#checksandbalances — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #checksandbalances, aggregated by home.social.
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This is very concerning and goes to the heart of #Democracy and what is meant by the term.
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1 hour ago 11.58 AESTSecrecy bid from some of the most powerful covert operatives in Australia – senior bureaucrats
Bill BrowneEarlier this year, an Australia Institute freedom of information (FOI) request revealed that the Attorney-General’s Department had been holding back information from the public.
Their apparent motive was to escape tricky questions at Senate Estimates, the rare opportunity that democratically elected representatives get to ask questions of government officials.
Now, the secretaries who head government departments are suggesting footage from Senate Estimates should not even make it online.
In a parliamentary submission, the Secretaries Board (departmental heads) have suggested either preventing the use of committee evidence on social media altogether, or requiring committee evidence to be published without editing or captions.
They complain that public servants have been accused of “‘hiding’ things, ‘covering up’ for the government, or ‘being a liar’.”
The problem, of course, is that senior public servants do sometimes hide things and cover up – not just for the government, but to serve their own interests as well. Departments spend time and money training public servants to dodge Estimates questions. And when they do so, ridicule (though never abuse) is an appropriate response.
Last year, then Australian Public Service Commissioner Gordon de Brouwer said public servants were writing their “genuine thoughts” on Post It notes so they could never become public knowledge. The Public Service Commissioner is supposed to be the “steward” of public service integrity, but it took senators to remind him that this was an illegal breach of the public service’s obligation to keep accurate records.
Public service delegations at Senate Estimates are generally fronted by deputy secretaries or secretaries. They are the elite 0.1% of the public service, in sought-after roles of significant power and influence. It is entirely appropriate that they are subjected to public scrutiny.
In other words, there is a power imbalance when a senator questions a secretary or deputy secretary – but it is the public servant who likely wields much more power than the senator and is invariably paid more.
Of course, parliamentary questioning is not always kind or constructive. There are politicians who could do better on social media. But Senate Estimates is a key accountability mechanism for these organisations and the executive government more generally. So long as public servants deliberately hide information, open questioning will remain a necessity so the public can find out what is being done in their name.”
https://live.thepoint.com.au/#8fe433f938#AusPol #PublicService #Transparancy #Accountability #DemocraticInstitutions #LiveParliamentaryEnquiries #TheRightToKnow #ChecksAndBalances #WestminsterSystem
#Polliticians #PoliticalAppointees -
This is very concerning and goes to the heart of #Democracy and what is meant by the term.
—-Quote
1 hour ago 11.58 AESTSecrecy bid from some of the most powerful covert operatives in Australia – senior bureaucrats
Bill BrowneEarlier this year, an Australia Institute freedom of information (FOI) request revealed that the Attorney-General’s Department had been holding back information from the public.
Their apparent motive was to escape tricky questions at Senate Estimates, the rare opportunity that democratically elected representatives get to ask questions of government officials.
Now, the secretaries who head government departments are suggesting footage from Senate Estimates should not even make it online.
In a parliamentary submission, the Secretaries Board (departmental heads) have suggested either preventing the use of committee evidence on social media altogether, or requiring committee evidence to be published without editing or captions.
They complain that public servants have been accused of “‘hiding’ things, ‘covering up’ for the government, or ‘being a liar’.”
The problem, of course, is that senior public servants do sometimes hide things and cover up – not just for the government, but to serve their own interests as well. Departments spend time and money training public servants to dodge Estimates questions. And when they do so, ridicule (though never abuse) is an appropriate response.
Last year, then Australian Public Service Commissioner Gordon de Brouwer said public servants were writing their “genuine thoughts” on Post It notes so they could never become public knowledge. The Public Service Commissioner is supposed to be the “steward” of public service integrity, but it took senators to remind him that this was an illegal breach of the public service’s obligation to keep accurate records.
Public service delegations at Senate Estimates are generally fronted by deputy secretaries or secretaries. They are the elite 0.1% of the public service, in sought-after roles of significant power and influence. It is entirely appropriate that they are subjected to public scrutiny.
In other words, there is a power imbalance when a senator questions a secretary or deputy secretary – but it is the public servant who likely wields much more power than the senator and is invariably paid more.
Of course, parliamentary questioning is not always kind or constructive. There are politicians who could do better on social media. But Senate Estimates is a key accountability mechanism for these organisations and the executive government more generally. So long as public servants deliberately hide information, open questioning will remain a necessity so the public can find out what is being done in their name.”
https://live.thepoint.com.au/#8fe433f938#AusPol #PublicService #Transparancy #Accountability #DemocraticInstitutions #LiveParliamentaryEnquiries #TheRightToKnow #ChecksAndBalances #WestminsterSystem
#Polliticians #PoliticalAppointees -
This is very concerning and goes to the heart of #Democracy and what is meant by the term.
—-Quote
1 hour ago 11.58 AESTSecrecy bid from some of the most powerful covert operatives in Australia – senior bureaucrats
Bill BrowneEarlier this year, an Australia Institute freedom of information (FOI) request revealed that the Attorney-General’s Department had been holding back information from the public.
