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Last updated: 4 July 2003
The Australian experience of public sector reform
Useful references
Chapter 8 - Service delivery
Traditionally Australian public servants saw it as their role to provide citizens with services that were fair, equitable, correctly and lawfully delivered-where entitlements under the law were economically and carefully administered with an emphasis on due process.
The 1970s saw the introduction of administrative law initiatives, which led to a greater acceptance of citizen rights and increased transparency of decision-making. Initiatives aimed at broadening the representativeness of the Service to more closely reflect the wider community were also introduced. The Royal Commission on Australian Government Administration supported measures to improve community participation and responsiveness, and proposed 'one-stop shops' to bring together services from a broad range of government agencies to one shop front. Their implementation awaited improved technology.
The results-based management reforms of the 1980s saw increasing adoption of private sector methods in the public sector and a new emphasis on citizens as customers.
By the 1990s the ideas of the competitive market impinged more deeply, emphasising the rights of citizens to choose from a range of service providers, while new partnerships with non-government organisations encouraged the idea of citizen as client. The requirements of public servants to deliver services 'fairly, effectively, impartially and courteously to the Australian public' whilst being 'sensitive to the diversity' of the public, were incorporated in the Public Service Act in 1999. By this time, members of the public were also seen as stakeholders with a legitimate part to play in government policy decision-making. Ideas of mutual obligation complemented this approach.
By the turn of the century, strong government imperatives and more advanced technology had facilitated the creation of the one-stop shops, and the delivery of electronic services across the Internet had become a reality.
Customer service
From the 1990s successive governments have sought to make public services more responsive to the needs of the citizen or customer, and to increase efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery.
Generally, the expectations of the Australian population in terms of prompt, efficient and effective customer service are rising. People are asking for services to be accessible and provided at a time and in ways that suit the way they live their lives.
The government's public service reforms focus directly on customer service as an important indicator of high performance, and agencies are accountable to their Ministers for the quality of their service to customers in this context.
Recent surveys, such as reported in the APS Commission's 2001-02 State of the Service report, conclude that the APS has been largely successful in establishing a customer focus and improving the standard of service delivery.
Improving service delivery
Key initiatives for improving government service delivery and meeting customer and community expectations include:
- improved access to services
- commitment to internal and external customer service charters
- closer working partnerships between policy departments and service delivery agencies
- greater involvement with other non-government sector organisations
- market research into customer satisfaction and service improvement.
Access strategies
Significant efforts have been made in recent years to improve accessibility. These include broadening the delivery network, upgrading physical access requirements for buildings and co-locating many separate services under one roof with shared facilities and resources.
A feature of the government service delivery network in Australia is a high level of involvement by non-government organisations. For example, private, church based and secular organisations deliver a range of government funded services, including child care, housing assistance, emergency housing, disability support, job search, counselling and relationship support, emergency relief and parenting support. These services are often able to combine the government funded aspects of their work with their own private support mechanisms to offer service customers more holistic support and assistance.
One-stop-shops have been established to provide services across federal and state levels. The most notable example is the establishment of Centrelink in 1997, set up initially to bring together the service delivery network of several federal departments.
As a statutory authority within the APS, Centrelink now delivers government services and payments to eligible customers on behalf of, and in partnership with, 25 federal and state agencies, while servicing 6.4 million customers from over 1000 service points, spending A$53.4 billion a year, or around one-third of the annual federal budget.
Customers in 2002 include 700 000 people with disabilities and their carers, 500 000 young people including students, 1.1 million job seekers, 2 million retirees, and 1.8 million families and children. Centrelink employs 24 000 staff, and handles 24 million telephone calls in the course of a year through 27 call centres around the nation. More than 100 million visits are made each year to its offices.
For people outside metropolitan areas, federal Family Assistance Offices deliver services on behalf of Centrelink, the Australian Taxation Office, and the Health Insurance Commission (which administers medical insurance payments) in 560 offices around Australia.
Where rural communities are too small to justify a Centrelink office the federal government is supporting the setting up of community-based rural transaction centres to provide government, financial and administrative services locally.
