Professor Janine O'flynn

My PhD focused on the introduction of competition to public services. My fieldwork was undertaken in the Victorian local government sector where radical reform was being undertaken, including the adoption of a compulsory competitive tendering approach. The thesis explored tendering processes, markets, and organisational aspects of reform. My PhD was supervised by Janet Walsh and John Alford and examined by George Boyne and Graeme Hodge. It was submitted in 2003 and conferred in 2004.

1998-2003 Australian Postgraduate Award with stipend.

1998-1999 Queens Trust Young Achiever Award to undertake study tour in the United Kingdom on the impact of local government reform.

My honours thesis focused on the employment effects of public sector reform, specifically the introduction of competition to the local government sector. 

1997-1998 Kinsman Scholar awarded for summer research studentship to high achieving honours students. 

1997 Australian Chamber of Manufacturers Prize for academic excellence awarded to the highest achieving student in the honours program: Department of Management and Industrial Relations.

1997 Australian Human Resources Institute of Australia Award for academic excellence awarded to highest achieving student in the honours program: Department of Management and Industrial Relations.

In 2025, I was appointed a Distinguished Fellow of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government. This is an appointment made by the ANZSOG Board in recognition of outstanding contribution to the School and to the public sector. Conferred in July 2025.

Since 2023 I have been Director of the Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University, one of the world's leading multidisciplinary public policy schools. In this role I lead a large postgraduate school with three departments, several partnerships, numerous research centres, several degree programs, and a substantial multidisciplinary PhD program. I am a member of the executive of the new College of Law, Governance and Policy (established 2025), and prior to this was a member of the executive team of the College of Asia and the Pacific where the Crawford School had been housed for 20 years. As Director of the Crawford School, I am a member of the ANU University Leadership Group. 

At the Crawford School I have taught our cross-program higher degree by research course Fostering Public Policy Research, I provide guest lectures in a range of courses, and deliver programs and sessions in our executive education portfolio.

As part of my sabbatical leave in 2020 I was appointed as  Visiting Professor at the Department of Public Policy, City University, Hong Kong. 

Visiting position cancelled due to COVID-19.

From July 2018 to January 2023 I was Professor of Public Management at the Australia and New Zealand School of Government. This was an extended secondment (2018-2023) from the University of Melbourne where I remained Professor of  Public Management. At ANZSOG, I was Academic Director of the Executive Master of Public Administration (Acting - 2019), led a review of ANZSOG's education programs and commissioned experts to a new curriculum as part of ANZSOG reform strategy. I was subject leader for Delivering Public Value in the Executive Master of Public Administration. During 2022 I held the position of Deputy Dean (Engagement) at ANZSOG. 

Invited visitor in October 2017 to the Centre for Comparative Political Development Studies, Fudan University, Shanghai and co-chair of the 5th Public Governance Forum in Greater China on "Evidence-based Policy Making in Greater China and Australia".

I was appointed Professor of Public Management, School of Social and Political Sciences (Faculty of Arts) in 2013 and I held a joint appointment in the Melbourne School of Government from 2014.  At Melbourne, I led the development of a cross-faculty Master of Public Administration program. I was the Director of the Master of Public Administration 2013-2018 and Director of the Master of Public Policy and Management 2013-2016. From 2015-2018 I was the Director of Education in the Melbourne School of Government. 

During my time at the University of Melbourne I led the subjects Public Management; World of Public Administration (Master of Public Administration), and I co-led International Public Management (Master of Public Policy and Management); . I have delivered guest lectures in: Commissioning Public Services, World of Public Administration, and Administrative Challenges in Practice. I also oversaw the minor thesis for students in both the MPA and the MPPM. 

I held a continuing position at the University of Melbourne and resigned to take up a position as Director of the Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University. 

In 2011 I was appointed as an Adjunct Professor on the ANZSOG faculty. ANZSOG is a consortium of university and government partners in Australia and New Zealand, providing education and research programs. My appointment at ANZSOG recognised several years of contribution including  to the Executive Fellows Program and the Executive Masters of Public Administration, supervising student projects, and being a member of several reviews. 

I was promoted to Professor at the Crawford School of Public Policy in September 2012. Prior to this I was Associate Professor/Reader (2012), Senior Lecturer (2010-2011) and Lecturer/Research Fellow (2008-2009) in the Crawford School. During 2007-2008 I held a joint appointment at the Research School of Social Sciences (Political Science) and the Crawford School of Economics and Government. From end-2009 to mid-2012 I served as the Director of Education at the Crawford School. 

During my time at the Crawford School I led the subjects Case Studies in Public Sector Management (Master of Public Administration; Master of Public Policy); Government, Markets and Global Change (compulsory for all students); and People and Performance in Public Organisations (MPP). I also delivered guest lectures in: Managing Government Finances; Economics for Government; Research Design; Research Methods; and Social Policy and Service Delivery.

I held a continuing position at the Australian National University from 2009 and resigned to take up a position at the University of Melbourne. My initial position was a fixed-term role. 

As part of sabbatical leave I was a Visiting Fellow at the Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University and also at the Australia and New Zealand School of Government. 

I was appointed as Lecturer in 2004 and promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2007. 

During my time in the School of Business and Government I led the subjects Public Sector Management (undergraduate); Public Administration (Master of Public Administration); and Public Administration at the Interface (MPA). I also delivered guest lectures in: Leadership, Innovation and Change (undergraduate); and Leadership and Change Management (MPA). 

I held a continuing position at the University of Canberra and resigned to take up a position at the Australian National University. 

I was appointed as Lecturer in the Department of Management where I led the subjects Management (undergraduate) and Human Resource Management (Master of Management).

This was a fixed term position and I resigned to take up a role at the University of Canberra. 

I was appointed as a Research Fellow (part-time) and worked with a team on the Programme for the Practice of Diversity of Management, funded by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs. The project involved working with a group of Australian firms to undertake research on diversity management  and produce a range of resources for use in practice. This included an evidence-based business case, a range of business models, and several toolkits for managers. 

This was a part-time, fixed term position while I undertook my PhD studies. 

During my PhD candidature I undertook sessional tutoring which included designing tutorials, grading of assessment tasks, and student consultation. I was a tutor in: Industrial Relations Policy; Comparative Industrial Relations; and Organisational Analysis. 

Included here are all prizes, awards and honours but a select listing of prominent esteem indicators. For a full list please see sections Service to the Field and Engagement Activities. 

Invited by the President of the American Society for Public Administration to accept an appointment as a Pacific Partner of ASPA.  Pacific Partners are distinguished scholars and practitioners appointed to build ASPAs connections with Pacific nations.  Appointed July 2025. 

Invited to join the Advisory Panel to develop a white paper on the Future of the New South Wales public service. Convened by the Institute of Public Administration Australia (NSW). The anticipated release of the white paper is early 2026 as part of the the IPAA NSW 90th anniversary celebrations. 

Invited to present the Donald C. Stone lecture at the annual meeting of the American Society for Public Administration. My lecture, Human(e) Government: Charting a Positive Path in a Hostile World, was presented March 20, in Washington DC. I was the first Australian to deliver the Donald C. Stone lecture since it was established in 1995. 

Awarded the title of Distinguished Fellow by the Australia and New Zealand School of Government Board in recognition of outstanding contribution to ANZSOG and to the public sector. 

Invited member of the Capability Reinvestment Fund Evaluation Committee which considers applications for funding under the scheme to invest in the organisational capability of the Australian Public Service. This was a key tenet of the government's reform agenda. $6.5M in funding was allocated to nine projects. Appointed by the Australian Public Service Commissioner. 

