Scott Prasser

Interviewed by
Chris Salisbury
Dec 14 2010
Scott Prasser
Queensland public servant Scott Prasser discusses the Smart State strategy of the Beattie Government and the changing nature of the Queensland public service.
Biography
Time Summary Keywords
00:00:06 Scott Prasser states he was born 26 April 1954, in Ipswich Queensland. Attended primary school at Leichhardt State School in Ipswich, West End State School in Townsville, East Ipswich State School in Ipswich, secondary education at Ipswich Grammmar School. Completed BA and Master of Public Administration at University of Queensland, and PhD Griffith University (2004). Ipswich
00:00:49 Scott Prasser describes his work as a research officer, and his recruitment to the Queensland public service in 1980 in the policy unit of the Department of Welfare Services. John Hodges, Terry White, Welfare Services
00:03:11 Scott Prasser discusses the origin of the Beattie Government's Smart State strategy, including its origins pre-Beattie, and his personal preference for the term 'Innovative state'. Smart State
00:05:28 Scott Prasser outlines Beattie's drive regarding Smart State and his involvement with the Vice-Chancellor at University of Queensland John Hay in the biotechnology project. John Hay, Smart State, University of Queensland
00:07:17 Scott Prasser decribes the effect of the Smart State policy in departments he was associated with including State Development, and the establishment of the International Science and Technology Unit. He describes the creation in the second Beattie Government of the Department of Innovation under Minister Paul Lucas, and its contribution to Science Week. He discusses the production of the Smart State Initiatives booklet and the relabelling of programs under Smart State. Innovation, Paul Lucas, Smart State, State Development Department
00:11:09 Scott Prasser outlines his view on the problems of the modern public service and its lack of frank dialogue, and the imposition of top down policies. He states that public servants are preoccupied with survival, growing and empire building.
00:18:16 Scott Prasser discusses issues surrounding whole of government initiatives.
00:22:04 Scott Prasser outlines Queensland's transformation from agricultural economy and tourism to resources based and service economy.
00:24:29 Scott Prasser describes Brisbane as still being a 'branch office state', with an infrastructure crisis. Brisbane
00:29:36 Scott Prasser outlines his views that politicians' agendas are more focused on staying in office than on policy.
00:33:20 Scott Prasser claims that the public service is too politicised and people who work in minister's offices are too young and inexperienced.
00:35:28 Scott Prasser claims his greatest achievement was stopping Queensland bidding for the Australian Synchrotron, subsequently won by the Victorian government and opened in 2007. Synchrotron
00:37:04 Interview ends.
Position:
Public Servant
Bailiwick:
Industry, Premier and Cabinet, State Development
Decade:
1990s, 2000s
Sound byte: 

Scott Prasser

Biography

Scott Prasser

Scott Prasser has moved between academia and the Queensland public service over a career spanning three decades, with roles in the Queensland Department of State Development and the International Collaborations Branch of the Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet.

Scott Prasser was born 26 April 1954 in Ipswich, Queensland. He was schooled in Ipswich and Townsville, and completed a BA and Masters of Public Administration at the University of Queensland and PhD at Griffith University (2004) at the age of fifty. He first worked as a research assistant for John Hodges, the federal Liberal member for Petrie, in Redcliffe, Queensland, from 1975-79.  In 1981 he was appointed as a liaison and research officer in the Queensland Department of Welfare Services when Terry White, the state Liberal member for Redcliffe, was minister.

Scott Prasser left the public service in1985 for academic work at RMIT, and at the University of Southern Queensland from 1989, before rejoining the Queensland public service in early 1998 as a senior policy advisor with Queensland Department of Tourism, Small Business and Industry. This was followed by positions as A/Manager, Industries Strategies Branch of Queensland Department of State Development, and Director of International Collaborations Branch in Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet. In 2003 he again left the public service to pursue an academic career at University of Sunshine Coast and in 2009 he was appointed Professor of Public Policy and Executive Director of the Public Policy Institute, Australian Catholic University, Canberra.

Copyright © Centre for the Government of Queensland, the University of Queensland, 2011.

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Associated interviews: 
Jim Elder
Associated interviews: 
Peter Beattie