Centrelink also employs local agents in small rural and remote communities and provides regular visiting services, as do a number of other government agencies. This face to face contact with specialist agents is particularly important in assisting Indigenous people overcome access barriers such as language and cultural differences, and lack of proficiency with, or access to, electronic communication mechanisms.
Other aspects of access are being addressed through electronic service improvements.
In December 1997, the government's 'Investing for Growth' Industry Plan set Australian federal departments and agencies a target to have all appropriate services available through the internet by 2001. Since meeting this target, over 1665 services, including the capacity to complete and submit individual tax returns, and job search information, have been made available online, with an additional 602 projected to be completed in the near future. Using this technology in conjunction with self-help facilities has extended the reach of services in remote areas by providing access points through agents and electronically. It is now possible, for example, for anyone with internet access to apply for jobs electronically using the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations' online 'jobsearch' site.
Federal agencies are also obliged by the to ensure that online information and services are accessible by people with disabilities. The World Wide Web Consortium's 'Web content accessibility guidelines' have also been adopted as the common best practice standard for all Australian government web sites. Furthermore, there is a growing focus on improving the security, interactivity and simplicity of using online services.
In many areas there is work underway to develop shared information technology that will facilitate faster referrals between government agencies and service providers in other sectors. In the future, a database will give localised non-government service providers, customers and the community direct access to appropriate services in their own region.
| A TERRITORY GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVE | ||||||||||||
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Canberra Connect-Australian Capital TerritoryLaunched in March 2001, 'Canberra Connect' is the one-stop shop providing integrated service delivery and payment options to the community of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) for all the agencies in the territory government. Bill payments, and information and service inquiries are offered by the one service, using uniform service providers, making knowledge of the structure of the territory's government unnecessary for customers. For most services the Canberra Connect customer has a choice of service delivery mechanisms, or channels, when accessing the ACT government. All three available channels-shopfront, internet, or call centre-use the same information and tools. By May 2003, Canberra Connect delivered 132 services through shopfronts, 77 services online, and 62 through a call centre. The intent is to provide access to all services through the most convenient and cost-effective mechanisms. Whole-of-government contracts are being instituted to manage services through third party delivery mechanisms, such as Australia Post, the national postal service, and Bpay, an Australia-wide electronic form of direct payment from bank accounts. Canberra Connect also provides a single change of address system, and an integrated customer feedback system. To deliver better services, work patterns and businesses processes are systematically reviewed. Systems are gradually being upgraded and redeveloped to take better advantage of the possibilities of new technology. An example is 'rego.act', the new digital motor registration and driver licensing system. A broadband cable network is being progressively laid.
*Including transactions processed through ACT Road User Services and Australia Post for which Canberra Connect assumed responsibility in 2002–03. |
| A STATE GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVE |
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Access Queensland and Smart Service QueenslandSimilar to Canberra Connect, 'Access Queensland' is a new initiative aiming to make it easier for the public of Queensland to access generic government services and information. It is a whole-of-government initiative charged with planning and implementing new service delivery arrangements in collaboration with government agencies. Access Queensland is assisting government agencies to integrate their services across multiple channels, and has established a new service delivery arm of the Queensland government, named Smart Service Queensland. A central principle of the model is that members of the public should not need to know the name of a government agency in order to access its services. Through the use of new technology, Smart Service Queensland will give the public a single 'front door' to Queensland government services through its internet gateway. It offers departments greater efficiencies in service delivery and will provide an opportunity to refocus existing resources on core business activities. Two services are currently available-camping permits and vehicle and vessel registration renewals. Another 40 services are being re-engineered for integration in the next 12-18 months. The initiative will see considerable benefits to government based on: taking advantage of economies of scale; optimising the use of shared facilities, technology and business systems; improving efficiency by reducing overlap and duplication; facilitating better service delivery through improved understanding of customer needs; ensuring consistent advice for customers through codification of knowledge and decision rules; and promoting a whole-of-government agenda for service delivery and improvement. |
Measuring customer satisfaction
Organisations with constant public contact, such as Centrelink and the Health Insurance Commission, run periodic surveys to measure customer satisfaction with their staff and services. The results are used to make improvements, and then are measured against future results to ensure that the improvements made were effective.
