Roger Scott comments on the education policy agenda during the Goss Government. He notes the varying styles and agenda issues of each of the ministers he worked with, Paul Braddy and Patrick Comben. He comments on the interaction between ministerial staff and department staff. He details the difficulties Patrick Comben faced when he became minister.

Peter Henneken discusses the ministers he worked with during the Beattie years. He notes that in his last eight months the department was a super department and had four ministers. He then goes on to comment on functionality of mega-departments.