The ACT representative on the National Council of the Institute of Public Administration Australia. My term began in 2024. IPAA is the professional association for public servants across Australia, with the National Council having membership from each of the state/territory divisions. 

Invited member of the National Centre for Place-Based Collaboration (NEXUS Centre) Foundation Partner Governance Group. The Governance Group provides oversight and supports the work of the Foundation Partner, bringing  together leaders from a range of stakeholder groups including place-based backbone organisations, government, philanthropy, business, intermediaries, research, and community organisations, along with advisors from the Commonwealth Government and members of the Foundation Partner consortium.

This prospectus developed by NEXUS was the foundation of  PLACE (Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment) which was funded over $38M by the Australian government and philanthropy in late 2024. PLACE is a national organisation established to support community-led, place-based approaches to address social and economic challenges in communities and disrupt entrenched disadvantage.

Member of the Institute of Public Administration Australia, Australian Capital Territory Council. Appointed in 2022. 

Elected member of the Public Management Research Association Board of Directors, serving from 2021 to 2025. [Maximum term allowed]

Ministerial appointment to the Victorian Public Sector Commission Advisory Board. I served on the board from 2022-2025, completing my term in July 2025. 

I was Associate Editor for Public Management Review for an initial 2-year term. I voluntarily stepped down from the role in 2024, but remain on the Editorial Board. PMR is one of the leading journals in the field of public administration and management. Q1 in JCR, 5 year IF 6.3, ranked 6 in JCR 2024, ranked 3 in Public Policy and Administration on Google.

Nominated and elected Fellow of the United States National Academy of Public Administration. NAPA is an independent, partisan organisation chartered by the US Congress to provide advice on advancing government practice. Fellows include former politicians, career public administrators, prominent scholars, and non-profit and business executives. Thirty-five new fellows were elected to the Class of 2022 in recognition of their expertise in public administration. I am the second Australian to be elected as a NAPA Fellow. I was nominated by G. Edward DeSeve, former senior advisor to President Barack Obama and Dan Chenok, Executive Director of the IBM Center for the Business of Government. 

Appointed member of the Infrastructure Victoria Expert Panel on the Role of Infrastructure in Addressing Regional Disadvantage. Appointed by the CEO of Infrastructure Victoria. 

Awarded to the best article published in Review of Public Personnel Administration in 2019, for the article Managing Expectations to Create High Performance Government.  Q1 in JCR, 5 year IF 4.8, ranked 11 in JCR 2024 on 5 year IF. 

Member of the Advisory Board of the former Australian Public Service Centre for Leadership and Learning. Appointed by the Australian Public Service Commissioner.

Awarded to the best article published in Public Administration Review in 2016, for the article Effective Practitioner-Scholar Relationships: Lessons from a Co-Production Partnership.  Q1, 5 year IF 7.3, ranked 6 in JCR, 2024, ranked 2 in Public Policy and Administration on Google.

Editor of the Australian Journal of Public Administration between 2015 and 2021. I served as Editor in Chief for the first two years, and then we rotated the EIC role between editors. JCR Q1 in sociology and political science/Q2 in public administration, A in the Australian Business Dean's Council list, 5 year IF 2.3. The AJPA is the journal of the Institute of Public Administration Australia, was first published in 1937, and is one of the oldest  public administration journals in the world. During our editorship we substantially internationalised the journal and doubled the impact factor. Under the former Editor, I held roles as Associate Editor and Deputy Editor of the journal. During that time I curated the first virtual issues of the AJPA, including several which supported the IPAA Annual Conference. 

An all-academy award for the paper that best meets the objectives of internationalising the Academy of Management. Nominee award presented at the Academy of Management annual conference in Philadelphia for the paper Enhancing Performance in the Australian Public Service: A Case of Co-Production.

Awarded to the best public/non-profit book published in the three years prior. Presented at the 2014 Academy of Management annual conference in Philadelphia for Rethinking Public Service Delivery: Managing with External Providers. 

Awarded for outstanding scholarship in the fields of public and nonprofit management to the best paper from across the Academy of Management that examines the behaviour of public or nonprofit organisations. Presented at the Academy of Management annual conference in Orlando for Managing Expectations to Create High Performance Organisations.

Awarded to the best paper in the public and nonprofit division. Presented at the Academy of Management annual conference in Orlando for Managing Expectations to Create High Performance Organisations. 

Nominated and appointed a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia (Victoria) in recognition of contribution to the field of public administration. 

Elected to the Executive Board of the International Research Society for Public Management serving two terms from 2012 to 2018. [Maximum term allowed] 

Nominated by the Australian National University for national award presented to Australia's most outstanding university teachers.  

Awarded for significant and sustained contributions to the quality of student learning. The specific citation was: For empowering and assisting professional students to connect theory and practice meaningfully and assisting them to develop complex managerial decision-making and policy advice skills. All nominees are nominated by their university for these national awards. Prize of A$10000.

The university's highest award for teaching which is awarded in recognition of excellence in teaching, outstanding presentation skills, and broad and deep contribution to  enhancing the quality of learning and teaching at the Australian National University. Prize of A$4000.

The College's highest recognition of teaching excellence. Prize of A$1000. 

1998-2003 Australian Postgraduate Award with stipend to undertake PhD studies. 

1998-1999 Queens Trust Young Achiever Award to undertake study tour in the United Kingdom on the impact of local government reform. [Now the Kings Trust of Australia]

1997-1998 Kinsman Scholar awarded for summer research studentship to high achieving honours students. 

1997 Australian Human Resources Institute of Australia Award for academic excellence awarded to highest achieving student in the honours program: Department of Management and Industrial Relations.

1997 Australian Chamber of Manufacturers Prize for academic excellence awarded to the highest achieving student in the honours program: Department of Management and Industrial Relations.

Pathways to Positive Public Administration: An International Perspective, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham.

Endorsements

• Endorsements

  • This compelling collection takes us for a walk on the “bright side” through its elaboration of the core tenets and intriguing case studies of Positive Public Administration (PPA). Contributors provide a strong rationale for a renewed focus on ‘what works’ in public administration with a clear recognition that a PPA perspective requires both rigorous and critical scholarship and an explicit articulation of “what good looks like”. Addressing the question of why some policies, practices and processes produce improved societal outcomes when others fail, the collection aims to promote an open conversation about PPA, drawing on a variety of ideas, approaches, successes and failures, and to speak directly with professional practice ... By charting a course for this nascent area of scholarship without shying away from problematic aspects of democracies and public services, this volume provides a refreshing and rigorous perspective on positive public administration. It will have a significant impact on the study and practice of public administration and should provoke and inspire in equal measure. Rachel Ashworth, Cardiff University, UK
  • The popular and academic literature is replete with examples of the failure of government, and the public servants responsible for providing services to the public. This collection of studies is a useful counter to that conventional wisdom. The examples contained here point out that governments can and do deliver the goods, and do so in settings where poor governance is assumed to be endemic. B. Guy Peters, University of Pittsburgh, US

Research Handbook on Public Management and COVID-19, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham.

