NSW Government Ministry 2007

NSW Premier Morris Iemma has announced his new Ministry. It includes 10 new faces, some of them newly-elected MPs. He said it is "The biggest injection of new talent, new energy and new blood into a government, with 10 new ministers."

But 10 new ministers does not rectify the problems. Certainly some previous ministers have been demoted: they previously caused embarrassment to the government.

But unless the NSW Government can find more more money to allocate to services, change might be illusionary. New Ministers will want to stamp their authority, and have different ideas. Department's will probably suffer some restructuring. As Gaius Petronius Arbiter is supposed to have said (about Caesar's restructuring)

"We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized."

Continual restructuring can affect front-line workers' perception of worth and perceptions of burueaucratic attitudes. Again, restructuring does not necessarily deliver better services to people, but it can help to re-focus a department's priorities and it can improve organisations.

The biggest challenges to service delivery will remain Education (Primary, Secondary and TAFE); Public Transport; and Health, especially hospital services.

The proof of effectiveness should start to be seen in 12-18 months.

The Analyst