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THE MEANING REFORM OF
REFORM MEANING ?
The reform of public bureaux has been a global phenomenon for the past
20 years and has attracted mixed responses, some critical, while some favourable.
Prof. Mc Mahon explores the roots of administrative
change, and draws a distinction between evolutionary, unintended or undirected
change and purposeful, positive and directed change that can rightly lay claim
to being reform.
The Australian
Experience
"A critical approach reserves the term reform for that which is demonstrably
a deliberate, purposeful and considered change for the better. Changes, which 'just happen' or are ill considered and poorly structured, should
be seen as deforms rather than reform."
The meaning of reform may often be the reform of meaning; changing the
semantics associated with administration according to the fashions and political
mores of the time.
Western Australian State Administration had been in a relatively stable state
for the seventy-six year period from 1901 to 1977.
The traditional or old public administration model had not been subject to radical
or discontinuous change since the administrative upheavel and reorganisation
necessitated by federation in 1901.
Changes made in the period can be characterised as having continuity with the
established administrative pattern and as being incremental in nature.
"Since 1978, the previously relative stable of administration in Western Australia
has been dramatically and almost continuosly changed and that change may continue
for the forseeable future.
This change fits in with the global pattern of change, specifically from the
old public administration to the new public management.
While the political context is important to explain change, it is not sufficient
in itself."
Administrative change at the macro level is driven by questions on the role
of the state and the distinction between the public and private sectors.
"Public bureaux in a mixed economy setting can be and have been involved
in the delivery of four types of goods such as public amenities, the arts, health
care and education.
But through the 1980s retreat of the state public bureaux have increasingly
been contained to areas that are difficult to market delivery.
Formulation and evaluation remain the preserve of government, but increasingly,
actual implementation is either contracted out to private sector agencies, or
public bureaux are converted into private agencies through privatisation.
This re-evaluation of the role of public bureaux versus the role of private
agencies has been the key direction of change at the meso and micro levels."
"The challenge for public bureaux reform in the new millennium is to adequately
define the broad public interest and to ensure that public bureaux are functional
and hygienic in meeting that public interest.
Where bureaux are not acting in the public interest they should face reform,
or closure allowing the private sector the option of filling the vacated market
niche.
The difficulty of this challenge is that defining what the public good is, in
the final analysis, is a political question.
In liberal democracies ultimately it is society, as a whole through the ballot
box that will determine the public interest, the public bureau needed and any
reforms required for serving that interest."
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