I am often asked about outdated laws or government decisions. Sometimes, laws or government decisions just seem so out of step with modern life, that you might wonder what is going on. Why and how does this happen? Well, the answer is that there are so many...
Earlier this year, I was honoured to be interviewed as part of the #WomenWhoLead series that celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. More details here...
Dear Here to Help, I am in a group with other businesses and professionals and we were recently discussing how to get better results from government. Some members of our group said “don’t bother” – government won’t change their minds based on the likes of us....
Dear Here to Help, I was going for my morning walk recently and noticed a big hole in the path. I was quite concerned that somebody may come to grief tripping on it. I wasn’t sure what to do and eventually someone suggested that I contact the...
Dear Here to Help, Sometimes, I feel like I am caught in a dystopian novel, like Catch 22, when I am dealing with bureaucracy. It’s so frustrating! After spending hours on hold to one organisation, I am told that I don’t have the necessary authorisations and then...
Dear Here to Help, Recently, my 86yo dad rang the ambulance on a Friday night. When the ambulance arrived, the paramedics suggested that he should not go to hospital, but should wait until Monday to see his GP. The paramedics said Dad was likely to wait...
Dear Here to Help, Sometimes, government makes decisions that just don’t make sense. And I really want to find a way to change those government decisions, so that they work better. But when I talk to colleagues in my profession/industry, they tell me to “leave well...
Public policy describes government decisions. Like most processes, it comes with its own particular terminology. I have discussed some of this terminology in previous columns. Today, let’s discuss “regulatory failure”, another public policy term. Regulatory failure admits that government gets its decisions wrong sometimes. Let’s start by...
Dear Here to Help, I really struggle to understand government, how it works, and how to engage with government. Is there some kind of “golden bullet” that gets the attention of government? Thank you for your query. There are, indeed, some key phrases that can help you better...
Dear Here to Help, As a small business owner, I interact with government. I find these interactions complex and confusing – in particular the words they use sound like a foreign language. What do their words mean? Why don’t they seem to understand my communications with them? Do you...