Endorsements

• This Handbook draws together theory and empirical evidence to tease out important implications for understanding the role of public management in the pandemic, across a wide range of countries and public services, and with insights across a range of themes of relevance to government, public organizations, and citizens. Read it to understand this complex recent past – and also to understand how to prepare for the future. A fine collection of chapters. Professor Jean Hartley, The Open University, UK
• This remarkable book analyzes the COVID-19 crisis through the eyes of some of the most insightful and creative public policy and public management scholars in the world. It is a “must read” – now and in the future – for anyone interested in improving our collective response to global public challenges. Professor Rosemary O''Leary, University of Kansas, US
• A fascinating collection on the potential and limitations of public management to meet the challenges posed by COVID-19. A key message is that mainstream public management theory and practice is fatally flawed by its ongoing failure to take account of structural inequality. Happily, it offers ideas and evidence of how to do better in the future. Professor Helen Sullivan, Australian National University
• The COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented public management challenges and exposed weaknesses that had festered for a long time. This is a timely book on the challenges and how they were addressed. Public management scholars and practitioners around the world will find the book useful. Professor M. Ramesh, National University of Singapore

Evaluating Outcomes in Health and Social Care (2nd edition) Policy Press, Bristol 

Reviews

• Provides a sound foundation for consideration of how to untangle the complex web of factors involved in the evaluation of outcomes and partnership working ... this is a useful second edition which achieves what it aims to do in locating a trio of tricky issues in the context of new evidence and of more recent policy ...  It is to be hoped that the book will encourage the production of further patches to contribute to the evidential quilt long sought in relation to partnership working. Dr Emma Miller, University of Strathclyde, 2017, Medical History, 61(2)

Crossing Boundaries in Public Management and Policy: The International Experience Routledge, London.

Endorsements

• This book’s critical examination of crossing boundaries—organizational, jurisdictional, sectoral, international—is vital reading for those unsatisfied with typical discussions of collaboration and network management. The questions addressed in this volume demonstrate that overcoming such boundaries is the signature governing issue of our time. Professor Michael McGuire, Indiana University, USA
• A rich and satisfying collection that rewards the continuing policy and scholarly interest in the theory and practice of cross boundary working by drawing on international experiences, detailed cases and innovative methods to offer new insights on fundamental questions. Professor Helen Sullivan, University of Melbourne, Australia
• This book assembles a diverse and inter-disciplinary set of contributions highlighting the importance of ‘boundaries’ as sites of ambiguity, conflict and potential in the theory and practice of international public policy and management. It represents a valuable and thought-provoking addition to the existing literature on this important subject. Professor Paul Williams, Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK

Rethinking Public Service Delivery: Managing with External Providers Palgrave, Basingstoke.

Winner of the Best Book Award (2014) at the Academy of Management, Public Nonprofit division. 

Book reviews

• There is no other work that I am aware of which brings together so effectively the wide range of lessons we have learned about the consideration, initiation and management of the many new (and not so new) forms of alternative service delivery. ... This book provides a sophisticated framework of analysis, a grand tour of possible external providers and some important lessons for managers in public sector organizations. Professor John Langford, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canadian Public Administration, 2013 56(4)
• It is in many ways a milestone work, both in its mapping of the complex 21st Century landscape of public service delivery, but also in offering a clear framework for practitioners. Alastair Hill, political consultant, LSE Review of Books, 2013
• In the wake of the global financial crisis and the ensuing economic turmoil, public service delivery is being rethought across a swathe of countries by leaders and managers perhaps still only partially aware of the extraordinary challenges they face. Alford and O'Flynn's intervention could not have been better timed and fortunately for the public managers that this book is aimed at it is a contribution from two public management scholars at the top of their game. Already garlanded with praise by academics and senior public servants nationally and internationally this book is a valuable resource for public managers seeking to understand how they might secure public services in a very uncertain future. Combining rigorous analysis with detailed empirical examples ... These are the new frontiers of the debate about public service futures that public managers, politicians and citizens are involved in and to which Alford and O’Flynn’s book makes a vital contribution. Professor Helen Sullivan, University of Melbourne, Australian Journal of Public Administration, 2013, 72(2)

Endorsements

• This excellent book provides a useful and innovative framework for understanding effective delivery of public services. Professor Steven Rathgeb Smith, University of Washington, Seattle
• A brilliant introduction to new ideas and techniques for delivering public services, backed by convincing examples and analyses. Knut Eggum Johansen, Special Adviser, Government Reform, Norway 
• Should be required reading for all who want to understand the costs and benefits of different forms of public service provision, and the circumstances that influence their relative effectiveness. Professor George Boyne, Cardiff Business School 
• A landmark survey. The framework can be used by both scholars and practitioners and will significantly advance the cause of creating public value. G. Edward DeSeve, former Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama
• Drawing on lively case examples, this compelling book introduces differing types of engagement, concepts for choosing them, and techniques for managing them. Terry Moran, former head, Prime Minister's Department, Australia

Several authored or co-authored pieces exploring aspects of the book appeared in the press and in professional publications. For example: Ethos, published by the Singapore Civil Service Commission; the Guardian (UK); The Conversation; Radio National (Australia)

Collaborative Governance: A New Era of Public Policy in Australia? ANU Press, Canberra.

Human(e) Government: Charting a Course in a Hostile World. Perspectives on Public Management and Governance. Published online early, 12 June, 2025.

Foundations for A More Human(e) Government: Reflections at a Transitional Moment, Australian Journal of Public Administration. Published online early, 26 June, 2025.

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Public Administration: An Agenda for Future Research. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 30(1), 11-27. 

The Future of Public Administration Research: An Editor's Perspective. Public Administration, 100(1), 59-71.

Back to the Future: Reflections and Predictions. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 80(4), 647-651. 

Rising to Ostrom’s Challenge: An Invitation to Walk on the Bright Side of Public Governance and Public Service, Policy Design and Practice, 4(4), 441-451. 

Where to for Public Value? Taking Stock and Moving On. International Journal of Public Administration, 44(10), 867-877.

Confronting the Big Challenges of our Time: Making a Difference During and After COVID-19. Public Management Review, 23(7), 961-980.

Rethinking Relationships: Clarity, Contingency and Capabilities. Policy Design and Practice, 2(2), 115-136.

Managing Expectations to Create High Performance Government. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 39(2), 185-208. 

Performing What? Exploring and Expanding the Notion of Synecdoche in Performance Management Practice. Public Administration Quarterly, 42(3), 395-424.

Measuring Policy Success: Evaluating Public Sector Reform in Bhutan. International Journal of Public Administration, 40(2), 115-125.

From Headline to Hard Grind: The Importance of Understanding Public Administration in Achieving Health Outcomes.  International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 5(7), 439-442.

From Engaging to Enabling: Could an Asset-Based Approach Transform Indigenous Affairs?. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 34(8), 1632-1651.

Effective Practitioner-Scholar Relationships: Lessons from a Coproduction Partnership. Public Administration Review, 76(1), 35-47. 

Awarded Louis Brownlow Award for Best Article published in 2016.

The Promises and Pitfalls of Prime Provider Models in Service Delivery: The Next Phase of Reform in Australia? Australian Journal of Public Administration,  74(2), 239-248.

Can enhanced performance management support public sector change?Journal of Organizational Change Management, 28(2), 271-289.

Public Sector Reform. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 74(1), 13-22.

Looking to the Past and the Future of the Australian Journal of Public Administration. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 74(1), 1-4 .

Accountability: To Whom, in Relation to What, and Why? Australian Journal of Public Administration, 73(4), 401-407.

You Win Some, You Lose Some: Experiments with Joined-Up Government. International Journal of Public Administration, 34(4), 244-254.

Perspectives on the Capacity of the Australian Public Service and Effective Policy Development and Implementation. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 70(3), 309-317.

Can Strategic Human Resource Management Enable Gross National Happiness? International Journal of Commerce and Management, 20(3), 232-245. 

Journal renamed Review of International Business and Strategy in 2016.

A Blinding Lack of Progress: Management Rhetoric and Affirmative Action. Gender, Work and Organization, 17(6), 658-678.

The Cult of Collaboration. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 68(1), 112-116.