Each year the Health Insurance Commission measures satisfaction with its range of services to its three key consumer groups, namely, medical practitioners, pharmacists, and members of the public as health consumers. In 2002 the satisfaction levels of consumers and pharmacists achieved 90 per cent, while satisfaction of medical practitioners was more than 70 per cent. Those consumers who visited one of the Commission's 226 Medicare offices commented positively on friendly and helpful staff and quick and easy service.
Centrelink regularly monitors customer satisfaction through a suite of four customer satisfaction surveys. Surveys run in November 2001 captured the views of 66 000 customers, of which 76 per cent rated the overall quality of Centrelink's people, services, and information, as 'good' or 'very good'. Customer satisfaction regarding the accuracy of advice and information given, as well as the speed and efficiency of Centrelink staff, both improved on previous years. However, customer satisfaction regarding queue handling within Customer Service Centres remained relatively low.
Centrelink also conducts customer workshops aimed at gaining customer feedback. They recently identified the five most important customer values as being:
- friendly, helpful, and courteous staff
- complete, accurate, reliable information that is easily understood
- easy access to services with choice and flexibility in means of access
- receiving prompt and efficient service
- dealing with people who understand the needs of individuals.
A number of government departments and agencies now conduct very sophisticated market research. The Health Insurance Commission for example, has established a panel of market research providers to work alongside the Commission for three years. These market researchers include companies able to undertake large quantitative studies, as well as small, specialised companies skilled in working with culturally and linguistically diverse communities, including Indigenous communities.
Government services and payments have previously been based on a one-size-fits-all approach. New emphasis is on customising programs for individuals or groups to achieve better outcomes based on their particular circumstances.
In 2002, after a five-year period of taxation reform, the Australian Taxation Office launched an initiative called 'Listening to the community'. This aimed at tapping into the ideas of the community and, over a period of three months, the Office held 60 discussion groups around the country and numerous in-depth interviews with tax agents. The new approach seeks to find ways of making it easier and less expensive for people to comply with their tax obligations and is an attempt to co-design solutions with the community.
The workshops have given the Tax Office a wide range of ideas, mainly from its key client groups; individual taxpayers, small business, and tax agents. As a result, distinctive online services for each client group and personalised programs within each group are being developed to respond to particular needs. Such groups include truck and bus drivers, retirees, low-income earners, young people leaving school, and farmers.
Service charters
In March 1997, as part of its 'More time for business' statement, the government introduced service charters for all federal agencies that deal with the public. A service charter is a short publication that informs the client about the agency's services, outlines relevant avenues of communication, details relevant service standards, and outlines client rights and responsibilities including feedback and available complaint mechanisms. Service charters are displayed and promoted in agencies' shop fronts, public contact areas, in their offices, at client forums, and on their web sites.
In designing their service charters, each agency consults with their customer groups and key stakeholders to help establish an appropriate and practical charter. The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations charter for example, states, 'this charter explains our services and the standards of service that you can expect from us. It has been developed in consultation with staff, clients and other stakeholders'. Accessible on their web site, it addresses four areas, 'our service commitments to you, service standards, client feedback, and our services'.
Commitments to consult, and the processes to be pursued, are usually included in each agency charter. Agreed arrangements to consult with those who would be most affected by any policy modification, and interested members of the public, will be set out with time frames for comment on policy proposals.
Sixty-eight out of the seventy APS agencies required to implement a service charter now have one in place. Agencies must report on performance against charter commitments in their annual reports.
In 2002, the Australian Public Service Commission presented annual awards to five agencies which set measurable service standards and obtained customer feedback as part of measuring their performance.
Australia, like other countries, has found that service charters encourage agencies to put in place robust systems for assessing their own performance, and receiving feedback from their clients. They can have significant impact on continuous improvement in service delivery and customer relations.
A quality management approach
In the current climate of financial constraints, it is a major challenge for public sector service providers to meet the ever-increasing expectations of the community and key stakeholders.
In order to protect public revenue and ensure services are targeted to those eligible to receive them, the Australian government requires high levels of controls and restrictions for access to many government services. Whilst often accepting that controls are necessary and desirable, the community expects easy to understand information on what services are available to them and to be able to access such services with the minimum amount of 'red tape'. There are ongoing efforts to improve information and access, to remove unnecessary or duplicate administrative processes, and to simplify legislation.
