In Westminster systems, public servants hold the line
In Westminster systems, senior public servants have traditionally avoided overtly political roles. Some critics have alleged that recent public sector reforms have undermined that tradition of impartiality. In the current issue of Governance,Dennis Grube and Cosmo Howard conclude that fears about the collapse of traditional norms are overstated. Drawing on cases from Canada and Australia, Grube and Howard conclude that “There remains a strong ethical awareness among senior public servants about how far they can legitimately allow themselves to be pushed under a Westminster system.” Read the article. The article is part of a special issue on the future of the Westminster model.