Making Sense of Public Value: Concepts, Critiques and Emergent Meanings. International Journal of Public Administration, 32(3-4), 171-191. 

Experimenting with Organisational Design in Bhutan: Tools for Reform and the Achievement of Multi-Level Goals. Public Administration and Development, 29(2), 133-144.

The Separation/Specification Dilemma in Contracting: The Local Government Experience in Victoria. Public Administration, 86(1), 205-224.

The Skippy Saga, Australian Capital Territory Political Chronicles. Australian Journal of Politics and History, 54(2), 336-341.

The Skippy Saga: Dedux, Australian Capital Territory Political Chronicles, Australian Journal of Politics and History, 54(4), 657-662.

From New Public Management to Public Value: Paradigmatic Change and Managerial Implications. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 66(3), 353-366.

John Howard: The Great Privatiser? Australian Journal of Political Science, 42(2), 365-381.

 From Public to Private: The Australian Experience of Privatisation. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration, 29(2), 151-169.

Release of the Coronial Inquiry into the 2003 Bushfires: Finally: Australian Capital Territory Political Chronicles. Australian Journal of Politics and History, 53(2), 330-336.

Deconstructing Jon: Australian Capital Territory Political Chronicles. Australian Journal of Politics and History, 53(4), 662-667.

Accolades and Brickbats: Stanhope's Anti-Terrorism Crusade, Australian Capital Territory Political Chronicles. Australian Journal of Politics and History, 52(2), 332-336.

The Struggle for Territory Independence: The Civil Unions Bill, Australian Capital Territory Political Chronicles. Australian Journal of Politics and History, 52(4), 684-689.

 The Bushfire Inquest, Australian Capital Territory Political Chronicles. Australian Journal of Politics and History, 51(4), 622-627.

Australian Capital Territory Election Processes, Australian Capital Territory Political Chronicles. Australian Journal of Politics and History, 51(2), 322-326.

Human Rights in the Australian Capital Territory, Australian Capital Territory Political Chronicles. Australian Journal of Politics and History, 50(4), 636-639.

The Employer Perspective of Indigenous (Un)employment. Economic Papers, 22(4), 45-60.

Managing Through Contracts: The Employment Effects of Compulsory Competitive Tendering in Australian Local Government. Industrial Relations Journal, 31(5), 454-470.

Examining Interpretive Theses: A Personal Reflection. In C. Enfield and H. Sullivan (eds.) How to Conduct Interpretive Research: Insights for PhD students and Early Career Researchers in the Social Sciences, Edward Elgar. 

Emerging Perspectives: Positive Public Administration and Islamic Public Value. In W. Drechsler, S. Chafik, and R. Kattel (eds.) Islamic Public Value: Theory, Practice and Administration of Indigenous Cooperative Institutions, Edward Elgar. 

The Future of Public Management as we Emerge from the Acute Phase of COVID-19: Key Themes and Future Trajectories. In H. Dickinson, S. Yates, J. O'Flynn and C. Smith (eds.) Research Handbook on Public Management and COVID-19, Edward Elgar.

Introduction to the Research Handbook on Public Management and COVID-19. In H. Dickinson, S. Yates, J. O'Flynn and C. Smith Research Handbook on Public Management and COVID-19, Edward Elgar.

A Global Perspective on Public Administration?  The Dynamics Shaping the Field and What it Means for Teaching and Learning. In K. Bottom, P. Dunning, I. Elliot and J. Diamond (eds). Handbook of Teaching Public Administration. Edward Elgar. 

Public Service Markets, in K. Schedler (ed.) Encyclopedia of Public Management, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham

High-performance government. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics. Oxford University Press. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.1375

The Changing Nature of Work: Time to Return to Performance Fundamentals? in D. Blackman (ed) Handbook on Performance Management in the Public Sector, Edward Elgar.

A Test of Wills? Exploring Synecdoche and Gaming in the National Literacy and Numeracy Performance Monitoring Regime, in D. Blackman (ed) Handbook on Performance Management in the Public Sector, Edward Elgar. 

Trajectories of Reform: Where (and Who) Are the Public Servants? in in H. Sullivan, H. Dickinson and H. Henderson (eds.) The Palgrave Handbook of the Public Servant, Palgrave. 

Trajectories of Reform: An Introduction, in in H. Sullivan, H. Dickinson and H. Henderson (eds.) The Palgrave Handbook of the Public Servant, Palgrave. 

Public Sector Reform and the Public Servant,  in in H. Sullivan, H. Dickinson and H. Henderson (eds.) The Palgrave Handbook of the Public Servant, Palgrave. 

Hybrids: Smart, Dumb, Solution or Problem?, in J. Koppenjan, P. M. Karré and K. Termeer (eds.)  Smart Hybridity: Potential and Challenges of New Governance Arrangements  Eleven International Publishing. 

Economic Rent, Rent-Seeking Behaviour, and the Case of Privatized Incarceration, in D. Boonin (ed) The Palgrave Handbook on Philosophy and Public Policy, Palgrave.

Boundary Challenges and the Work of Boundary Spanners, in H. Dickinson, C. Needham, C. Mangan, and H. Sullivan (eds.) (Re) Imagining the Future Public Service Workforce, Springer.

Lessons from the Experience of Australian Public Sector Reform, in I. Aninat, and S. Razmilic (eds), Un Estado para la Ciudadanía. Estudios para su modernización [A State for Citizenship: Studies in Modernization], Centro de Estudios Públicos [Center for Public Studies), Santiago, Chile. (Spanish only; English version available on request). 

Performance Management as a Strategic Tool for Change, in B. Ran and S. Teo Human Capital Management Research: Influencing Practice and Process Information Age Publishing, Charlotte, NC, pp. 169-182.

Making Sense of Public Value: Concepts, Critiques and Emergent Meanings, in B. Guy Peters and Jon Pierre (eds.) Public Administration Sage, volume 3, chapter 45, pp. 305-324. Reprinted from: International Journal of Public Administration 32(3-4).

Australia: Building Policy Capacity for Managing Wicked Policy Problems, in A. Massey and K. Johnstone (eds.) The International Handbook of Public Management and Governance, Edward Elgar, United Kingdom, pp. 341-368.

Performance Management: Creating High Performance, Not High Anxiety, in J. Wanna, H.A. Lee and S. Yates (eds.) Managing Under Austerity, Delivering Under Pressure: Performance and Productivity in Public Service ANU Press, Canberra, pp. 79-102.

Crossing Boundaries in Public Management and Policy: An Introduction, in J. O'Flynn, D. Blackman and J. Halligan (eds.) Crossing Boundaries in Public Management and Policy: The International Experience Routledge, London, pp. 3-10.

O’Flynn, J. (2014) Crossing Boundaries: The Fundamental Questions in Public Management and Policy, in J. O'Flynn, D. Blackman and J. Halligan (eds.) Crossing Boundaries in Public Management and Policy: The International Experience Routledge, London, pp. 11-44.

Crossing Boundaries in Public Management and Policy: Conclusion and Future Issues, in Crossing Boundaries in Public Management and Policy: The International Experience, Routledge London, pp. 297-305.

Experiments with Joined-Up, Horizontal and Whole-of-Government in Anglophone Countries, in A. Massey (ed.) International Handbook on Civil Services Systems Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, pp. 74-101.

Elusive Appeal or Aspirational Ideal? The Rhetoric and Reality of the ‘Collaborative Turn’ in Public Policy, in O’Flynn, J. and Wanna, J. (eds.) Collaborative Governance: A New Era of Public Policy in Australia ANU Press, Canberra., pp. 181-196.

