Paul Fennelly describes the addition of the Innovation portfolio to the State Development Department under the Beattie Government. He comments on the machinery of government changes following elections generally, and on the changes specifically to State Development while he was Director General.
Paul Fennelly gives his impressions of the early Beattie government and its relations with industry and the business sector in Queensland. He comments on that government's strong relations with the university sector, and how these as well as its industry links helped to establish the Smart State agenda. He describes how, after three years with the AI Group in Victoria, he returned to enter the Queensland public service.
Peter Coaldrake discusses his regrets from his time in government. He states that there could have been better management of the pace and communication of reforms. He also argues that some reforms should be pushed further.
Roger Scott discusses regional education issues and the decentralisation of the school inspectorate. He notes the location of the southwest region and division of the Brisbane region.
John Strano discusses the influence of ministers in the process of encouraging government investment. He describes this from Bjelke-Petersen Government through to the Beattie Government, he details the ministers through this period and then the staff where problems sometimes occured. He notes that from about 1995-96 he needed to justify some of the investment projects his section proposed. He notes that he had to educate governments to invest in the private sector but also let companies go about their business.
