1. Introduction

Evidence is mounting that governments around the world are failing their communities. The causes of this global failure of government are manifold and interrelated, ranging from the rise of a political class, the associated growth of lobby groups, a growing plurality of voters, a mismatch between the length of the electoral cycle and today’s wicked public policy problems, subordination of the public service and, quite simply, governments that are lost in pursuit of self-interest. Poor government is accompanied by the addition to its structures of a growing number of task forces, royal commissions, government ‘coordinators’, tsars, commissioners, ombudsmen and standing committees. These various ad hoc additions to the fabric of government are placed on top of structures that are already marked by poor governance. This is underpinned by the absence of a discernible political or moral compass or courage. Good public policy today has few friends in conception and execution.