[LINK] Smart enough for the 2020 forum?

[Michael Still]

Ivan Trundle wrote:
> 
> On 04/02/2008, at 5:31 PM, Michael Still wrote:
> 
>> A worthwhile outcome would be for the government to "learn" who from
>> these 1,000 people has actual expertise and opinions, and then construct
>> longer-lived advisory panels from those people.
> 
> I agree, Mikal: very worthwhile - though the government does actually do
> this already - but most likely in areas that you've either not heard
> about, or in things that don't make the headlines.

I would argue that my ignorance of an advisory council on IT /
telecommunications / whatever-you-want-to-call-it in Australia implies
that they're either picking very obscure people (presumably for
political reasons), or that they're not advertising vacancies on the
advisory committee adequately. Additionally, I would expect such an
advisory group to be actively engaging with professionals in the
relevant area, and I've seen none of that either.

That's assuming such a council exists at all. I like to think that the
low quality of IT policy making in Australia is because of the absence
of such an advisory group. The other option is too depressing.

I know that sounds arrogant, but I am reasonably well connected in that
space.

> We should probably draw the line between the public service, its agents,
> and the politicians - it was the pollies that got out of touch by
> ignoring advice from the departments that serve them: the process of
> consultation lives on, but requires strong linkages between the process
> and the pollies for it to be authentic and genuine.
> 
> (I only mention this because this is my bread-and-butter work, so I see
> it almost daily)

Yes, although as an ex-public servant now working in industry, I would
also say that the Commonwealth public service is out of touch in many
aspects of best practice (again speaking specifically about IT).

(Oh, and don't get me started on my thoughts about performance pay for
professions such as teaching, I think its a great idea).

Mikal