What is 'Big Society' and what does it mean for Australia?
22 February 2012, 3:34pm
Under a radical reform program called 'Big Society', the UK Government is slashing hundreds of thousands of Government jobs and outsourcing massive chunks of the public sector.
In 2010, UK Prime Minister David Cameron promised to use Big Society to "redefine the role of the state as a provider of public services." Some of the impacts of the Big Society programs in the UK so far have included:
cutting £81 billion from public spending (2010-2013)
dismantling the National Health System
slashing between 500,000 and 700,000 public service jobs
awarding the majority of contracts for public sector to corporations such as Serco and A4e
In a detailed essay called ‘Big Society: How the UK Government is Dismantling the State and what it means for Australia'the CPD's James Whelan lifts the lid on what's been happening in Britain. He also examines the possible implications for essential services and jobs in Australia and reveals the fact that the architects of the UK reforms have already been meeting with conservative think-tanks and political leaders here in Australia.
The Centre for Policy Development is a public interest think tank dedicated to seeking out creative, viable ideas and innovative research to inject into Australia's policy debates.We give a diverse community of thinkers space to imagine solutions to Australia's most urgent challenges, and we do what it takes to make their ideas matter. You can get regular CPD email updates here
Comments(6)
Posted by:Greg - 6 Jun 2012, 4:39pm It is worth remembering that there has already been more than one 'experiment' in this arena in Australia - we've had the scrapping of the Commonwealth Employment Service and replacing it with the Jobs Network (run through private and community sector orgnaistaions); we've had jails run by private companies; we've had the privatisation of electricity in parts of the country; we've had outsourcing of government IT; and we have Serco running refugee detention centres.
If there is an adoption of this initiatve in pat or in whole, we will see more private sector companies putting in place arrangements designed to doa minimum with anything extra later discovered to be needed being charged at a very high rate.
Posted by:Anthony Zappia - 24 Feb 2012, 4:54pm Britain's debt levels have been greatly overstated. What they're failing to mention is that with the QE programme, the Bank of England has soaked up most of the British government's debt. This will never be paid back by the British govt, so in effect that debt has been liquidated. Hence no need for cuts.
The Cameron government also refuses to do anything the stem the tide against tax evasion and tax avoidance. According to Richard Murphy of Tax Research UK, Britain has a tax gap of about $70 billion (the difference between what is owed and what is actually collected) and yet the Cameron government has been cutting back the HMRC's resources (their tax department).
Posted by:Anthony Zappia - 24 Feb 2012, 4:48pm I would suggest all CPSU members also watch this blog for developments in the UK: www.taxresearch.org.uk
It's by a UK tax accountant opposing David Cameron and his hoons. Check out this latest post:
http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2012/02/23/more-on-anti-business-rhetoric-and-why-cameron-and-his-friends-are-the-real-enemy-of-free-markets/comment-page-1/#comment-611808
Posted by:Kevin - 24 Feb 2012, 12:55pm Just for the Record - The big society concept was developed by the communist party of China in 1997. It was conceived by members who were appointed by the murderous despot Chairman Mao.....Makes you wonder what is next? Can someone give Charles Manson and ask for his ideas on running a Government?
Posted by:Jason - 24 Feb 2012, 12:09pm I think that quite often budget pressures are used by ecomonic rationalists as an excuse to bring about change based more on ideology as opposed to necessity. Its the excuse required to implement widespread structural change in the public sector and devolve the role of Government to the private and (as is often with welfare type services) the church sector.
The problem with ideological structural change is that it doesn't consider the impact, effectiveness and consequences (both economic and social) of these changes. The parameters upon which the measures are judged for effectiveness,can be chosen to provide the best result for those implementing them.
This agenda will be pursued by the conservatives if they get in power here after they create a climate of crisis, a divide and rule strategy, to try and trick the public into initially accepting them and also to silence dissent.
It is worth remembering that there has already been more than one 'experiment' in this arena in Australia - we've had the scrapping of the Commonwealth Employment Service and replacing it with the Jobs Network (run through private and community sector orgnaistaions); we've had jails run by private companies; we've had the privatisation of electricity in parts of the country; we've had outsourcing of government IT; and we have Serco running refugee detention centres. If there is an adoption of this initiatve in pat or in whole, we will see more private sector companies putting in place arrangements designed to doa minimum with anything extra later discovered to be needed being charged at a very high rate.
Britain's debt levels have been greatly overstated. What they're failing to mention is that with the QE programme, the Bank of England has soaked up most of the British government's debt. This will never be paid back by the British govt, so in effect that debt has been liquidated. Hence no need for cuts. The Cameron government also refuses to do anything the stem the tide against tax evasion and tax avoidance. According to Richard Murphy of Tax Research UK, Britain has a tax gap of about $70 billion (the difference between what is owed and what is actually collected) and yet the Cameron government has been cutting back the HMRC's resources (their tax department).
I would suggest all CPSU members also watch this blog for developments in the UK: www.taxresearch.org.uk It's by a UK tax accountant opposing David Cameron and his hoons. Check out this latest post: http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2012/02/23/more-on-anti-business-rhetoric-and-why-cameron-and-his-friends-are-the-real-enemy-of-free-markets/comment-page-1/#comment-611808
Just for the Record - The big society concept was developed by the communist party of China in 1997. It was conceived by members who were appointed by the murderous despot Chairman Mao.....Makes you wonder what is next? Can someone give Charles Manson and ask for his ideas on running a Government?
I think that quite often budget pressures are used by ecomonic rationalists as an excuse to bring about change based more on ideology as opposed to necessity. Its the excuse required to implement widespread structural change in the public sector and devolve the role of Government to the private and (as is often with welfare type services) the church sector. The problem with ideological structural change is that it doesn't consider the impact, effectiveness and consequences (both economic and social) of these changes. The parameters upon which the measures are judged for effectiveness,can be chosen to provide the best result for those implementing them. This agenda will be pursued by the conservatives if they get in power here after they create a climate of crisis, a divide and rule strategy, to try and trick the public into initially accepting them and also to silence dissent.