I really think it's been going on for a while. Today's problem is the consequence of a succession of actions that started years ago but have been culminating in recent years.
You probably should meet with the real managers of the public service, because deputy heads don't really manage. They report to the minister, so they have to be on the same page. The real managers we meet have been under pressure for years due to reductions in the budgets and poor quality of work conditions.