Public sector service providers have also adopted a quality management approach to continuously improve their business practices in areas such as health, aged care, family services, childcare, employment assistance, and local government. Through partnership arrangements with their customers and stakeholders, service providers are setting up practical and sustainable processes to identify and address their customers' needs and expectations and to work with them to deliver a recognised standard of service delivery.
In the area of social welfare the Department of Family and Community Services partners 15 000 non-government service providers across Australia. As part of its broad brief to take an increasingly active role in preventing social problems and in early intervention, the Department supports a wide range of initiatives to strengthen families in their communities. These include funding of training for volunteers and support for community projects and social networks. Not all the Department's partnerships involve financial support. With the community business partnerships, involving mutually beneficial collaboration between business and communities to build long-term solutions to community issues, the Department brokers partnerships but provides no funds.
This partnership approach can result in a shared purpose and commitment to increase responsiveness to the needs of the community and stakeholders, to improve customer satisfaction, as well as provide for the measurement of improvement in service quality.
| A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVE |
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Waterwatch AustraliaEstablished in 1993, 'Waterwatch' is a national community water monitoring program funded by the Commonwealth through Environment Australia's National Heritage Trust. It began as a response to emerging concerns over declining water quality, and as a means of promoting community-based solutions to national issues. Currently, 50 000 volunteer Australians monitor and manage waterways in their catchment areas while building their community's awareness of water quality issues. The Waterwatch network comprises individuals, community groups and school groups. They undertake biological and habitat assessments, as well as conducting both chemical and physical tests on their respective waterways. Since 1993, monitoring groups have grown from 200 operating in 16 catchments, to 3000 groups in 200 catchments. Financial support from the private sector, state/local governments, community groups, and regional management agencies contribute four Australian dollars to every federal dollar funded. |
Where the government provides services, either directly or through non-government providers, it has a vital role to play in ensuring the safety and quality of those services for the public good.
Service providers receiving federal funding are also required to have effective management practices in place to ensure that the needs of the community and stakeholders are being addressed whilst providing accountability for their funding.
In the childcare sector, for example, childcare centres and family day care schemes receive funding from the government to ensure quality outcomes for children in care. To continue to receive this funding, services are required to satisfactorily participate in sector-specific quality assurance systems. The quality assurance systems provide families with a level of confidence that their children are receiving quality care as well as ensuring accountability of the service provision.
Centrelink has established an Older People's Reference Group to assist it to better understand the needs of customers who are retired or planning to retire. Representatives from non-government organisations, such as the Australian Retired Persons Association and the Royal Blind Society, provide valuable insight into issues confronting Centrelink's older customers, as well as suggesting positive initiatives that could improve service.
The quality manager approach helps both public sector service providers and government funded service providers to remain committed to continuous improvement and business excellence in service delivery.
Customer service training
Agencies with key responsibilities for providing services to the public are developing new training methods to refocus and enhance existing skills in managing their relations with customers. Centrelink, one of the leading examples, has developed a unique approach to delivering accredited training to all staff, regardless of their geographic location. Through the benefits of technology it has established an internal virtual college called the 'Centrelink Virtual College'. It comprises a team of experienced learning specialists who deliver electronic targeted training that addresses Centrelink's work skills while supporting the development of career paths.
The training offered by the College allows employees to progress to nationally recognised qualifications while simultaneously developing the skills to do their job. Training is free, and Centrelink provides staff with between 10 and 12 hours per month for learning and development. Around 3000 employees are currently enrolled, developing their competencies in areas such as customer service, management, business, call centre skills, and fraud prevention and detection.
The College is an innovative approach to developing staff capabilities that is drawing interest from other public service agencies.
Customer complaints and administrative redress
A suite of administrative law mechanisms has been developed during the last thirty years, enabling public scrutiny and review of administrative decision-making within both state and federal governments. These mechanisms include federal, state and territory ombudsmen, Freedom of Information Acts, and the federal Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act.
Under Australian law, appeals against administrative decisions can be pursued along several avenues; a government department's own appeal processes, a statutory federal Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the relevant ombudsman.
