Why is there a culture of “bashing” the public service in Australia?

Frank Cassidy, Director of Public Service News, was on ABC radio yesterday discussing our some of our findings in, The State of the Australian Public Service: An Alternative Report the often unforgiving attitude Australian’s have towards public servants. The underlying issue, according to Mr. Cassidy, is the ‘blame game’ politicians play with the APS.

“Politicians see them as easy targets to blame when things go wrong” says Mr. Cassidy, they appeal to the general public’s fear of “paying for things they don’t have any control over”

Because public servants refrain from comment we seem to forget that they are following the initiatives of their respective ministers. How do we change this misguided perception?

LISTEN to Frank Cassidy’s interview on 702 ABC Radio here

AND READ our new study The State of the Australia Public Service: An Alternate Report