The Retreat from Government Support for Social Dialogue in the Australian Public Service

Impact of the Coalition government's federal public sector reforms since 1996 in the Australian Public Service (APS) - nearly all the measures introduced by the former Labor government in support for social dialogue in the APS have been dismantled or downgraded - government's reforms have involved substantial reduction in formal support for social dialogue in the APS and the rejection of benefits that such an approach offers - the government has passed up the opportunity that social dialogue presents for building a more cooperative and productive workplace relationship in the APS.