Governance of ICT Re: [LINK] Surveillance in extremis

[Adam Todd]

I think it was Liverpool Council from recollection.

At 10:07 AM 30/08/2006, Marghanita da Cruz wrote:
>Skimming through the forward to the Latham's diaries...a lot of it was a
>discussion of his efforts to improve governance when he was mayor of a
>NSW - council...I don't recall which one and there was also some mention
>of an e-governance project. I have tried to find Internet references to
>the e-governance stuff without much luck...
>
>but found
>>Lost on the (Third) Way?
>>Sue Goodwin, University of Sydney
>>Peter Botsman and Mark Latham (Eds.) The Enabling State: People Before 
>>Bureaucracy Sydney: Pluto Press, 2001. ISBN 1-86403-103-4 (paperback) RRP 
>>$32.95.
>>Are governments experiencing a crisis of legitimacy in Australia? Have 
>>people lost faith in parliamentary democracy? Are people sick of social 
>>solutions by state intervention? Is the bureaucracy a dinosaur that must 
>>be taught to dance?
>>According to Peter Botsman and Mark Latham, the answer to these questions 
>>is definitely 'yes'. The Enabling State: People Before Bureaucracy is an 
>>edited collection of papers expounding a new kind of governance for 
>>Australia. The contributors are concerned with developing social capital, 
>>devolving service provision from the bureaucracy to the community, 
>>encouraging social entrepreneurs, and reinventing democracy. Put 
>>together, it is suggested, these form a model of 'community governance' 
>>made possible by an 'enabling state'. Editors Peter Botsman and Mark 
>>Latham are well known proponents of Third Way politics and so, 
>>unsurprisingly, community governance is positioned between and as an 
>>alternative to two Other Ways: bureaucratic governance and market 
>>governance. According to Latham, this new form of governance will revive 
>>faith in parliamentary democracy and allow communities rather than 
>>bureaucrats to facilitate community projects and positive social 
>>outcomes. He also sugge
>
>sts that the mood of the Australian people requires a shift in the 
>direction of community governance and the enabling state. "People", he 
>says, "are longing to belong".
>http://www.australianreview.net/digest/2001/08/goodwin.html
>
>Marghanita
>Howard Lowndes wrote:
>>A bit of NSW history.
>>In 1993 there was a major change to the Local Government Act - in fact a 
>>whole new act.  This is the one where all elected heads of council became 
>>mayors instead of Lord Mayors, Mayors, or Shire Presidents.  They also 
>>replaced Town Clerks with General Managers, and allowed for mayors to be 
>>elected either by the council or by the voters.
>>One of the main changes was to delegate vast powers to the general 
>>manager, almost to the extent of him/her being capable of ignoring the 
>>wishes or policies of the council.
>>I think a lot of this lack of PR stems from these powers, in as much as 
>>the staff in general feel that they have the power to do and implement 
>>what they like with little reference to, consultation of, or information 
>>of, the elected members.
>>
>>Marghanita da Cruz wrote:
>>
>>><snip>
>>>Transparency and Performance Indiactors would be useful. The reality is
>>>that most elected councillors do the job part time. They have limited
>>>sklls and the Council employees run rings around them.
>>>
>>>While there is much talk of governance, you will find it is infact
>>>extremely poor....the reality is that the Mayor of Ryde was probably as
>>>clueless about the implications of the RFID in the bins as his
>>>constituent, the deputy premier - though you would expect the latter to
>>>be more knowledgeable.
>>>
>>>When I recently, tried to borrow a book from the local library, they
>>>wanted my email address, mobile phone number...I asked them why and they
>>>said they had a new computer system. This reassured me and I  chose not
>>>to provide them.
>>>
>>>Marghanita
>
>
>--
>Marghanita da Cruz
>Ramin Communications
>http://www.ramin.com.au
>Phone: 0414-869202
>Email: marghanita at ramin.com.au
>
>
>
>
>
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