Garran Oration: After the Pandemic: Cybernetic Systems and an approach to the future

Abstract

"Research background The Garran Oration was established in 1959 in memory of Sir Robert Garran GCMG, one of Australia's first and most decorated public servants. In 2021, this honour was undertaken by Distinguished Professor Genevieve Bell and presented at the National Conference of the Institute of Public Administration Australia, joining a lineage of prominent Australian figures including several Prime Ministers. The oration outlined a cybernetic approach to understanding and managing complex, contemporary systems, and the opportunities of this approach for the public service.

Research contribution The 2021 Garran Oration titled ‘After the Pandemic: Cybernetic Systems and an Approach to the Future’ makes a notable contribution to the fields of both computing and public administration and policy. The oration draws upon existing literature on Cybernetics to construct new methodologies and understandings which can be applied to increasingly inter-connected systems in an Australian context.

Research significance The Garran Oration has a reputation for being a rich and important contribution to intellectual debate on public administration. Bell’s oration continues this legacy by presenting a unique methodological toolkit for government to reflect on its role in an increasingly hyper-connected world. The significance of this research is further underscored by the platform in which it was delivered, at IPPA’s national conference which is a premier event for the public sector. "