Citizens with customer complaints may refer these to the agency itself, and many agencies serving the public encourage their customers to lodge complaints directly with them so that they might be dealt with more quickly, and so the organisation can learn from its mistakes and improve its standards of service.
| A FEDERAL/STATE GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVE |
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Health care complaintsBefore 1993, there was a lack of uniformity in the health care complaints structure within Australia where independent cases were reliant on the different state systems. Medicare Agreements between 1993 and 1998 saw the states and territories develop the Public Patients' Hospital Charters, and establish independent complaint agencies. Each state's complaints agency now recommends improvements in the delivery of public hospital services as a result of the complaints registered. The Taskforce on Quality in Australian Health Care monitors these agencies for accessibility, timeliness and quality of written response, and resulting action. |
Many departments have established formal appeal processes, but where there may be a legal right of redress, complainants have access to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
The federal Ombudsman is, in general, an office of last resort in resolving complaints from the public about APS agencies. The office received 16 250 complaints about APS agencies in 2001-02, a reduction of 12.6 per cent from the previous year. The Ombudsman may choose to exercise discretion not to investigate a complaint where an agency has an effective complaint and review mechanism and in 2001-02 he chose not to investigate around 67 per cent of the cases he received. The continuing emphasis on agencies developing mechanisms for handling customer feedback means that larger agencies are generally able to respond to simpler complaints more successfully. This has, in turn, led to an increase in the average level of complexity in the complaints about the APS directly investigated by the Ombudsman.
Communication
All members of society access government services. Communicating information about government services is part of the public service's responsibility for policy implementation. In Australia, where there are many migrant families and numerous spoken and written languages-the Census identified 282 major languages spoken within Australia, including 170 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, and 2.6 million Australians speaking a language other than English at home-this communication needs to cater for non-English speakers, recognise cultural concerns and the challenges of reaching vulnerable populations.
Furthermore, governments have obligations to keep the public informed about policy changes that affect them or their society. This applies to both new and existing policies, and is achieved through consultation with client groups when agencies develop major communication strategies, and when they are developing mechanisms to ensure information is accurate, accessible, consistent, understandable, and timely.
Public awareness campaigns have been successfully used in informing Australians about emerging issues, particularly health. Campaigns warning Australians about heart disease, HIV/AIDS, road trauma, the dangers of smoking, and promoting the value of immunisation have potentially saved thousands of lives. Since 1970 the number of measles cases reported to health authorities, for example, has reduced from 100 000 a year to only 2000, largely as a result of immunisation campaigns. Immunisation is believed to have saved 95 lives since 1970 and averted around four million cases of measles.
The A$52 million spent on the immunisation campaign saved the government an estimated A$8.4 billion in health care costs, along with a direct saving of A$9.1 billion to society.
Public involvement in policy development
The reforms of the 1980s were not only aimed at making the APS more responsive to client needs, but also led to a reconsideration of what governments can do best and on what they should concentrate. Many service delivery functions have been transferred to state governments and non-government organisations.
Since the mid 1990s policies have focused on providing citizens with choice in the services delivered to them, leading to the development of competition between suppliers both within and outside the public sector. More recently, many government agencies have been taking on both the role of 'referees and supervisors', where they specify the rules and results required of a variety of service providers. In consequence, most federal departments have generally tended to shift their operations more towards their particular areas of expertise, that is, the provision of policy leadership, coordination and advice, and away from the direct supply of goods and services.
Expectations of public involvement
There is an increasing expectation that members of the public, clients, and industry members will be consulted in terms of both policy development and service delivery, thus improving their opportunity to influence the services they receive.
This is resulting in agencies not only informing citizens about policy initiatives and programs, but also involving them in helping to develop policy and programs. Such involvement is now part of the quality agenda. Agencies and Ministers are using a range of techniques, including focus groups, consultative committees, open inquiries, ad hoc panels and negotiation processes.
Early in the development of policy, public servants now often seek to set up contact and consultation with a range of interested parties, not only because they may have an interest in the policy itself, but because they will have a part in marketing it later on. Consultation is not always about getting these people to support a policy, but rather to understand it, and where possible, to contribute to its development. While consultation has the potential to raise expectations, help people mobilise resistance and bring unrepresentative views, it can, when done well, increase the quality, effectiveness and legitimacy of decision-making.