Their apparent motive was to escape tricky questions at Senate Estimates, the rare opportunity that democratically elected representatives get to ask questions of government officials.
Now, the secretaries who head government departments are suggesting footage from Senate Estimates should not even make it online.
In a parliamentary submission, the Secretaries Board (departmental heads) have suggested either preventing the use of committee evidence on social media altogether, or requiring committee evidence to be published without editing or captions.
They complain that public servants have been accused of “‘hiding’ things, ‘covering up’ for the government, or ‘being a liar’.”
The problem, of course, is that senior public servants do sometimes hide things and cover up – not just for the government, but to serve their own interests as well. Departments spend time and money training public servants to dodge Estimates questions. And when they do so, ridicule (though never abuse) is an appropriate response.
Last year, then Australian Public Service Commissioner Gordon de Brouwer said public servants were writing their “genuine thoughts” on Post It notes so they could never become public knowledge. The Public Service Commissioner is supposed to be the “steward” of public service integrity, but it took senators to remind him that this was an illegal breach of the public service’s obligation to keep accurate records.
Public service delegations at Senate Estimates are generally fronted by deputy secretaries or secretaries. They are the elite 0.1% of the public service, in sought-after roles of significant power and influence. It is entirely appropriate that they are subjected to public scrutiny.
In other words, there is a power imbalance when a senator questions a secretary or deputy secretary – but it is the public servant who likely wields much more power than the senator and is invariably paid more.
Of course, parliamentary questioning is not always kind or constructive. There are politicians who could do better on social media. But Senate Estimates is a key accountability mechanism for these organisations and the executive government more generally. So long as public servants deliberately hide information, open questioning will remain a necessity so the public can find out what is being done in their name.”
https://live.thepoint.com.au/#8fe433f938#AusPol #PublicService #Transparancy #Accountability #DemocraticInstitutions #LiveParliamentaryEnquiries #TheRightToKnow #ChecksAndBalances #WestminsterSystem
#Polliticians #PoliticalAppointees -
This is very concerning and goes to the heart of #Democracy and what is meant by the term.
—-Quote
1 hour ago 11.58 AESTSecrecy bid from some of the most powerful covert operatives in Australia – senior bureaucrats
Bill BrowneEarlier this year, an Australia Institute freedom of information (FOI) request revealed that the Attorney-General’s Department had been holding back information from the public.
Their apparent motive was to escape tricky questions at Senate Estimates, the rare opportunity that democratically elected representatives get to ask questions of government officials.
Now, the secretaries who head government departments are suggesting footage from Senate Estimates should not even make it online.
In a parliamentary submission, the Secretaries Board (departmental heads) have suggested either preventing the use of committee evidence on social media altogether, or requiring committee evidence to be published without editing or captions.
They complain that public servants have been accused of “‘hiding’ things, ‘covering up’ for the government, or ‘being a liar’.”
The problem, of course, is that senior public servants do sometimes hide things and cover up – not just for the government, but to serve their own interests as well. Departments spend time and money training public servants to dodge Estimates questions. And when they do so, ridicule (though never abuse) is an appropriate response.
Last year, then Australian Public Service Commissioner Gordon de Brouwer said public servants were writing their “genuine thoughts” on Post It notes so they could never become public knowledge. The Public Service Commissioner is supposed to be the “steward” of public service integrity, but it took senators to remind him that this was an illegal breach of the public service’s obligation to keep accurate records.
Public service delegations at Senate Estimates are generally fronted by deputy secretaries or secretaries. They are the elite 0.1% of the public service, in sought-after roles of significant power and influence. It is entirely appropriate that they are subjected to public scrutiny.
In other words, there is a power imbalance when a senator questions a secretary or deputy secretary – but it is the public servant who likely wields much more power than the senator and is invariably paid more.
Of course, parliamentary questioning is not always kind or constructive. There are politicians who could do better on social media. But Senate Estimates is a key accountability mechanism for these organisations and the executive government more generally. So long as public servants deliberately hide information, open questioning will remain a necessity so the public can find out what is being done in their name.”
https://live.thepoint.com.au/#8fe433f938#AusPol #PublicService #Transparancy #Accountability #DemocraticInstitutions #LiveParliamentaryEnquiries #TheRightToKnow #ChecksAndBalances #WestminsterSystem
#Polliticians #PoliticalAppointees -
This is very concerning and goes to the heart of #Democracy and what is meant by the term.
—-Quote
1 hour ago 11.58 AESTSecrecy bid from some of the most powerful covert operatives in Australia – senior bureaucrats
Bill BrowneEarlier this year, an Australia Institute freedom of information (FOI) request revealed that the Attorney-General’s Department had been holding back information from the public.
Their apparent motive was to escape tricky questions at Senate Estimates, the rare opportunity that democratically elected representatives get to ask questions of government officials.
Now, the secretaries who head government departments are suggesting footage from Senate Estimates should not even make it online.
