Understanding Government

This course maps to capability: 1, 2, 4
COST Prices include GST and are subject to change
Member
$445.00
Corporate
$550.00
QPS
$477.75
Standard
$735.00

Overview

This course gives an overview of the context for policy-making in Australia and Queensland. It examines the institutions and structures of Westminster-style government and the constitutional, legal, accountability (and other) parameters that affect government decision-making. Participants will be provided with a working understanding of the actors and institutions which shape their work as policy officers.

Course Content

This course provides an overview of government, covering history, structure, roles and challenges. Content covers principles of representative democracy, institutional frameworks for government authority, Parliament, the executive role of government, structures of government, federation, and Commonwealth/State relations history. It includes features of the Queensland Government, the role of the public service, the processes and routines of the Queensland Parliament, Cabinet, Executive Council and central agencies, and the actors and institutions involved. It also addresses issues such as pluralism and the increasing contestability of policy advice.

Course Outcomes

By the end of this course attendees should be able to:

  • demonstrate an understanding of the Australian tradition of government and the principles of Westminster-style government
  • demonstrate a knowledge of contemporary federalism and the role of the Commonwealth and the states
  • demonstrate a knowledge of the system of government in Queensland
  • display an awareness of the actors involved in policy processes and the implications of contestability for the work of policy officers

Benefits to your organisation

  • understanding of the governmental system
  • improved responsiveness of administrators to a demanding work environment
  • improvements in efficiency through better understanding of the role of their agency within the larger structures of government

Benefits to you

  • increased understanding of the complexities of the three levels of Australian government
  • better knowledge of the constraints and opportunities inherent in a government environment
  • improved confidence through a firmer understanding of where your agency fits within government