News

UK government tables deeper redundancy payment cuts after court defeat

The British government has proposed bigger cuts in redundancy payments for civil servants, after the High Court quashed changes that it made last year. A new consultation was launched by […]

Australia to launch national space agency

The Australian government has announced it’s setting up a national space agency, in a bid to seize a bigger share of the multi-billion-dollar global industry. The move was announced at […]

Nations hit the fiscal sweet spot with sugar taxes

Rising obesity threatens to hit wellbeing, productivity and public finances – but Gavin O’Toole finds that more countries are embracing tax measures that can drive down sugar consumption A growing […]

Catalan officials detained in referendum crackdown

Spanish police have detained 14 Catalan officials and raided more than 20 regional ministries in a bid to stop a planned independence referendum. Thousands of protesters took to the streets […]

Strict new anti-graft code for European commissioners

The president of the European Commission has tightened up the code of conduct for its officials, in a bid to raise ethical standards and police the border between lobbyists and […]

UK cabinet secretary defends civil service against ‘wholly inaccurate’ attack by former minister

The head of the UK’s civil service has defended its progress on implementing key reforms following a critical speech by former Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude. Sir Jeremy Heywood spoke […]
Oliver Robbins, now heading up the Brexit unit in the Cabinet Office, moved to the Home Office last year, from his previous role as the UK's DG for civil service reform in the Cabinet Office

UK PM takes direct charge of EU negotiation team from Brexit department

The key civil servant managing Britain’s Brexit negotiations has moved into a new role reporting to prime minister Theresa May, in a move that will strengthen Number 10’s control of […]

Australian civil service chiefs in major reshuffle

The departure of two departmental heads has led to a significant reshuffle at the top of the civil service in Australia, with most departments getting new bosses. The shake-up was […]

Former UK Treasury chief urges honesty on Brexit

The UK government is failing to explain the realities of Brexit negotiations to the public, the former permanent secretary to the UK Treasury has warned. Lord Macpherson, who was the […]

UK civil service urged to step up professionalism reforms

A report has called for a “greater sense of urgency” around ongoing reforms to the UK civil service to ensure it has a “fighting chance” of handling the growing pressures […]