David Williams discusses working in government in both Tasmania and Queensland during the 1980s and 1990s. He compares the large number of departments in Tasmania's bureaucracy with developments in Queensland where the state government had begun the process of corporatising agencies and offices. He adds that events agencies were a relatively new initiative operating in only a few states.
Peter Ellis discusses his time out of the public service between 1993-96. He notes the appointment of Rob Borbidge to Minister of Industry Development by Ahern. He discusses the issues of trust between the public service and the Goss Government.
Peter Ellis describes the Ahern Government and some of the major reports that brought changes. He notes the short-term feelings within the Premier's Department at the time, but he notes that there was a feeling that the public service was ready for change.
Peter Ellis notes that in 1986 his perceptions of government changed. He describes the preparations for the 1987 Premiers' conference where it was set to discuss the overlap between state and federal issues. He describes the coming of the Ahern Government and Ahern's style of listening to advisors, which was in contrast to Bjelke-Petersen's style of having key public service advisors.
Pat Weller discusses the leadership changes in the National Party at the end of the 1980s in the context of the Fitzgerald Inquiry. He discusses the development of public sector policy, the distrubution of shadow portfolios, and the creation of the PSMC as the corollary of the CJC and EARC.
Pat Weller outlines the establishment of the federally funded Centre for Australian Public Sector Management, its relationship with the state government, and the development of federal and Queensland cabinet handbooks.
Craig Sherrin discusses what he regards as the highlights of his career, including the opportunity to share his faith, and reforms to social policy and legislation.
Craig Sherrin reflects on what he sees as the pros and cons of governments in Queensland, arguing that while the conservatives overemphasised the economy, Labor overemphasised the social.
Erik Finger recalls becoming Coordinator General in 1989 in addition to the head of Premier's, and the difficulty of balancing the two roles in the context of the governmental upheavals stemming from the Fitzgerald Inquiry.
