000			01346pab a2200169 454500
008			180718b2009 xxu||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d
100			_aEdwards, Lindy
245			_aTesting the discourse of declining policy capacity: rail policy and the Department of transport
260			_c2009
300			_ap.288-302.
362			_aSep
520			_aIt has been observed that countries that implemented new public management (NPM) reforms are currently witnessing growing complaints about a decline in the policy capacity of their public services. Australia is a part of this trend with public sector leaders increasingly voicing concern about policy capacity decline within the Australian Public Service (APS) . This article sets out to examine whether there is an empirical basis for this discourse and to assess allegations that NPM reforms have contributed to any related shifts. It draws on rail policy and the Department of Transport as its case study. It finds that the reforms transformed role of the department in a way that enhanced strategic policy capacity. However, the reforms also introduced a number of structural impediments that make it difficult for the new role to be effectively executed. - Reproduced.
650			_aPublic administration
773			_aAustralian Journal of Public Administration
908			_aN
909			_a84098
999			_c84098 _d84098