACITY The Departments There are 20 Departments expanded from 13 under the previous government. The Newman promise was one Minister for each Department to clarify lines of accountability and reporting. Minister and portfolio Department Chief executive Campbell Newman Premier Premier and Cabinet Jon Grayson (formerly private enterprise and Q Treasury) Jeff Seeney Deputy Premier, Minister for State State Development, Infrastructure and Planning David Edwards (former state director of Development, Infrastructure and Planning Assistant Minister Ian Walker (Planning Reform) the Committee for Economic Development of Australia) Tim Nicholls Treasurer and Minister for Trade Treasury and Trade Helen Gluer (formerly Stanwell and BCC) Assistant Minister Deb Frecklington (Finance, Administration and Regulatory Reform) Lawrence Springborg Minister for Health Health Tony O’Connell (no change) Assistant Minister Chris Davis John-Paul Langbroek Minister for Education, Training Education, Training and Employment Julie Grantham (no change) and Employment Assistant Minister Saxon Rice (Technical and Further Education) David Gibson Minister for Police and Community Safety Police Bob Atkinson (no change) Community Safety Kelvin Anderson (no change) Jarrod Bleijie Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Justice and Attorney-General Barry Leahy (promoted from Associate DG) Scott Emerson Minister for Transport and Mains Roads Transport and Main Roads Michael Caltabiano (former politician and Assistant Minister engineer) Steve Minnikin (Public Transport) Bruce Flegg Minister for Housing and Public Works Housing and Public Works Natalie McDonald (formerly DG Public Works and DG of Housing) John McVeigh Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry Jack Noye (formerly DG Local Government Forestry and Planning) Andrew Powell Minister for Environment and Heritage Environment and Heritage Andrew Chesterman (formerly BCC) Protection Andrew Cripps Minister for Natural Resources and Natural Resources and Mining Dan Hunt (formerly Associate DG DEEDI Mines Assistant Minister Lisa France and DG Mines and Energy) Mark McArdle Minister for Energy and Water Supply Energy and Water Tim Spencer (formerly Deputy Under Treasurer) David Crisafulli Minister for Local Government Local Government Neil Castles (formerly DDG Health) Tracy Davis Minister for Communities, Child Safety and Communities, Child Safety, Disabilities Margaret Allison (formerly Public Service Disability
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