Hanging our Parliments or Changing Administrative Paradigms
- Minority Governments in Practice

Minority governments are a growing presence in Australian politics at all levels, building on a wealth of international experience with minority government in parliamentary democracies.  The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Bulgaria, Estonia and Britain have all had minority governments, while beyond European shores countries like Canada and New Zealand also have substantial recent experience.

 
The 2011 IPAA National Conference in Hobart will examine the challenges and opportunities that minority governments present for public administrators.  Minority government will be put on trial, with the audience empowered to determine whether this form of government stifles decision-making or provides fertile ground for new approaches to government policy and services.

Drawing on a diverse range of local, national and international speakers, drawn from politics, academia, the media and the three levels of bureaucracy, the conference will consider key issues such as: 

New modes of governance - Is minority government the new democracy? How does the public service need to work differently under minority government?  Are there implications for policy development and implementation? How are trade-offs and the politics of public expectations managed in this new political environment?

Decentralisation and regionalisation – Are local and regional issues the new drivers of government decision making? What are the challenges for policy makers and implementers in delivering programs and services informed by citizen experience and knowledge within local communities?  Are public servants ‘in touch’ with the coal face?  How do third parties exercise influence on decisions by minority governments?

Ethical leadership - Does  minority government strengthen the need for an independent, expert and impartial Public Service to play an 'honest broker' role?  What are the ethical challenges for the executive arm?  How does a minority government leader or an Independent navigate the ethical landmines associated with issues such as 'Cabinet-in-Confidence'?

The conference will be held in Hobart, the home of minority government in Australia.  With years of practical experience in the field, direct access to a wide range of academic, political and public service authorities on power sharing parliaments, and the ability to draw a wealth of speakers from the rest of Australia and abroad to the clean, green state, the conference will help to define the Australian public sector’s approach to a challenging new paradigm of governance for decades to come.