Enhancing Performance in the Australian Public Sector: A Case of Co-production. Presented at the annual conference of the Academy of Management and published in Academy of Management Proceedings doi: 10.5465/AMBPP.2014.181 

Nominee for the Carolyn Dexter Award at Academy of Management

Managing Expectations to Create High Performance Government. Presented at the annual conference of the Academy of Management and published in Academy of Management Proceedings doi: 10.5465/AMBPP.2013.11

Awarded the Carlo Masini Award and the Charles H Levine Award at Academy of Management

Foundations for A More Human(e) Government: Big Ideas to Shape Our Future. Policy Brief, Issue 32, School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, The American University in Cairo, Egypt.  

Charting the Course to Tomorrow’s Trusted Digital Services. IBM Center for the Business of Government, Washington DC.

Collaborating After Crisis: How Public Administration Scholars and Practitioners Can Work Together. Governing During Crises Policy Brief No.8, Melbourne School of Government, The University of Melbourne, Australia.  

2030 and Beyond: Getting the Work of Government Done. Prepared for the Independent Review of the Australian Public Service, Canberra, Australia. 

Lessons from the Australian Experience of Public Sector Reform. Prepared for Centro de Estudios Públicos (Center of Public Studies), Chile. [Spanish]

Valuing the Community Sector: A Report. Prepared for the Community Sector Reform Council, Melbourne. 

Strengthening the Performance Framework: Towards a High Performing Australian Public Service. Australian Public Service Commission, Canberra.

Developing High Performance: Performance Management in the Australian Public Service. Australian Public Service Commission and also published as Crawford School Research Paper 12-09.

Produced one of several country studies commissioned by the think tank Centro de Estudios Públicos to provide a historical overview and analysis of public sector reform in Australia to inform their advice to the Chilean government on reforming the public sector. 

Joint project with Helen Dickinson and Helen Sullivan to identify the various forms of value produced by the community sector in Victoria. Commissioned by the Community Sector Reform Council, jointly chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the President of the Victorian Council of Social Services. Report under embargo.  

Multi-year joint project with Deborah Blackman to identify competencies of effective reformers. 

Multi-year joint project with Deborah Blackman to develop initial tool to diagnose organisational readiness to undertake complex change. Read a report here. 

Joint project with Fiona Buick, Deborah Blackman and Michael O'Donnell. A multi-year collaboration with the Australian Public Service Commission to design performance principles for the Australian Public Service. Read a report here.

Multi-year ARC Linkage project with Ann Nevile, Ian Marsh and Daniel Perkins (Brotherhood of St Laurence) - LP0990530, $66,690. Industry Partners: Brotherhood of St Laurence; Jobs Australia; Ace National Network

Multi-year ARC Linkage project with Deborah Blackman, John Halligan and Ian Marsh - LP0776807, $236,000. Industry Partners: Australian Public Service Commission; Australian Government Information Office; Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs; Department of Health and Ageing. 

For the full list of articles please see my profile page at The Conversation. As at July 20, 2025:

• 13 articles written
• 81,500 reads

Most popular articles:

• Federal Budget 2014: Political experts react, May 13, 2014, 15240 reads
• Commission of Audit released: Experts report, May 1, 2014, 14969 reads
• Federal Budget 2016: Political experts react, May 3, 2016, 9598 reads
• Manus Island takes Australia to the edge of outsourcing, March 6, 2014, 8198 reads
• Managing performance in the public service, March 3, 2013, 5917 reads

For the full list of articles please see my profile page at The Mandarin.

Big Challenges for Public Management in Australia. Management Matters, newsletter from the Public Management Research Association. 20(2), 2-4. Invited Essay. 

Rising to Ostrom's Challenge: An invitation to walk on the bright side of politics, governance and public service. Working paper. doi 10.13140/RG.2.2.27680.30721 

Public Management after COVID-19.  Management Matters, newsletter from the Public Management Research Association, 19(1), 4.

New Zealand: Whānau Ora Agile Government Case. Agile Government Center, National Academy of Public Administration, United States of America.

Australia Post Case Study. Agile Government Center, National Academy of Public Administration, United States of America. 

Towards Positive Public Administration: A Manifesto. Working Paper. 

Why Public Sector Leaders Need to Loosen the Reins on Their Staff. The Hub. Institute of Public Administration Australia (Victoria). May. Invited.

Productivity Paradox. Public Administration Today, pp. 8-9. Invited.

The Prime Provider Model: An Opportunity for Better Public Service Delivery? Social Policy Working Paper 18, Brotherhood of St Laurence, Melbourne. 

All Praise Public Value? The Ideas, the Debate, and Some Applications. Guest Editor Introduction to special virtual issue on Public Value. Australian Journal of Public Administration.

5-year impact factor 2.3.

Some Practical Thoughts on Working Across Boundaries .Occasional paper #14, State Services Authority Victoria and Australia and New Zealand School of Government, Melbourne. Invited.

A Public Value Framework for Contractual Governance. PUBLIC, Issue 07, ESADE Institute of Public Management, Barcelona. Invited. 

Corporate Attitudes to Indigenous Employment. HRMonthly, Australian Human Resources Institute, Melbourne, June.

The Diversity Dividend. HRMonthly, Australian Human Resources Institute, Melbourne, June.

Managing Through Contracts: The Employment Effects of Compulsory Competitive Tendering in Australian Local Government. Working Papers in Human Resource Management, Employee Relations and Organisation Studies Series, No. 3, Department of Management, The University of Melbourne, Australia.

Emba, Australian National University. Secondary supervisor. Commenced 2024. Merit in the Indonesian Public Service. Australia Awards Scholar. 

Ms Gabrielle Lawrence, Australian National University. Primary supervisor. Commenced 2023. Lived Experience in Australian Public Policy Making. Sir Roland Wilson Scholar. 

Ms Holly Noble, Australian National University. Panel member. Commenced 2025. Meaningful Performance Reporting in the Australian Public Service. Sir Roland Wilson Scholar. 

Thaarramali (Mali) Pearson. Secondary supervisor. Commenced 2025. Investigating the Application of the Australian Government's Budget RUles and Their Influence on Policy Making. Pat Turner Scholar. 

Alfie Syarien. Primary supervisor. Commencing 2026. Australia Award Scholar. 

On leave

Ms Eleanor Malbon, Australian National University. Panel member. 

2020 Dr Primatia Wulandari The Embeddedness of  Policy Learning in Reform-Oriented Policy Change: The Case of Indonesian Public Administration Reform . The University of Melbourne. Primary supervisor. 

2020 Dr (Elizabeth) Chloe Duncan Implementing Breastfeeding Policy in Victoria: A Study of the Role of Discourse in Policy Implementation in Institutional Voids. The University of Melbourne. Primary supervisor. 

2016 Dr Stephen Perryman Enacting ICT Strategy in Victorian Public Hospitals. The University of Melbourne. Second supervisor. 

2014 Dr Lhawang Ugyel The Dynamics of Public Sector Reform : Implementation of the Position Classification System in Bhutan. The Australian National University. Primary supervisor. 

2014 Dr John Butcher Compacts Between Government and the Not-For-Profit Sector: A Comparative Case Study of National and Sub-National Cross-Sector Policy Frameworks. The Australian National University.  Panel member. 

2013 Dr Herath (Soma) Jayatunge The Effects of Bureaucratic Power on the Policy Process: The Case of Sri Lanka's Poverty Reduction Policy. The Australian National University. Second supervisor. 

2012 Dr Fiona Buick Organisational Culture as the Panacea for Joined-Up Working : the Rhetoric and Reality Gap. The University of Canberra. Joint supervisor. 

