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NZ officials suggest creating in-house consultancy hub for government
Senior officials in the Public Service Commission of New Zealand have proposed creating an “in-house consultancy hub” to ease reliance on external consultants as part of the government’s cost-cutting plans. The National Party, which came to power late last year as part of a coalition government, has set out plans to make cost savings…
Canadian government plans C$500m of in-year budget cuts
The Canadian government has announced a C$500m (US$362m) in-year cut to government spending in the first step of efforts to save up to C$15.4bn (US$11.5bn) over five years. The focus for the rest of the 2023-24 fiscal year will be to cut spending on outsourcers, government contracts, and travel costs. Treasury Board president Anita Anand,…
Canadian government spending cuts being ‘rushed’, warns union
The Canadian government has been warned that plans to cut government spending by as much as C$15bn (US$11bn) are being rushed and could hit services for citizens. In response to reports that departments across government have been tasked with identifying savings by 2 October, Chris Aylward, the president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada…
Will the pandemic pave the way for welfare reform? The UK’s former homelessness tsar sets out her vision
It was the devastation of the Second World War that gave birth to the UK’s welfare state, and now, argues Louise Casey, the covid-19 pandemic provides the government with a unique opportunity to fundamentally overhaul it. Karen Day hears her call for a ‘Beveridge-style moment’ “It’s a phenomenal day,” said Baroness Casey as the UK…
UK chancellor Rishi Sunak must ensure the cut to foreign aid is temporary
Opinion: As the UK retreats from its pledge to spend 0.7% of GDP on overseas aid, the public finance professionals’ body CIPFA is urging ministers to revive the commitment as soon as possible. The organisation’s chief economist Jeffrey Matsu makes the case This week’s Spending Review in the UK was a significant step towards recognising…
UK considers in-house consultancy amidst No10 in-fighting
A new element of the UK’s civil service reform agenda emerged this week, as one of the project’s principal architects announced his departure from government. Dominic Cummings, the former Vote Leave chief who has been PM Boris Johnson’s lead adviser since last summer, told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on Thursday that he would be leaving…
US senator warns of government watchdog cuts
Proposed funding cuts to the budgets of US watchdogs overseeing federal agencies could harm efforts to tackle waste, fraud and abuse, according to a report produced by a senator. Claire McCaskill, the most senior Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, has produced a report analysing proposed budget allocations for inspectors general…
UK government departments to face further cuts, chancellor reveals in budget
UK government departments will be asked to find another £3.5 billion (US$5bn) in savings by 2020, following a prolonged period of public spending cuts, chancellor George Osborne has announced. The announcement comes months after Osborne’s autumn spending review requested that ministries, with the exception of health, defence and the Foreign Office, reduce their day-to-day spending…
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Empowering Public Servants to Make Confident, Informed Decisions with Data and AI
Governments around the world are working hard to extract – and act upon – the insights held in their vast data stores, and to embrace AI and the promise it holds for innovation and transformation. At the same time, economic pressures and constrained budgets are compelling public servants to do more with fewer resources, while governments are called to respond quickly and effectively to complex challenges.
Against this backdrop, data and AI can help those working in government both to streamline their workflows and make fast, informed decisions. This in turn drives efficiency and can unlock productivity gains – and ultimately lead to improved performance and better services for citizens.
Global Government Forum surveyed over 600 civil servants worldwide to understand how data and AI are being used in government decision-making and where there are further challenges and opportunities.
Read this report for insight into how governments are using data and AI in decision-making today and the potential for the future; the major challenges to using data and AI in decision-making and how to overcome them; and how AI agents can be used in decision-making.
The report includes examples of data and AI in decision-making from countries including the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Singapore, the US, and more.
(Published September 2025)
Making Government Work: Five Pillars of a Modern, Effective Civil Service
Around the world, governments are dealing with substantial challenges – from economic stagnation to the transition to net zero, military conflicts and cyber threats. Governments are also grappling with shifting geopolitics and the rise of populism – and all of these factors are set against the emergence of new technologies, including generative AI, which have the potential to fundamentally transform every aspect of society, but which also pose huge ethical, security and regulatory questions for the public sector.
The Making Government Work: Five pillars of a modern, effective civil service report was undertaken to help identify the key characteristics needed in a modern public service, with priorities ranging across leadership, digital service delivery, workforce development, cross-departmental integration, and citizen trust.
This report has been covered by publications around the world including the Financial Times, BBC Radio 4’s PM programme, Ottawa Citizen, Fed Manager, the Mandarin and the i newspaper.
(Published August 2024)
The Future of the Finance Ministry
From setting tax rates and financial regulations that create the ground rules for national economies, to allocating – and tracking – spending for public services, finance ministries occupy an essential role at the centre of government. Geopolitical crises have reinforced the importance of finance ministries, as they tackle both immediate shocks and long-term trends such as ageing populations, the digital transition, and the impact of moves to net zero.
Against this backdrop, this global research explores what the future finance ministry looks like and how to prepare for it.
Based on interviews with 10 senior leaders from finance ministries – led by John McCarthy, chief economist in Ireland’s Department of Finance, working with Ian Hall, editor, Global Government Finance, and Richard Johnstone, executive editor, Global Government Forum – the study identifies four key themes: the evolving role of the finance ministry in response to uncertainty; the shift to more flexible finance systems that support outcomes; digital transformation and the growth of AI; and the battle for talent and trust.
(Published May 2026)
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