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Centrelink's demands on former welfare recipients targeted by its "robo-debt" program were neither "reasonable" nor 'fair", the Commonwealth Ombudsman has found.

Hundreds of the Prime Minister's public servants could be moved from Canberra to Australia's red centre, under a plan proposed by Regional Development Australia.

A survey has revealed the extent of misgivings among staff about the Department of Human Services' controversial "robodebt" program, showing a majority believe the agency has handled the fallout poorly.

Relocation rules target seats Coalition holds or wants to win.

Australia's pesticides authority is struggling to approve crop protection products on time, as industry leaders blame poor results on staff departures before its move to Armidale.

Auditor-General Grant Hehir has given a keynote speech on environmental audits, saying a lack of meaningful performance information makes it difficult to effectively assess programs and activities.

But 'operation Tetris' is getting results, says Finance Minister Mathias Cormann.

Defence bosses hope 6 per cent in 18 months will tempt their workers, but the battle at Human Services rages on.

Labor demands a major IT review as Taylor turns to banking sector to get digital transformation back on track.

280 officers dig their heels in as thousands of colleagues wait for pay rise.

Commonwealth Auditor General criticises procurement process for a new Antarctic icebreaker.

Policymakers must first identify what type of misconduct they want to counter, and at what cost.

Why do standard Commonwealth contracts try to control what businesses say, about almost anything?

The European Union has taken the unusual step of publicly criticising the Australian Government's new procurement guidelines.

American bureaucrats' responsibility is to protect and nurture the institutions on which the US depends.

Fewer federal public servants calling Canberra home, figures show.

One of the country's top decision-makers has been seconded from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to Bupa, the country's largest health insurer.

Public service advice column: we put your workplace woes to an executive coach.

Public servants working at Geoscience Australia in Canberra are reportedly not keen on an open-plan office that's been proposed as part of their $17.5 million building refurbishment.

Complaints nearly double, Centrelink says it welcomes them.

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Will International Women's Day become redundant? Not in my lifetime.

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The bureaucracy suffers from a lack of thoughtful scrutiny and a glut of pointless nonsense.

Centrelink's robo-debt causing "marked emotional and financial stress" to young people with disabilities, advocacy group says.

The law remains unclear for public servants who wish to express political views without fear of reprisal.

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The Mayan story tells us a lot about technology 'solutions' and unsustainable cities.

The Defence Department's internal auditor has reprimanded the agency for wasting public money after it racked up $20,000 in interest charges on late payments in one quarter last year.

Honest Australians 'intimidated' into handing over their money, says Labor, as tens of thousands of debt notices sent out.

The Coalition failed to abolish Timothy Pilgrim's office but he must tread a careful path.

The government has scrapped measures to let the Veterans' Affairs Department release client information after veterans voiced fears the move would open them to harassment and silence criticism.