Micromanaging PM unlikely effective

Comments on Stephen FitzGerald “Learning to Live with China”, 6/209/2009, http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2009/09/06/learning-to-live-with-china/

It appears that the Prime Minister's tight control and micro managing approach to his government is not only affecting foreign policy but also other areas of governance to an adverse effect.

In the foreign affairs area, it is not only reflected in the relations with China, but also in the likes of the appointment of ambassador to Germany etc. His personal likeness overruled the advice of the foreign minister and the department.

In the climate change area, his approach of no effective negotiations and engagement with the opposition as well as the independent senators severely damaged the government’s credibility in its climate change policies.

In the national broadband network area, his like of grandeur technology has led to the most silly government policy involving tens of billions for a project that did not have a business case study.

For the stimulus packages as responses to what he called a tsunami, cash handouts were done not only once but twice with the second done even knowing that a significant part of the first handouts had been saved rather than spent to stimulate the economy.

What about the building education revolution spending on schools to build a hall or library for each and every school? Was that done properly?

While not all the above were completely the fault of the Prime Minister, his tight control of the government and micromanaging approach obviously played a significant part. Everywhere bears the hallmark of the one man micromanaging and tight control.

Micromanaging and tight control may be good for political spins, but it is rarely good for a government to develop good policies and apply good governance.

Perhaps it is time for Rudd to consider the effects of his approach and empower his ministers and the bureaucrats to do their work so his government can be more effective in all the main areas of governance including foreign policies and relations with important partners.