2011 Dr Brent Jackson A Work Values  Perspective of the Generation Y - Australian Public Service Employment Relationship. The Australian National University.  Second supervisor. 

2009 Dr Lisa Arnold The Devolution Revolution: The Effect of Human Resource Management Reform in the Australian Public Service. The Australian National University. Primary supervisor. 

Invited presentation to the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet staff forum. July 23, 2025.

Human(e) Government: Charting a Positive Path in a Hostile World.  Donald C. Stone Lecture at the American Society for Public Administration conference. Washington DC, March 28-April 2, 2025. (Invited keynote). 

Academia and the Public Service. Masterclass session with the Australian Public Service Academy. 

Innovation and Leadership at the Towards World Class Bureaucracy conference, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, November 5-7. Joint conference of Asian Association for Public Administration (AAPA), the Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA), the Asian Group of Public Administration (AGPA) and the Indonesian Association for Public Administration (IAPA), with the Ministry of Administrative Reform of Indonesia, National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA), and Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). (Invited keynote).

Vision and values. Presentation for the Australian Public Service Commission Graduate Development Program, Canberra, February 22. 

Co-chair of the 2023 ANU Crawford Leadership Forum, Canberra, October 30-31. Arranging the program and hosting the Crawford Oration delivered by Professor Stan Grant. 

The Role of Evaluation in the APS Reform Agenda, Australian Evaluation Society, Canberra, June 2. 

Budget Beyond the Numbers, in conversation with Hon. Dr Jim Chalmers MP, the Treasurer. Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University, May 31. Podcast available here.

Confronting the Big Challenges of our Times: Reshaping the Government and Public Service Systems that Drive Community Groups Bananas. Invited Keynote Address, Communities in Control Conference, Melbourne,  May 23. (Unable to attend due to COVID).

Outsourcing of Digital Government. Invited panelist for the Disruptive Ideas Seminar, Melbourne School of Government, University of Melbourne, November 8. 

Public Value: Opportunities and Challenges. Invited Scholars Keynote Address, Public Service Accounting and Accountability Group, Annual Conference, Utrecht University School of Governance and Dutch GOAL Network, October 26. 

Chaired seminar for the National Regulators Community of Practice Bias by Design: When the Design, Implementation and Enforcement of Rules Creates Disadvantage , with guests Professor Don Moynihan and Ms Sarah McDowell. 

Expert interviewee for Government vs The Virus series developed by Professor Colin Talbot to explore how governments, and other actors, were responding to COVID-19. April 2020. 

(In)Civility. Academy of Management annual conference. Invited to convene the Public Nonprofit Division plenary, Boston, August 9-14.

Where to for Public Value Research? Taking Stock and Moving On. Understanding Public Value workshop, School of Political Science and International Studies, University of Queensland, July 11-12. Invited presenter and workshop funded by the Australian Political Studies Association. 

Getting the Work of Government Done: Thinking Differently About Commissioning and Contracting. Invited keynote, Australia and New Zealand School of Government and Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand, Melbourne, June 11. 

Miracles or Mayhem? Post-Election Policy Forum. Invited panel member, Sir Roland Wilson Foundation, Australian National University, Canberra, June 18. Listen to the Policy Forum podcast recorded after the panel.

The 21st Century Public Manager: Challenges, Skills, Training. Invited presentation and panel discussion, Public Management Research Association annual conference, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore, June 1. 

A (Modern) History of Public Administration in Australia. Invited presentation, School of Political Science and Economics, Waseda University, Japan, March 2.

How Thinking about Misery and Misfortune Can Help Us to Bring Ethics Back into Public Administration and Management. Invited keynote, Australian Association for Professional & Applied Ethics Annual Conference, University of Technology Sydney. June 23.

Governing Multisectoral Action. Invited expert at workshop arranged by Johns Hopkins and UNICEF at Bellagio Rockefeller Centre. Invited participant; declined due to prior commitment.

Invited member of the Editors Panel, a conference event with editors of public administration journals, at the annual IRSPM conference, Hong Kong. 

Integrated Governance: International Experiences and Challenges for Portugal. Portuguese Public Administrative Directorate-General for the Qualification of Public Workers and the Portuguese Forum for Integrated Governance, Lisbon, October 15-16. Invited keynote; declined due to prior commitment.  

International Seminar on National Public Investment Systems. General Directorate for Public Investment, Ministry of Economy and Finance Peru, Seminar sponsored by the World Bank, Lima, July 5-6. Invited participant; declined due to prior commitment. 

Strategic Public Management in Complex Times: Reforms, Relationships and Results. Invited public lecture, Civil Service College, Singapore, July 22.

Rethinking Public Service Delivery. Invited Departmental Seminar, Department of Premier and Cabinet, Victoria. March 27. 

Innovation, Productivity and Delivery. Invited presentation, Cisco Public Sector Summit, Yarra Valley, February 17-19 .

Rethinking Public Service Delivery: The Leadership Challenge. National Public Sector Women in Leadership Summit, Canberra, December 3.

Rethinking Public Service Delivery. Invited Departmental Seminar, Commonwealth Department of Finance, Canberra, November 21.

Rethinking Public Service Delivery: Managing with External Providers. Invited Keynote, Jobs Australia Annual Conference, Sydney, September 25.

Performance Anxiety: Measuring Workforce Performance and Innovation from the Front Line. Invited presentation, ANZSOG Annual Conference, Brisbane, August 7. Co-presented with Deborah Blackman and Damian West.

It All Depends. Invited keynote for the Jeff Whalan Learning Group Alumni, Canberra, July 2.

Rethinking Public Service Delivery. Invited keynote, Hanover Welfare Services, Annual General Meeting, Melbourne, November 27.

Why Reformers Succeed and Fail. Invited presentation, L21 Public Sector Leadership Series, Sydney, October 16.

Developing High Performance: Performance Management in the Australian Public Service. Invited keynote, 14th World Human Resources Conference, Melbourne, September 25.

Developing a New Performance Management Framework for the Australian Public Service. Invited presentation, Government Performance Coalition, Washington D.C., April 24. 

Does Working Together Always Work? Reflections on Joining up in the Real World. Invited presentation, State Services Authority of Victoria and the Australia and New Zealand School of Government, Melbourne, July 1.

The Degradation of the Professional Capacity of the Australian Public Service. Invited presentation. Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, Canberra, November 8.

Selected examples

Current

• Public Administration
• Public Management Review
• Policy Design and Practice
• Australian Journal of Public Administration
• Global Public Policy and Governance
• Halduskultuur: The Estonian Journal of Administrative Culture and DIgital Governance

Previous

• Public Administration Review
• Teaching Public Administration
• Journal of Public Affairs Education
• International Journal of Public Administration
• Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration
• Canadian Public Administration
• Journal of Management & Organization

Co-chair of the conference selection committee for the Public Management Research Conference. 

Committee member for the Leonard D. White Award for best doctoral dissertation in the field of Public Administration, for the Amercian Political Science Association. 

Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) Australian Capital Territory representative on IPAA National Council. 

Chair of the committee to award the Best Book Award for the Public Nonprofit Division of the Academy of Management. 

Chair of the Camilla Stivers prize committee, which selects the best article published in Perspectives on Public Management and Governance in 2023 and 2024. 

Member of the selection committee to appoint the editors of Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory; ranked 2nd in SJR for public administration. 

Served as Associate Editor for Public Management Review with an initial term of 2 years. After two years returned to role on Editorial Board. 

