A political pendulum?

The evolution of the public sector employment model is examined, highlighting the traditional tenets of merit and political neutrality that aimed to combat issues like corruption and inefficiency. Focusing on Queensland's public service from 1859 to 2000, the study reveals how the initially successful career service model faced growing dissatisfaction due to poor implementation. Instead of addressing these shortcomings, reforms weakened the model, leading to a resurgence of the politicisation and insecurity that the original framework sought to eliminate.