IMO the truth of the matter is the public service has been emasculated. The government is not interested in receiving factual information and advice that is contrary to its political wishes. The public service has been gutted of experienced staff, with any independence of thought. The government wants spin and hype supporting its crazy proposals which can change at the toss of a coin eg. the $43 billion +++ NBN, the open ended ETS slush fund, Rudd for the UN. If the government was serious about carbon emmissions they would be turning off lights in cities after dark (it occurred in the 2nd world war in Europe), facilitating efficient integrated public transport systems and reducing the need for motor vehicles used only by the driver, integrating transport nationally rather than having each state provide its own favourite road, rail and ship facilities, facilitating a few deep water general cargo ports closer to asia, with an integrated efficient national distribution network, rather than have every port around the coast with water for 14+ metre draught container ships. Moving ports out of the centre of cities eg. Melbourne. Having nuclear power generation. What long term good has been achieved with the financial stimulation packages, the money could have been much better spent on appropriate infrastructure, training apprentices and reducing payrole tax etc.
Many remaining public servants have had their initiative and independence knocked out of them and simply been turned into appeasers. So called experts and consultants used by the government behave the same way.