Mentor of the Athena SWAN Supporting Talent & Enabling Talent (STEP) Program at the University of Melbourne. This pilot program is especially focused on mentoring women for promotion from Level C (Senior Lecturer) to Level D (Associate Professor).

Invited lecture in the subject Leadership in Public Services. Subject leader: Professor Catherine Durose, December 2021. 

Elected to the Public Management Research Association Board in May 2021 and served until 2025. Member of several subcomittees. 

Invited lecture in the subject Public Sector Management, Crawford School of Public Policy. Subject Leader: Dr Azad Singh Bali, March 2021. 

Invited lecture in the subject Contemporary Challenges in Public Service Leadership, Cardiff Business School. Subject Leader: Dr Catherine Farrell, February 2021. 

Member of the program committee for the Public Management Research Association Annual Conference, Hawaii.

Invited to Chair the Keith Provan Award Committee for the Public NonProfit Division at the Academy of Management, 2021-2022. The award is given annually in Keith Provan's honour for distinguished contribution to the field of Public Administration. 

Invited guest speaker at the Ragnar Nurske Department of Innovation and Governance, Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia, focused on 2020 article Confronting the big challenges of our time: making a difference during and after COVID-19. December 2020. 

Invited member of International Editor Panel, December 4th convened by the Institute for Global Public Policy (Fudan University), LSE-Fudan Research Centre for Global Public Policy, School of International Relations and Public Affairs (Fudan University). Journal editors included: Australian Journal of Public Administration, Global Public Policy and Governance, International Public Management Journal, Public Management Review, Public Policy and Administration 

Invited guest lecture on public sector reform in the subject Public Administration and Democracy, School of Public and International Affairs, Department of Public Administration and Policy, University of Georgia. Subject leader: Professor Eric Zeemering. September 2020.

Virtual Meet the Editors session for early career researchers. This would normally be held at the International Research Society for Public Management annual conference in Finland. June. 

Member of the program committee for the Annual Public Management Research Association Conference in Hawaii.

Hosted the opening plenary at the IRSPM conference and invited to participate in Meet the Editors panel for early career researchers. April, Wellington, New Zealand. 

External member of the Review of ANU Academic Programmes on Public Administration: Graduate Diploma of Public Policy, Master of Public Administration, and Executive Master of Public Administration. Undertaken by the College of Asia & the Pacific for the ANU Academic Quality Assurance Committee. 

Member of the judging committee for the Beryl Radin Award for best paper published in 2018 in the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory.

Member of the Public Management Research Association internationalisation committee.

Invited to participate in the Meet the Editors panel for early career researchers. April, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Member of the program committee for the Annual Conference in Singapore.

Invited to participate in Meet the Editors Panel for early career researchers at the annual IRSPM conference. April, Budapest, Hungary. 

Chair of the review panel for the five year review of Graduate Programs in Public Administration at Flinders University, Australia.

Elected At-Large member of the Executive Board of the International Research Society for Public Management. 

Co-editor of the Australian Journal of Public Administration. Appointed in 2015 by the Institute of Public Administration Australia following a competitive selection process and renewed for additional term. Previously had been Deputy Editor and Associate Editor. 

Selected Examples

Invited to join Advisory Panel for The Future of Public Service in New South Wales white paper. A landmark paper to be undertaking by the Institute of Public Administration Australia (NSW) as part of its 90th anniversary. 

Invited member of recommendation panel for appointment of the Freedom of Information Commissioner, Commonwealth of Australia. The panel comprised two Commonwealth Government secretaries and the Australian Information Commissioner. 

Speaker at the launch of the Pathways to Positive Public Administration book hosted by the Australia and New Zealand School of Government, featuring a panel of the editors and public servants from Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia. February. Video link. 

Mentor for American Society for Public Administration Founders Fellows program working with the next generation of public service leaders. My mentee is Ms Addie Murphy, George Washington University. 

Invited member of the Capability Reinvestment Fund Evaluation Committee, which considers applications for funding under the scheme to invest in the organisational capability of the Australian Public Service. This was a key tenet of the governments reform agenda. $6.5M in funding was allocated to nine projects. Appointed by the Australian Public Service Commissioner. 

Australian Capital Territory representative on the Institute of Public Administration Australia National Council. 

Invited member of the National Centre for Place-Based Collaboration (NEXUS Centre) Foundation Partner Governance Group. The Governance Group provide oversight and support the work of the Foundation Partner., bringing  together leaders from a range of stakeholder groups including place-based backbone organisations, government, philanthropy, business, intermediaries, research, and community organisations, along with advisors from the Commonwealth Government and members of the Foundation Partner consortium

Hosted launch of the Policy Policy Handbook co-authored by Professor Glyn Davis, Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and the Cabinet. May. In collaboration with the Public Services Research Group, UNSW Canberra. 

Hosted the inaugural Annual Address on Public Sector Reform and in conversation with the Minister of Finance, Women and the Public Service. November.

Hosted address and in conversation Budget Beyond the Numbers with the Australian Treasurer, the Hon. Dr Jim Chalmers at the Crawford School of Public Policy. May. 

Appointed member of the Institute of Public Administration Australia (ACT) Council. 

Ministerial appointment to the Advisory Board for the Victorian Public Sector Commission. I served on the board from 2022 to 2025, providing advice to the Commissioner. 

Invited to join the Centre for Public Impact Australia Research Committee which provides advice to the board on the research program of CPI, determines funding and approval for  new projects, and monitors and evaluates projects. Appointed Chair of the Research Committee from June, 2023. CPI is Boston Consulting Group Foundation. 

International subject expert invited to provide input into the Chartered Association of Business Schools’ Academic Journal Guide, UK. 

Engaged by the Policy Profession, UK Civil Service to provide a review and evaluation of the Executive Master of Public Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science. In collaboration with Catherine Althaus and Lisa Carson. 

Invited to provide expert advice on the topic of stewardship to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, Australian Government. 

Invited to participate in expert workshop with the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System, Victorian Government. 

Appointed member of the Infrastructure Victoria Expert Panel on the Role of Infrastructure in Addressing Regional Disadvantage. Appointed by the CEO of Infrastructure Victoria, Michael Masson. 

Invited member of the Advisory Board of the Australian Public Service Centre for Leadership and Learning. Appointed by the Australian Public Service Commissioner, Peter Woolcott. 

Selected recent examples

2025 

• Institutional Integrity Amid Uncertainty: Key Insights from the American Society for Public Administration COnference. Work with Purpose podcast in conjunction with the Australian Public Service Commission and Institute of Public Administration Australia, August. 
• On a Journey of Continuous Reform Part 1 and Part 2. Work with Purpose podcast, in conjunction with the Australian Public Service Commission and Institute of Public Administration Australia, March. 

2024

• The Public Sector and Public Value. Policy Forum Podcast, Crawford School of Public Policy. March.
• Safeguarding the Present and Future of Democracy. National Security College Podcast, April. 

2023

• Markets of Misery and the Value of Hope. Policy Forum Podcast, Crawford School of Public Policy, March. 
• Time, Trust, Turf: Building Effective Partnerships. Work with Purpose podcast in conjunction with Institute of Public Administration Australia, March.
• Beyond the Numbers with Treasurer The Hon. Dr Jim Chalmers. Policy Forum Pod, Crawford School of Public Policy, May. 
• Reflecting on the Voice. Policy Forum Podcast, Crawford School of Public Policy. October. 

2021

• From All Sides, Cube Group, April. 
• Fast and Furious (part 1) and (part 2), Public Service Podcasting, June

2018

• Don't Underestimate the Power of Representation, by Wiley Publishing for International Women's Day. 

