If the continuing drama over Brexit teaches us anything, it?s that the political class see themselves as a class born-to-rule. Where at least the old-school aristocracy paid some lip-service to noblesse oblige, the modern ruling-class view the demos as little more than a deplorable annoyance. The EU?s arrogant treatment of a democratically elected government in Greece likewise shows the unelected technocratic elite of globalism?s contempt for ordinary people.
Now Australia?s public servants are demanding the same kind of unaccountable power. Quote:
Public servants could be given freer rein to implement policy and wield greater power in ministerial offices as part of a plan that also floats greater protections for high-ranking mandarins against politic?ally motivated sackings.
Former Telstra chief executive David Thodey yesterday released a raft of interim proposals from a year-long review of the Australian Public Service, which included suggestions to bring ?common pay? across the 100 government agencies that would, over time, usher in more comparative pay betwee?n departmental staff. End of quote.
Because public servants aren?t already blessed with enough of the sort of taxpayer-funded largesse to which they obviously feel entitled. Quote:
Better departmental funding was also flagged, with the aim of giving greater capacity to invest in long-term projects, while the APS leaders ? or the board of department secretaries ? would have more responsibility for reporting how their organisations were deliveri?ng. ?Often, because there are rules about how you can spend money, it can feel very constraining,? Mr Thodey said.
?The public demand that of the public service. But we want to create? an environment where we are enabling people to get their job done in a way where they have some decision rights.? End of quote.
Meanwhile the actually elected representatives of the people need to be brought to heel. Quote:
The report also called for?senior public servants being embedded in ministerial offices.
?We think there is some clarity around the role of the ministers where we think we can help.? Mr Thodey said. ?We welcome the contest of ideas. It makes for good democracy and good decision-making.? End of quote.
theaustralian.com
Unelected public servants watching over democratically-elected parliamentarians is not ?good democracy?, it?s incipient fascism.