Widening the range of policy advisors
Governments have further diversified their sources of policy advice as they seek to draw on a wider range of opinions, research and expertise. There has been an expansion in the use of ministerial advisers, consultants, and advocacy groups. Growth in the use of consultants has been particularly strong, with expenditure on consultants by Australian government departments increasing significantly since the mid 1980s. Consultants are generally from large private sector companies, the university sector, or other government agencies.
More recently, there has also been a rapid growth in the number of 'think tanks' conducting research directly related to policy development and providing advice to agencies and directly to Ministers.
Providing a more open and consultative approach
For many years Australian government agencies have had consultative mechanisms in place, through community liaison committees, meetings with peak industry bodies, calls for submissions to policy reviews, direct consultations with stakeholders, and other means.
The Western Australian Premier recently identified some of the benefits of consultation when he launched a guide to citizen consultation in his state:
. decisions that have been reached through a consultative process carry greater legitimacy and credibility in the community . [They] can lead to new partnerships between citizens and policy makers through a shared sense of ownership of the issues that impact on us as a community.
The Australian National Audit Office, in its 2001 guide, Some better practice principles for developing policy advice, emphasised the necessity for effective consultation in developing policy advice and provides a useful checklist to assist agencies improve their practice.
In line with those principles, agencies have been developing more sophisticated and sensitive consultative mechanisms.
Local consultation
Federal agencies with offices around Australia have generally established regular meetings with local and state government officials, and community and industry organisations in their areas to discuss locally relevant issues.
A number of agencies have developed specific-purpose approaches to community consultation. The Department of Education, Science and Training, for example, actively promotes partnerships between communities, industry and education providers to encourage Indigenous students to complete school education and to progress to further education and training, or to find employment. The local information gathered through the partnerships assists in developing the strategic focus and target of support.
Stakeholder consultation
In virtually every area of public policy a wide range of interest groups will be consulted when policy changes are being considered, or to discuss the ongoing management of government business. Some of these groups are self-funded, (including industry groups and professional organisations), whereas in other areas (including social policy) the Australian government makes a financial contribution. Through this consultation, outcomes from government intervention are constantly being tested and improved.
To facilitate this consultation, government agencies work with bodies such as peak industry organisations and specially convened consultative committees representing those on whom the policies will impact. These mechanisms are used to obtain comment on specific policy proposals, and to ensure ongoing stakeholder involvement with implementation and subsequent decision-making. Consultation processes also provide a means of managing expectations and adjusting processes. This is particularly necessary in areas of strong public interest, such as health policy.
In the field of aged care, for example, the range of organisations consulted includes aged care service providers, disability specific groups (such as the Alzheimer's Association), carer groups, pensioner and superannuant representatives, industry unions, academic interests, relevant federal agencies and representatives of health professionals.
Gathering views through public inquiries
Governments and Parliaments use a range of public inquiries to effect broad consultation on major and emerging public policy issues. These include royal commissions of inquiry, Parliamentary committees, independent reviewers or task forces. Supported by secretariats from relevant government agencies or the Parliament, these seek submissions and usually hold public hearings to encourage representative organisations and individuals to have their say. Public involvement and consultation is an important part of initiating, developing and implementing new policies, as well as maintaining or reviewing existing policy.
Three recent examples illustrate today's concerted approach to policy consultation in the federal sphere.
A Reference Group on Welfare Reform was set up in 1999 to review the income support system and help prevent and reduce welfare dependency among working age people. The Reference Group of seven comprised community service providers, academics, and social policy specialists. The Group not only helped develop policy, but was also given access to budget-in-confidence information. After issuing an interim report it called for comments, receiving more than 300 written submissions and much verbal feedback from clients, business and community representatives. The government subsequently accepted the broad direction of the final report and established a further consultative forum to seek views on the detailed design and implementation of these recommendations, prior to completing work on the 2001 Budget.
The second example followed the release of a public discussion paper on defence in 2000. A high level consultation team, headed by a former Minister for Foreign Affairs, was established to consult extensively with individuals from industry, academics and community groups on the key questions and options facing Australia's future defence needs.