In a parliamentary submission, the Secretaries Board (departmental heads) have suggested either preventing the use of committee evidence on social media altogether, or requiring committee evidence to be published without editing or captions.
They complain that public servants have been accused of “‘hiding’ things, ‘covering up’ for the government, or ‘being a liar’.”
The problem, of course, is that senior public servants do sometimes hide things and cover up – not just for the government, but to serve their own interests as well. Departments spend time and money training public servants to dodge Estimates questions. And when they do so, ridicule (though never abuse) is an appropriate response.
Last year, then Australian Public Service Commissioner Gordon de Brouwer said public servants were writing their “genuine thoughts” on Post It notes so they could never become public knowledge. The Public Service Commissioner is supposed to be the “steward” of public service integrity, but it took senators to remind him that this was an illegal breach of the public service’s obligation to keep accurate records.
Public service delegations at Senate Estimates are generally fronted by deputy secretaries or secretaries. They are the elite 0.1% of the public service, in sought-after roles of significant power and influence. It is entirely appropriate that they are subjected to public scrutiny.
In other words, there is a power imbalance when a senator questions a secretary or deputy secretary – but it is the public servant who likely wields much more power than the senator and is invariably paid more.
Of course, parliamentary questioning is not always kind or constructive. There are politicians who could do better on social media. But Senate Estimates is a key accountability mechanism for these organisations and the executive government more generally. So long as public servants deliberately hide information, open questioning will remain a necessity so the public can find out what is being done in their name.”
https://live.thepoint.com.au/#8fe433f938#AusPol #PublicService #Transparancy #Accountability #DemocraticInstitutions #LiveParliamentaryEnquiries #TheRightToKnow #ChecksAndBalances #WestminsterSystem
#Polliticians #PoliticalAppointees -
Suspending #HabeasCorpus was one of two radical ideas #StephenMiller had been pushing that alarmed Mr. Scharf. The other was invoking the #InsurrectionAct to deploy the #military to enforce the #law on #US streets as #protests grew against #deportation sweeps.
Scharf wrote confidential memos to Wiles on both topics….
[article is long, but I recommend reading it]
#Trump #law #judiciary #SeparationOfPowers #ChecksAndBalances #ExecutivePower #Constitution #democracy #WhiteSupremacy #immigration
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#FederalAgencies will be in charge of setting up #JobProtections for their own employees that accuse them of wrongdoing, such as violating the #law or wasting money [who decides what is waste?]. That would be a change from the past, when an #independent office known as the Office of the Special Counsel [#OSC] handled #whistleblower disclosures from most civilian #FederalWorkers.
#Trump #law #labor #ScheduleF #Congress #ChecksAndBalances #authoritarianism #dictatorship #tyranny #MafiaState
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#Trump will have the power to select which government positions will lose their #JobProtections, according to the statement.
‼️The Trump admin is also changing how long-standing #legal #protections that prohibit #US #government agencies from retaliating against #whistleblowers will be enforced, according to the statement.
#law #labor #ScheduleF #democracy #Constitution #Congress #ChecksAndBalances #independence #authoritarianism #autocracy #dictatorship #tyranny #MafiaState
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The overhaul, released by the Office of Personnel Management [#OPM], fulfills a campaign promise for #Trump to strip #JobProtections from #FederalWorkers that his team deems to be "influencing" #government policy. It is the biggest change to the rules governing the #CivilService in more than a century. Trump called the overhaul "#ScheduleF" during his first administration.
#law #democracy #Congress #ChecksAndBalances #independence #authoritarianism #autocracy #dictatorship #tyranny #MafiaState
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#Trump tightens control over 50,000 #FederalWorkers
The Trump admin on Thursday finalized its overhaul of the #US government's #CivilService system, according to a #government statement, giving the #president the power to hire & fire an estimated 50,000 career #federal employees.
#law #democracy #Constitution #Congress #ChecksAndBalances #independence #ScheduleF #authoritarianism #autocracy #dictatorship #tyranny #MafiaState
https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-expand-his-control-over-federal-workers-2026-02-05/ -
#BrandonGill's measure is co-sponsored by Reps. #EliCrane (R-#Arizona), #BuddyCarter (R-#Georgia), #MikeCollins (R-GA), #BarryMoore (R-#Alabama) & #AndrewClyde (R-GA).
#Republicans have also moved to #impeach federal judges Paul Engelmayer, John McConnell Jr., John Bates & Amir Hatem Mahdy Ali — all for ruling in some way against #Trump.
#law #Constitution #ChecksAndBalances #JudicialBranch #Judiciary #SeparationOfPowers #CoEqualBranchesOfGovernment #ConstitutionalCrisis
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Trump Judge Effectively Names Himself President | Terry A. Doughty says he gets to decide who the FBI, DHS, HHS, and the Justice Department can talk to.
https://prospect.org/justice/2023-07-06-trump-judge-effectively-names-himself-president/
#TrumpJudge #PresidentialPower #ExecutiveBranch #GovernmentOversight #JudicialAuthority #ChecksAndBalances #Politics #News