Selected recent examples of media engagement and mentions

2025

• I'm freaking out about one Trumpism coming here. An expert says we all should be, Canberra TImes, January 24.
• A second term for Labor and no more Glyn Davis. What next for the APS?, The Mandarin, March 12. 
• The welcome rise of positive public administration, The Mandarin, March 12. 

2024

• They battled blokey workplaces. Now these 33 women enforce the rules, Australian Financial Review, May 31. 
• Collaboration, positive mindset pave way forward for public administration: CASS, Pakistan Observer, October 11. 

2023

• How the Albanese government is approaching external public service contracting, Canberra Times, January 23. 
• Professor Janine O'Flynn begins as new director of ANU Crawford School of Public Policy, Canberra Times, January 16.

In this section I provide only courses delivered in accredited programs, not executive education courses. I have listed all courses taught since 2003. 

I have also undertaken considerable guest teaching at the Australian National University, University of Melbourne, Australia and New Zealand School of Government, and for a range of international universities e.g Cardiff Business School, University of Georgia, Tallinn University of Technology, University of Birmingham

Responsible for the design and delivery of Fostering Public Policy Research, a 3-day intensive course. Compulsory course for all HDR students in the Crawford School of Public Policy, created in response to the School Review undertaken in 2017/2018. Delivery mode: face-to-face.  

Responsible for the full design and delivery of Delivering Public Value, a 4-day intensive course. Compulsory opening course in the Executive Master of Public Administration at ANZSOG. Delivery mode: both face-to-face and online (during COVID). Participants are sponsored by their government and come from jurisdictions across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. 

Responsible for full design and delivery of  World of Public Administration, a 5-day Masters level intensive course. Compulsory opening course in the Master of Public Administration at the University of Melbourne. Delivery mode: face-to-face.

Responsible for the full design and delivery of Public Management, a 6-day Masters level intensive course. A double-credit, compulsory course in the Master of Public Policy and Management at the University of Melbourne. Delivery mode: face-to-face.

Co-designed and co-delivered International Public Management, a 5-day Masters level intensive course in collaboration with the University of Birmingham. The course was delivered in Birmingham bringing together cohorts from both institutions to explore contemporary public management issues. A selective course for students enrolled in Masters level study.  Delivery mode: face-to-face.

Responsible for the design and delivery of Researching Politics and Policy, the required PhD workshop, across semester 1 and semester 2. Delivery mode: face-to-face.

Responsible for the design and delivery of Case Studies in Public Sector Management, a Masters level compulsory course in the Master of Public Administration. Delivery mode: face-to-face.

Co-designed and co-delivered the postgraduate course Government, Markets and Global Change, a compulsory course for all students in the Crawford School. I was the course convenor overseeing all aspects of the course, including coordinating all teaching and professional staff,  preparing materials for workshops, and delivering separate assessment workshops for students. Delivery mode: face-to-face

Responsible for the design and delivery of People and Performance in Public Organisations, a Masters level course in the Master of Public Policy.  Delivery mode: face-to-face.

Responsible for the design and delivery of the postgraduate course Public Administration, a compulsory Masters level course in the Master of Public Administration. Delivery mode: face-to-face.

Responsible for the design and delivery of the postgraduate course Public Administration at the Interface, a compulsory Masters level course in the Master of Public Administration. Delivery mode: face-to-face.

Responsible for the design and delivery of the undergraduate course Public Sector Management, a compulsory undergraduate level course in the Bachelor of Business. Delivery mode: face-to-face.

Responsible for the design and co-delivery of the undergraduate course Management in the Bachelor of Commerce. Delivery mode: face-to-face.

Responsible for the design and delivery of the postgraduate course Human Resource Management in the Master of Management.Delivery mode: face-to-face.

Executive Education (selected examples)

2025

• Strategic Policy Uplift Program for Department of Health and Aged Care, Crawford School of Public Policy - presenter
• Leadership Study Tour for Royal Civil Service Commission, Crawford School of Public Policy - presenter
• Deputies Program, Australia and New Zealand School of Government - presenter

2024

• Public Leadership in a Digital Age, Australia and New Zealand School of Government - presenter
• Jeff Whalan Learning Groups, Secretaries Group - presenter

2023

• Senior Executive Service Leadership program for a large Federal Government agency - design, deliver, present
• Executive Fellows Program, Australia and New Zealand School of Government - presenter

2022

• Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Malaysian Leadership Program, Australia and New Zealand School of Government - presenter

2021

• The New Stewardship Program, Victorian Public Sector Commission - design, deliver, present
• Leadership Conference, City of Port Phillip Executive Leadership Team - presenter 
• Public Value, City of Port Phillip Manager Workshops - design, deliver, present (2019- 2021)

2020

• Senior Executive Induction Program, Victorian Public Sector Commission - presenter
• Ministerial Advisors Program, Melbourne School of Government - presenter

Education Leadership Roles

Academic Director (Acting) for the Executive Master of Public Administration, ANZSOG

Director of Education, Melbourne School of Government, University of Melbourne

Program convenor for the Master of Public Administration, University of Melbourne

Program convenor for the Master of Public Policy and Management, University of Melbourne

Director of Education, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University

Education Reviews

Provided support to the Review Panel who undertook a review of the Executive Master of Public Administration at ANZSOG. Including undertaking longitudinal data analysis and reporting on student and alumni feedback. 

Engaged by the Policy Profession, UK Civil Service to provide a review and evaluation of the Executive Master of Public Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science. In collaboration with Catherine Althaus and Lisa Carson. 

External member of the Review of ANU Academic Programmes on Public Administration: Graduate Diploma of Public Policy, Master of Public Administration, and Executive Master of Public Administration. Undertaken by the College of Asia & the Pacific for the ANU Academic Quality Assurance Committee. 

Chair of the review panel for the five year review of Graduate Programs in Public Administration at Flinders University, Australia. This involved chairing the review, and then preparing the review report for Flinders. 

Selected examples only

Leadership roles

2023 -current,  Director, Crawford School of Public Policy

Committees and panels

• University Leadership Group
• College of Law, Governance and Policy Executive Committee - member
• College of Asia and the Pacific Executive Committee - member (2023-2024)
• Crawford School of Public Policy Executive - chair
• Crawford School of Public Policy IDEA committee - member
• Advisory Board, Tax and Transfer Policy Institute - member
• Advisory Board, Indonesia Project - member
• Advisory Board, National Security College - member (2023-2024)
• Various selection panels for academic and professional staff appointments - chair and member

Leadership roles

• 2022 - Deputy Dean (Engagement)
• 2019 - Academic Director of the Executive Master of Public Administration (Acting)

Committees and panels

• Executive Leadership Team - member
• Academic Management Team - member
• Faculty Advisory Panel - member
• Various selection panels for academic and professional staff

Leadership roles

• 2015-2018 - Director of Education
• 2013-2018 - Convenor, Master of Public Administration
• 2013-2016 - Convenor, Master of Public Policy and Management

Committees and panels

• Melbourne School of Government Executive Committee - member
• Melbourne School of Government and School of Social and Political Sciences Graduate Studies Committee - chair and member
• Faculty of Arts Graduate Studies Committee - member; ad hoc taskforce member
• Faculty of Arts panel advising Australian Research Council applicants - member 
• Various selection panels across disciplines and levels
• Academic Board - all Professors are members

Leadership roles

• 2009-2012 Director of Education

Committees and panels

• College of Asia and Pacific Education Committee - member
• Crawford School of Public Policy Management Committee - member
• Crawford School of Public Policy Education Committee - chair
• Crawford School of Public Policy Research Committee - member
• Various selection panel for academic staff at all levels and across disciplines