Political Leadership in an Age of Constraint

The Commonwealth Bureaucracy under Labour has undergone dramatic change. It has had a new managerial model thrust upon it aimed partly at strengthening the central agencies which implement economic policies. This major restructuring of government administration is an attempt to ensure the implementation of economic priorities - a response to fiscal stress. This book analyzes how senior bureaucrats are functioning under these conditions and how effectively the central coordinating roles are being performed.;Based on interviews with senior public servants in central agencies, "Political Leadership in an Age of Constraint" provides unique insight into the administrative processes and patterns of behaviour of Australia's top bureaucrats. This is a study of how senior bureaucrats cope with policy changes which threaten long established practices and is a "first hand" account of the reform programme. The book uncovers the relationship between our political leaders and the bureacracy. It offers a unique perspective on the exercise of government under Labour.