Senior public servants are under increasing pressure from ministers and are having to draw on reserves of courage to give frank and fearless advice, says former federal department secretary Renee Leon.
Federal public service leaders have increasingly had to draw on their reserves of courage to give frank and fearless advice and have had to choose carefully “what hill they want to die on”, says former Human Services secretary Renee Leon., although he said in his experience senior officials rarely held back.
“Part of the public service’s independence comes from its independent formulation of its advice, so if it doesn’t independently formulate guidance, advice, it won’t be taken for very long.”Speaking at a panel session after the Frances Adamson oration for the Institute of Public Administration Australia,
“I think there has been some risk of damage to the willingness of senior public servants and the extent to which they’re prepared to die on any particular hill. In the end, yes, we do give frank and fearless advice, but I think people choose their moments carefully for that,” she said.“Probably there are times that a decision has been made that ‘perhaps this is not the hill I’m prepared to die on’.
Ms Adamson also advised public servants to take heed of the changing expectations around workplace culture. “There have been events and trends that have risked undermining the continued strength of that capability.
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