'Seldom has a senior public servant been so candid. As a key policymaker, Meredith Edwards takes us inside the process to reveal how we get the policies the affect so much of our lives.' - Paul Kelly, International Editor, The Australian'This innovative and important volume, unique in the policy literature, provides ideas and case studies of interest to everyone who cares about the quality of Australian public policy. It will be an indispensable guide to past choices, and ...

In the past ten years, Canadians have witnessed a renaissance in the delivery of government services. New service organizations are cropping up across the country and accomplishing extraordinary things. Efforts are being made to consult citizens on how to improve and integrate services. Considerable resources are being invested in measuring and showcasing performance improvement.This book probes the central dimensions of service reform efforts from a variety of perspectives and ans...

Who decides how official statistics are produced? Do politicians have control or are key decisions left to statisticians in independent statistical agencies? Interviews with statisticians in Australia, Canada, Sweden, the UK and the USA were conducted to get insider perspectives on the nature of decision making in government statistical administration. While the popular adage suggests there are 'lies, damned lies and statistics', this research shows that official statistics in liberal demo...