We need to eliminate our democratic deficit

AS we contemplate the formation of a new government, it is striking how governance itself and the role of the public service have been so absent from the debate.

Increasingly, many supposedly public service providers are operating to their own agenda and purpose — an agenda and purpose often at odds with the democratically decided objectives.

We have a health service that is controlled by an unelected executive, a transport service that is unwilling or unable to be innovative, a public service broadcaster that seems to exist as a forum for the promotion of colleagues and a local government system that is not allowed to do the job it is capable of.