13. Essential linkages—situating political governance, transparency and accountability in the broader reform agenda^[1]

I shall take the broader reform agenda as a given. It would be a strangely uninformed Australian who wasn’t aware of the intense focus on infrastructure, climate change, education, the extensive COAG agenda, and so on, all set in the current maelstrom of financial, fiscal and economic troubles.

The economic, social and environmental reforms contemplated are very large. The reform is intended to make Australia more productive, more efficient, more competitive and a better society, and to better safeguard the future. These are noble plans that embrace nearly every sector in Australia, but leave the political sector largely untouched, as if only the political class at the apex does not need to be more able, have a higher calibre, be more productive, more competitive and professionally more suited for the future.

In times of trouble, it is important to stay true to the integrity and principles that will make reform lasting and sustainable. Money is scarcer than in good times. My thesis is that better political governance, more transparency and greater accountability will materially assist in troubled times and will add to the effectiveness of reform. They will assist the realistic measurement of reform achievements.

This point should not be lost in an atmosphere of crisis. A succinct, slightly crude business saying is apt: ‘Even when you are up to your arse in crocodiles it is important to remember that your objective is to drain the swamp.’

These are times of reform opportunity. In times of trouble, the populace gives governments and parliaments greater latitude to act. These are good times to bed in major long-term reforms that would otherwise attract greater resistance, especially from vested interests.

My brief was to promote debate about how public sector performance and efficiency improvement could help meet the higher expectations of Australians. Debate is good, but persuasion is my aim; if you are persuaded of the merits of my arguments, I hope you have the determination to make change happen.

Australians are demanding much more of their governments. They want peace, prosperity and a good life. They want respect internationally and growth domestically. They want jobs and opportunities. They want their governments to be proactive, responsive, professional, far-seeing, productive and performance driven. They want their needs met. The push for higher standards and better performance is strong. The cry for economic, social and environmental reform is loud. Governments have said they will respond with a broad reform agenda. Expectations have been created. Success in meeting those expectations needs achievable plans, an accepted time line, constant credible reporting and measurable results—through key performance indicators, targets, benchmarks, review and analysis.

The gap between expectation and performance has to be addressed.

The major theme of this essay is the essential linkage between the need to reform political governance, the need to improve accountability regimes—financial and informational—and the democratic and managerial case for transparency and accountability resulting in more efficient, effective, responsive and sustainable business, government and not-for-profit^[2] organisations delivering public services.

It is almost 20 years since the Fitzgerald Inquiry reported. The ‘moonlight’ state took a leap into the sunlight and there have been quantum improvements in politics and public administration in Queensland since. In terms of my broad argument, Queensland is living proof that there is a clear link between transparency and openness, better governance and improved outcomes in terms of economic performance, status, competitiveness and national influence. So the system works and major accountability reform really does help; it’s scary and at times painful, but the long-term benefits can be quickly realised.

The problem is it took a horrible period and a remarkable judicial inquiry^[3] to get such real change. We don’t want that repeated to get more change. The benefits can be forecast and foreseen; more transparency and accountability will materially help Queensland and other Australian governments. The Australian people want more transparency and accountability—that is why each election campaign sees renewed promises, too often followed by later backsliding.