"A big step indeed, however how does it correlate with the new code of conduct where employees can't write to ministers and disclose the names of the perpetrators? Or does this bill override that?"
OZloop
Express Exchange Engage
Hi, Steve
Latest Activity
Janice Speary commented on steve davies's blog post 'Greater protection for public service whistleblowers - Are the steps that huge?'Janice Speary commented on steve davies's blog post 'The new values for public servants'"This is an incredible and eye opening post. You've asked great questions, and these are definitely things that need to be answered. Changes are well over due, the APS has become a stagnant, oppressive, controlling environment where employees…"
Leroy commented on steve davies's blog post 'Australian Taxation Office - Abuse behind closed doors'"In researching another matter, I happened across a publication by Comcare titled Call Centres: A Guide to Safe Work.
The chapter commencing at page 20 has the following introduction:
WORK ORGANISATION
This section discusses hazards associated with…"
Deep S commented on steve davies's blog post 'The new values for public servants'"Sadly Steve, I would not hold my breath on getting answers to your questions. The Public Service Commissioner and Attorney General have their head buried deep in the sand!
I get the feeling they like it that way."
Deep S commented on steve davies's blog post 'Department of Veterans Affairs - Australian Public Service bureaucracy at work'"Hmmmm JA James - wonder if this is the mindset in other depts - like Com(no)care, APSC, ATO.
Does it become "us" and "them" at relevant levels? For example, it is clear that auditors in the ATO did assume, to put it mildly,…"
JA James commented on steve davies's blog post 'Department of Veterans Affairs - Australian Public Service bureaucracy at work'"My first job in the public service was at DVA. I was mortified by the things some staff would say about veterans. There was a real 'us (DVA staff) versus them (veterans)' mentality amongst some employees - the veterans were the enemies. I…"
steve davies posted a blog postDepartment of Veterans Affairs - Australian Public Service bureaucracy at work
I have spent some time thinking about the 7.30 report Psychiatrist warns bureaucracy is worsening veterans' PTSD. Despite the clients they are meant to serve it is evident that the bureaucracy and mindset of the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), is no different to the rest of the Australian Public Service.Returning military personnel should be accorded the respect of receiving decent and timely treatment to…See More
steve davies posted a status"Yes there is much more to PRISM antics http://ning.it/16sZflE It should almost go without saying."
steve davies posted a status"Autonomy at work is the key. What the public service seeks to crush.http://ning.it/18LZiNK Oh. They call it management."
steve davies commented on Deep S's blog post 'Whistleblowers and public accountability - The Guardian'"The APS provisions are flawed and corrupted. If people go the the APSC they are thrown back into the arms of their employing agency. When that happens they are attacked by their employing agency.
Under the circumstances this is not good advice.…"
steve davies posted a status"US is not perfect, but Aust processes are hostile to whistleblowers http://ning.it/18I9kiJ"
Deep S commented on steve davies's blog post 'Australian Taxation Office - Abuse behind closed doors'"Well said, Steve!
The SES should indeed be sacked.
One thing I might disagree with though is the unions. I do not know whether it is "politics" but it appears to me that this is the very thing the unions should become actively involved…"
Janice Speary commented on steve davies's blog post 'Australian Taxation Office - Abuse behind closed doors'"Very good question Steve who is responsible for this behaviour?"
Janice Speary commented on steve davies's blog post 'Australian Taxation Office - Abuse behind closed doors'"The best part about it all is that they have lowered the work classification and hired APS 1 casuals to do work that was completed by APS 2 or 3s to the APS1s. Pump out more work for less pay."
steve davies commented on steve davies's blog post 'Australian Taxation Office - Abuse behind closed doors'"Yes Janice. The ATO knows the peaks and troughs of work very well. They could easily find some balance here and do better than implementing what amounts to piece work. This regime is right out of the depression.
They are doing this with the very…"
Janice Speary commented on steve davies's blog post 'Australian Taxation Office - Abuse behind closed doors'"Then they have the nerve to tell casuals that they are disposable and that during peak periods and tax time we will hire more and more and when we have had enough we will get rid of them all, with as little as a week or a says notice. These casuals…"
steve davies commented on steve davies's blog post 'Australian Taxation Office - Abuse behind closed doors'"Yes. So what we are left with is that they are willing to pay for a disposable and blindly compliant workforce. How dumb and short sighted is that."
Evelyn commented on steve davies's blog post 'Australian Taxation Office - Abuse behind closed doors'"Since the efficiency dividends employees at the frontlines, including call centres, have been subject to staff cuts while their management streams grow. It is frustrating that the 'service' in public service no longer applies. It is…"
Profile Information
- State/Territory/Country
- Australian Capital Territory
- Jurisidiction
- Other
- If you selected Other, please name
- Founder of OZloop. Former public servant. Left at the end of 2011 as I concluded that more public service can be done outside the Australian Public Service due to the damage being done to the public service - and many dedicated and progressive individual staff - by managerialism and corporate spin.
- The public sector of the future should . . .
- Trust employees to network openly with each other and citizens for the betterment of themselves, the public service and the community. And it should be doing this NOW.
- Anything else?
