The Westminster Tradition
Unpacking lessons for the public service, starting with the Robodebt Royal Commission.
In 2019, after three years, Robodebt was found to be unlawful. The Royal Commission process found it was also immoral and wildly inaccurate.
In 2019, after three years, Robodebt was found to be unlawful. The Royal Commission process found it was also immoral and wildly inaccurate.
Ultimately the Australian Government was forced to pay $1.8bn back to more than 470,000 Australians.
In this podcast we dive deep into public policy failures like Robodebt and the British Post Office scandal - how they start, why they're hard to stop, and the public service lessons we shouldn't forget.
Podcasting since 2023 • 55 episodes
The Westminster Tradition
Latest Episodes
Rescuing a bin fire: Test and Learn and Universal Credit (Part 2)
In this second episode on Universal Credit, we talk about how the team transitioned from catastrophic failure to remarkable success.We cover:The barriers to test and learn - from the need for certainty by leaders, to Treasury...
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Season 3
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Episode 12
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45:16
From hot mess to delivered: Universal Credit and delivering system wide reform (Part 1)
In the shadow of worries about the NDIS, do we even believe that big system reform in Australia is do-able any more? Is the juice worth the squeeze?In this first of a two part series, we explore the example of Universal Credit, a 15 year...
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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40:07
The Vanstone Files: Unpacking Ministerial Power
In a wide ranging discussion, Alison, Caroline and Danielle come together to discuss the gems from the ...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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44:41
The Hon Amanda Vanstone AO - Inside the Westminster Machine
Former Senator Amanda Vanstone offers a masterclass in ministerial leadership, delivering sharp insights from her 21-year political career that are as relevant today as they were during her time in Prime Minister Howard's Cabinet. Cutting throu...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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1:11:40
DOGE or GROSS (Getting Rid of Stupid Stuff) 😩: the touchy subject of efficiency in the public service
Efficiency is in the news ... but what does it mean? How should public servants work on improving efficiency? Should we be focused on system reform, ending whole entitlements, or nibbling at the edges?How to know what kind of budget...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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59:00