Machinery of government

Term referring to the interconnected structures and processes of government

The machinery of government (sometimes abbreviated as MoG) is the interconnected structures and processes of government, such as the functions and accountability of departments in the executive branch of government. The term is used particularly in the context of changes to established systems of public administration where different elements of machinery are created. The phrase 'machinery of government' was thought to have been first used by author John Stuart Mill in Considerations on Representative Government (1861). It was notably used to a public audience by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in a radio broadcast in 1934, commenting on the role of the National Recovery Administration (NRA) in delivering the New Deal. A number of national governments, including those of Australia, Canada, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, have adopted the term in official usage.

In Australia, the terms 'machinery of government changes' and 'administrative re arrangements' are interchangeable and are used to refer to the changes to the structure of government and the allocation of government functions between departments and ministers. Machinery of government changes may occur at any time, however the most significant changes generally occur immediately following an election. There is usually very little consultation or discussion prior to machinery of government changes in Australia, especially those following elections. The Commonwealth Government and some state and territory governments use Administrative Arrangements Orders (also called AAOs) as legal instruments as a primary method to make machinery of government changes.

At the Commonwealth Government level, Administrative Arrangements Orders (AAOs) are made by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister formally allocating executive responsibility among ministers. AAOs establish Departments of State under the Constitution, including the principal matters and legislation dealt with by each department and its minister(s). The AAO is generally only updated when functions move between departments, ordering machinery of government changes. Only one AAO remains active at any one time; when a new AAO is made, all previous AAOs are revoked. Administrative Arrangement Orders are generally published in the Commonwealth Gazette. Administrative Arrangements Orders are seen by some academics as a central platform of good government management as the orders set the basic structure of cabinet, ministerial responsibilities, portfolios, and departments.

According to KPMG, in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), the Chief Minister of the ACT is given full power to allocate executive power to ministers and to establish government 'administrative units'. The Act gives the Governor of New South Wales the power to create, rename or abolish any NSW Government department through the issue of an executive order, acting on the advice of the elected government. On the Premier's advice, the Governor of Queensland sets out the responsibilities of ministers and their portfolios in AAOs. Machinery of government changes made in March 2009 were also significant, collapsing 23 stand alone government departments into 13. The orders cover which Minister is responsible for the administration of legislation.

In Victoria (Vic), government structure is set by an Order in Council made under section 10 of the Public Administration Act 2004. The Act gives the Governor of Victoria the power to create departments and allocate functions.