- Professionally, I believe passionately in the free flow of information and freedom of expression as a means of enhancing the performance of people and organisations.
steve davies's Videos
Steve davies's Blog
Greater protection for public service whistleblowers - Are the steps that huge?
Yesterday the Public Interested Disclosure Bill was passed in the House of Representatives. The bill makes it an offence for an individual or organisation to take hostile action against a public servant due to them making a public interest disclosure.
As pointed out by Whistleblower Australia's national president Cynthia…
ContinuePosted on June 20, 2013 at 9:30am — 1 Comment
The new values for public servants
The title of this post is identical to that of the Canberra Times report - The new values for public servants. No, I am not being lazy. It's an ironic headline as these are not new values at all.
Professionally and personally, I'm all in favour of the espoused values of the Australian Public Service. Like many people I also embrace very old democratic…
ContinuePosted on June 19, 2013 at 11:00am — 3 Comments
Department of Veterans Affairs - Australian Public Service bureaucracy at work
I have spent some time thinking about the 7.30 report Psychiatrist warns bureaucracy is worsening veterans' PTSD. Despite the clients they are meant to serve it is evident that the bureaucracy and mindset of the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), is no different to the rest of the Australian Public Service.
Returning military personnel should be accorded the respect of receiving decent and…
ContinuePosted on June 17, 2013 at 1:11pm — 2 Comments
Australian Taxation Office - Abuse behind closed doors
For some months I have been receiving information concerning the management regime being applied within Taxation Office call centres. These centres sit within the Client Account Services business service line.
This post is a summary of longer paper I have written about the Taxation Office's call centre management…
ContinuePosted on June 11, 2013 at 9:27am — 20 Comments
Are you living the organisation of your dreams
It shouldn't be hard should it? People need to be able to love the work they do and organisations need to nurture and get out of the way.
However, many organisations seem to find it too hard. They are in the grip of a management fetish. Got a problem? More management is the answer. That has been answer forever. And guess what? It doesn't work. Even today, the typical answer of the public service is to pile on more management. Why? Are people that recalcitrant? Absolute…
ContinuePosted on June 4, 2013 at 2:30pm — 2 Comments
Comment Wall (54 comments)
- At 10:02pm on March 12, 2013, Johnny said…
I feel like I'm on a treadmill out the door. And yes the default position is to support the manager. HR even wrote it in an email when I complained about the unfairness of a particular decision.
I've asked certain members of the team who have been impacted to also make a complaint. If at least four or five people make a complaint about their treatment it would provide a strong position. However the whole team is scared to bits and everyone has refused.
Many thanks for your support.
- At 12:06pm on March 12, 2013, Johnny said…
Hi Steve, many thanks for your comment.
I have received a contact from APS Dignity. The scope is wider than HR but HR are facilitating matters by supporting the managers and refusing to resolve any complaints. Its incredible the way they seek to minimise and reframe matters. All I want is a straight answer and an apology!
- At 1:27pm on March 11, 2013, Zira said…
- Thanks for the welcome,interesting site,have passed it on to others,whose lives are being screwed by the wonderful world of oz public service,although its more a "oh my goodness,thats what happens here" than how to beat the bastards.But at least its good to know we arent alone in our dilemma.Again thanks
- At 9:42am on December 14, 2012, Deep S said…
Thanks Steve.
- At 11:54am on December 9, 2012,
Anthony Peterson said… Thanks for the welcome Steve. I'm keen to learn from others with more experience at navigating the APS culture. Cheers, Anthony
- At 10:21pm on September 8, 2012, gerard crewdson said…
Thanks Steve -It is an excellent site
- At 7:29pm on July 11, 2012,
Cheryl Peters said… I can validate everything Serene Teffaha has written. My story is so similar it could have been scripted. I complained about managerial incompetence over of a GTW for a non work related injury and my life turned into a nightmare.
In the past three years I have been sent to four psychiatrists, I believed it is called doctor shopping. Thankfully my treating doctors where quick thinking enough to refer me to a respected psychiatrist to look after my interests. Everything is similar. The reports by managers attached to the ATO commissioned psychiatrists” referrals with false and unsubstantiated allegations against me, to being forced onto unpaid sick leave for ten months, while I await the outcome of an AAT hearing.
To have to support yourself while trying to fight for your rights, is financially and psychologically devastating. When I return to work on yet another GTW at either BXH or Docklands, Serene has my support to pursue her right to justice, truth and have her story told.
- At 11:00am on May 9, 2012, Evelyn said…
Thanks Steve. The site looks great. Did not know it existed until I tried Twitter.
Cheers
Evelyn
- At 10:30am on March 12, 2012, Charlie Hamer said…
Hi Steve, thanks for the welcome. I recently read your article on the "Paranoia that will shut government" as I am putting together content for our Gov2.0 conference and it would be good to keep in touch re themes for this year, and if you have any recommendations for topics? I was looking how can Government agencies progress the Taskforce's recommendations and give access for staff to social media, enhance their skills, and encourage staff to utilise this channel for communication.
Easier said than done, I am sure you would agree, but looking to tackle this at the conference.
Any advice would be great. Cheers.
- At 11:52am on March 8, 2012, Kate Stone said…
Useful sites
© 2013 Created by steve davies.