More than 2000 people attended 28 public meetings around Australia, and over 1100 submissions were received. The community consultation process was the first of its kind about defence issues by any Australian government, and was a highly valuable approach to policy development on defence and security issues for the Australian Defence Forces.
At its conclusion, the community feedback contributed to the formulation of the Defence white paper, which mapped out Australia's primary defence requirements and policies for the next 10 to 20 years.
The 2002 Higher Education Review took another approach. It established a reference group from across the higher education sector, with representatives from business and the community. Six issues papers explored key issues in depth and elicited 373 submissions from across Australia. The submissions were from state governments, business, universities, staff, students, and other organisations and individuals. A series of consultative forums in capital cities concluded with a two-day ministerial forum.
A partnership approach to consultation
There are some criticisms that so-called 'consultative' forums tend to be one-way, or too restrictive in scope. It is sometimes suggested that consultation may be taking place too late in the policy development process, or are too hurried, with public servants taking limited account of the views of stakeholders' or the community, but rather just informing people about what had been decided. Effective consultation involves bringing together different perspectives to develop more focused policy direction and to generate creative and effective solutions to implementation problems.
Agencies are now working to make their organisational cultures more open and responsive, and to achieve a closer partnership with stakeholders with a shared interest in policy outcomes. In seeking to create a participatory, two-way process, new commitments are being entered into.
The Department of Education, Science and Training, for example, has developed a charter for its relationship with stakeholders, entitled 'Open for business'. This has been sent to all their stakeholders as a commitment to improve relationships.
New partnerships are being formed between Indigenous community organisations and government agencies. Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population suffers a range of disadvantages in comparison to the rest of the population such as lower average income levels, higher unemployment rates, lower life expectancies, lower levels of educational achievement, and higher infant mortality rates. While the majority of the Indigenous population lives in urban areas, the issues facing remote Indigenous communities require special consideration, especially as remote populations are rapidly increasing.
Government efforts to address Indigenous disadvantage centre on building the capacities of individuals, families, organisations, and local governance systems to better enable Indigenous people to handle problems on their own, or in partnership with government agencies.
Other agencies are committing themselves to new levels of ongoing consultation with their stakeholders.
| A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVE |
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Legislative consultationIn areas such as taxation reform, external stakeholders regard consultation as both important and beneficial and there is considerable willingness among them to be consulted. Recognising that effective consultation with the community should improve the quality of tax legislation, the federal government decided in 2002 to adopt in-principle the recommendations of the Board of Taxation's report, community on the development of taxation legislation. This identifies the goal as:
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Further information:
Information on workplace relations is on a Department of Employment and Workplace Relations web site at http://www.workplace.gov.au/ and the legislation is at http://www.workplace.gov.au/legislation
Australian Jobsearch http://www.jobsearch.gov.au
'Investing for Growth' industry statement, Section 8 http://www.industry.gov.au/archive/growth/html/infoage.html
Department of Family and Community Services http://www.facs.gov.au
Health Insurance Commission http://www.hic.gov.au
Centrelink http://www.centrelink.gov.au
Centrelink customer satisfaction survey 2001 — Centrelink, Annual report 2001–02, Chapter 6 http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/ar0102/6_2_02.htm
Service charters http://www.apsc.gov.au/charters
Health care complaints http://www.health.gov.au/pq/bho/1997/v3n3/complain.htm
Commonwealth Ombudsman http://www.ombudsman.gov.au
Australian National Audit Office 2001, Some better practice principles for developing policy advice http://www.anao.gov.au
Canberra Connect http://www.canberraconnect.act.gov.au/
Access Queensland and Smart Service http://www.smartservice.qld.gov.au/
Defence White Paper community consultation—Ministerial Press Release http://www.defence.gov.au/consultation2/325.htm
Waterwatch Australia http://www.waterwatch.org.au
Australian Taxation Office, Listening to the community http://www.ato.gov.au/content.asp?doc=/content/Corporate/communreply.htm
Board of Taxation 2002, Government consultation with the community on the development of taxation legislation, http://www.taxboard.gov.au/content/downloads/consulrep.pdf
