Machinery of government
Description
The machinery of government (sometimes abbreviated as MoG) is the interconnected structures and processes of government, such as the functions and accountability of departments in the executive branch of government.
Report
Building centre of government capabilities to steer and deliver complex priorities
Governments face complex, cross-cutting and fast-moving challenges that require effective co-ordination across policy areas, clear prioritisation, and enhanced delivery capacity at the centre of government (CoG). This synthesis report examines how CoGs steer and guide the delivery of strategic priorities across government. It draws on applied examples from six European Union countries.
Report
Stack thinking: options for reshaping the DNA of governments
This report explores the concept of stack thinking, which reframes how complex systems can be organised. Instead of organising around departments, systems are organised around functions and layers. Applied to government, stack thinking suggests a different model of institutional design.
Report
Administering Australian housing policy: practitioner perspectives
This research aims to deepen understanding of the design and impact of the ‘machinery of government’ – the administrative, bureaucratic or institutional arrangements that deliver public policy – with respect to housing policy in Australia. The report concludes identifying and settling on a feasible and effective governance and administrative structure will allow agencies the longevity...
Report
Unscrambling government: less confusion, more efficiency
New Zealand has one of the most complex systems of executive government in the developed world – with 81 ministerial portfolios, 28 ministers and 43 departments. This report concludes this proliferation undermines effective government. It argues that reform is essential for greater accountability, faster decision-making and stronger fiscal discipline.
Report
Fine-tuning the machine: evaluating machinery of government for housing policy administration
The variety of policy problems, solutions and actors in the housing policy space makes organising housing policy challenging. This research explores how changes to government administrative structures and processes affect housing policy in Australia. It outlines what can be done to reduce some of the negative impacts of these changes.