Abstract
This study explores, from a practitioner’s perspective, strategic leadership challenges in
establishing interagency public sector organisations. A review of public sector
management literature reveals that Western governments around the world are
increasingly creating interagency organisations to address complex policy issues where
traditional bureaucratic structures have been unable to do so effectively. This trend has
been particularly evident in the Australian national security sector, with the formation of
Border Protection Command, the Australian Civilian Corps, the National Security College,
and the Australian Civil-Military Centre. A survey of the relevant literature that new
interagency organisations can struggle to achieve the authority, capacity and legitimacy
they require. The focus of this dissertation is a case study that examines the
establishment of the Australian Civil-Military Centre, an interagency organisation
established by the former Rudd Government in 2008, in which issues related to
organisational authority, capacity and legitimacy are examined. Semi-structured, indepth
interviews were conducted with three leaders of the Australian Civil-Military
Centre. Analysis of key documentation was undertaken in order to contrast the
observations of respondents with documentary evidence and to enhance the validity of
the case study. A further interview was undertaken with a former leader of a different
interagency organisation in order to provide supplementary insights into the challenges
of interagency leadership. Additionally, as a participant-observer, the author was able to
bring a personal understanding of events into the frame in order to draw lessons from
hers and her colleagues’ experiences. This study, in its analysis of the literature and the
case study, finds that without significant political and senior bureaucratic patronage,
interagency organisations can struggle to attain the authority, capacity and legitimacy
they require to be effective. This dissertation concludes with a practical framework that
will assist future interagency leaders to better position their organisation to secure the
long-term patronage, legitimacy and resourcing required to achieve the desired policy
outcomes.