Published in The Mandarin on 04 August 2020

Malcolm Turnbull has bemoaned it. Our own Bernard Keane has criticised it. The Thodey Review has raised concerns about it. The ‘cult of the consultant’ has a grip on the public sector – like never before.

We have asked members of The Select Committee – The Mandarin Brains Trust exactly what they think about the growing use of consultants in federal, state and territory public services across Australia.

More specifically, we asked:

What is the appropriate level of the use of consultants in the public service? Has it gone too far? Are consultants doing too much core/routine work or are they providing a vital service? 

You can access the full article (paywall) here.