1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910141793403321

Autore

Halligan J (John)

Titolo

The Centrelink experiment : innovation in service delivery / / John Halligan with Jules Wills

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory : , : Australian National University E Press, , 2008

ISBN

1-921536-42-X

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (xvi, 218 pages) : illustrations (some colour)

Collana

Open Access e-Books

Knowledge Unlatched

ANZSOG series

Disciplina

352.430994

Soggetti

Administrative agencies - Australia

Public welfare administration - Australia

Administrative agencies

Public welfare administration

Australia

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references.

Nota di contenuto

Introduction: Centrelink as a field of study -- 1. Designing a delivery agency -- 2. Centrelink's development -- 3. Strategies and management structure -- 4. Leading and managing change -- 5. Reinventing service delivery -- 6. Governance -- 7. Relationships with client departments -- 8. Entrepreneurship and challenging boundaries -- 9. Lessons from Centrelink's formative years

Sommario/riassunto

"Centrelink was established in 1997 as part of the Howard government's bold experiment in re-framing social policy and re-shaping service delivery. Centrelink was the embodiment of a key tenet of the Howard vision for public service: a specialised service delivery 'provider' agency separated from the policy functions of the 'purchaser'. Carved out of a monolithic Department of Social Security, Centrelink was established along 'business lines' operating 320 service centres and delivering payments to 10 million Australians. Although enjoying 'monopoly provider' status, the organisation was required to deliver services to many different clients on behalf of its 'purchasing



departments' (up to 25 in total) under the terms of quasi-contractual service agreements. It was meant to demonstrate a greater level of both transparency and accountability for the administration of payments amounting to over $60 billion of Commonwealth expenditure. For many years there was a real 'buzz' around the Centrelink experiment and staff and clients were generally enthusiastic about the transformation. However, after around eight years, the experiment was reined in and Centrelink was placed under closer ministerial direction and under a new managing department. The experiment continues, but its trajectory reflects the different pressures impacting on such dedicated 'services delivery agencies'."--Publisher's description.