A few years ago, the then-head of Australia’s Defence Department expressed his frustration to staff — he had discovered just how big his workforce had become.

Dennis Richardson warned his managers that, if they did not reel in their spending, he would step in and end contracts himself.

“Now, I don’t like being a mongrel but I have managed organisations for 20 years and, if I’m given no choice, that is precisely what I’ll do,” he said.

The trigger for that 2017 speech? The department had allowed its army of consultants and private contractors to outgrow its ranks of public servants.

Mr Richardson retired soon afterwards — but the situation did not improve.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-10/contractors-and-the-public-service-gig-economy/12647956

roughbarked said:

A few years ago, the then-head of Australia’s Defence Department expressed his frustration to staff — he had discovered just how big his workforce had become.

Dennis Richardson warned his managers that, if they did not reel in their spending, he would step in and end contracts himself.

“Now, I don’t like being a mongrel but I have managed organisations for 20 years and, if I’m given no choice, that is precisely what I’ll do,” he said.

The trigger for that 2017 speech? The department had allowed its army of consultants and private contractors to outgrow its ranks of public servants.

Mr Richardson retired soon afterwards — but the situation did not improve.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-10/contractors-and-the-public-service-gig-economy/12647956

No-one has ever got sacked from the public service (or suffered any significant penalty) for ‘outsourcing’ anything, even if it wasn’t necessary.

For some reason, ‘outsourcing’ is always viewed as being ‘more economical’, even when it actually costs more.

captain_spalding said:

roughbarked said:

A few years ago, the then-head of Australia’s Defence Department expressed his frustration to staff — he had discovered just how big his workforce had become.

Dennis Richardson warned his managers that, if they did not reel in their spending, he would step in and end contracts himself.

“Now, I don’t like being a mongrel but I have managed organisations for 20 years and, if I’m given no choice, that is precisely what I’ll do,” he said.

The trigger for that 2017 speech? The department had allowed its army of consultants and private contractors to outgrow its ranks of public servants.

Mr Richardson retired soon afterwards — but the situation did not improve.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-10/contractors-and-the-public-service-gig-economy/12647956

No-one has ever got sacked from the public service (or suffered any significant penalty) for ‘outsourcing’ anything, even if it wasn’t necessary.

For some reason, ‘outsourcing’ is always viewed as being ‘more economical’, even when it actually costs more.

Mattias Corman says it is more economical yet the cost has doubled under his watch.

captain_spalding said:

roughbarked said:

A few years ago, the then-head of Australia’s Defence Department expressed his frustration to staff — he had discovered just how big his workforce had become.

Dennis Richardson warned his managers that, if they did not reel in their spending, he would step in and end contracts himself.

“Now, I don’t like being a mongrel but I have managed organisations for 20 years and, if I’m given no choice, that is precisely what I’ll do,” he said.

The trigger for that 2017 speech? The department had allowed its army of consultants and private contractors to outgrow its ranks of public servants.

Mr Richardson retired soon afterwards — but the situation did not improve.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-10/contractors-and-the-public-service-gig-economy/12647956

No-one has ever got sacked from the public service (or suffered any significant penalty) for ‘outsourcing’ anything, even if it wasn’t necessary.

For some reason, ‘outsourcing’ is always viewed as being ‘more economical’, even when it actually costs more.

I had no idea this was happening in Australia as well.

IIUC, America has been in this state for a long time.