Traditional approaches to the merit pPrinciple in the Queensland Public Service from 1859 to 1959

The image of public servants is often poor, and many are perceived as having little real merit, despite merit being the ostensible cornerstone of public employment. This paper demonstrates that the merit principle was not implemented as originally intended. It waxes and wanes according to social circumstances. In recent decades, the merit principle has been subject to extensive redefi nition and has been subordinated to the desire for greater political control of public services, and pursuit of “responsiveness”