Pathways to work for low‐income workers: The effect of work in the temporary help industry

This paper provides new evidence to inform the policy debate about the effect of a newly important industry—the temporary help industry—on the labor market outcomes of low‐income workers and those workers who are at risk of being on public assistance. The core issue of whether temporary help work harms the long‐term prospects of disadvantaged individuals depends critically on the alternatives available to the worker. Temporary employment results in labor market outcomes that are better than not working at all. For example, while nonemployed public assistance recipients have only a 35 percent chance of being employed a year later, those who were in temporary employment have almost twice the likelihood of being employed in the same period. These findings, if correct, would support the use of temporary agencies by welfare programs. © 2003 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management     

Some Thoughts about the Roles, Responsibilities and Future Scope of Auditors-General

This article treats Auditors-General in a generic sense, but focuses on those institutions developed out of the Westminster system of government which undertake financial statement or regularity audits as well as performance or value for money or efficiency-type audits. The audit offices included are those at both federal and state levels in Australia, the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada and New Zealand.
The article is in two parts. The first selectively addresses perceived roles and responsibilities arising out of parliamentary legislation, debates and reviews or inquiries, Auditor-General reports, papers or similar contributions by academic and other interested commentators. The second deals with the future scope for influence, focusing mainly on possible contributions to the improved performance of the public sector including that of audit offices themselves. The latter recognises that auditors-general are very much part of the governance framework within which they operate. While they might be able to influence its development, the framework largely dictates their role, responsibilities and possible scope for action. Reflecting on that framework beyond the next few years might be an inviting conceptual exercise but is unlikely to add much value.     

Balancing Accountability and Efficiency in a More Competitive Public Sector Environment

Extract from a speech delivered at Government-in-Excellence Summit 2000, 'Reinventing Government — A Manifesto for Achieving Excellence and Managing for Results in the New Millennium', 24–26 May, Singapore, (For the full text see www.anao.gov.au)