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Agency achievements and the way forward

The State of the Service report, which is an integral part of a professional public service, allows us to ensure accountability, and identify and respond to the broader challenges that we face in a more devolved environment. The increasing use of similar reports in other jurisdictions, both in Australia and internationally, and the UN recognition of the State of the Service report—the UN’s award to the Commission of a Public Service award—confirms how powerful a tool the State of the Service report can be in improving public service performance.

This year’s report continues to show that, overall, the APS is a healthy institution. Nevertheless, there are challenges that the APS needs to address. In particular, a strong focus should be placed on the critical challenges that were outlined in Chapter 1:

• focusing on agency health and agency culture
• new ways of doing business
• modernising APS employment
• interactions with Government
• leadership.

It is the need to achieve outcomes for the Government and for the community through high-quality policy advice, regulation, programme management and implementation, and the delivery of services to the public that make addressing these challenges so important.

The focus of this chapter is the achievements of MAC agencies¹ during 2006–07. It represents a snapshot, which is indicative of the breadth of activity and achievements for the APS as a whole.

This is the third year that the State of the Service report has provided an opportunity for MAC agencies to outline their key achievements and provide a more complete picture of the state of the public service, illustrating the depth and breadth of the work that the APS performs. The achievements cover a wide range of significant and important issues that matter not only to the Australian community, but also to the Asia-Pacific region and more broadly. They show that we can be justifiably proud of our performance.

The chapter highlights some of our most important achievements in the areas of security, the economy, enterprise and innovation, a fair and decent society, environmental sustainability, international cooperation, and celebration and commemoration. It also looks at some of our specific achievements in creating a more flexible, efficient and responsive public service. The full set of responses from MAC agencies can be found in the table at the end of this chapter. Agency achievements are also highlighted at relevant points throughout this report.

The scale of these achievements, and their significance for Australia and the region, emphasises the importance of maintaining and enhancing the capability of the APS to deliver effective outcomes both now and into the future. This is the context in which we need to build on our many successes, and address the challenges confronting us.

A secure nation

Enhancing security, counter-terrorism cooperation and aviation safety through various measures, including strengthening intelligence and training capabilities, were major activities for agencies in 2006–07.

The Attorney-General’s Department (AGD) developed the Critical Infrastructure Protection Modelling and Analysis programme, in conjunction with lead technical and government partners—the only programme of its kind in the world operating at a national level. The programme demonstrates how infrastructure in an area will be disrupted by a bomb blast or natural disaster and sheds new light on the strengths and weaknesses of Australia’s infrastructure services. In the lead-up to the 2007 APEC meetings it was used to inform security planning for critical infrastructure relied on by APEC venues.

Customs enhanced intelligence and targeting capabilities to better focus on high-risk travellers and cargo.

The scale and tempo of military operations being undertaken by Defence, in the Middle East, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Afghanistan and East Timor, as well as in Australia’s own maritime zones, remains at a high level, comparable to that reached during the Vietnam War.

DFAT led Australia’s participation in the inaugural Trilateral Counter-Terrorism Consultation with Japan and the USA in October 2006 and hosted the Asia-Pacific Seminar on Combating Nuclear Terrorism in Sydney in May 2007.

Health tested and improved Australia’s preparedness for responding to an influenza pandemic by conducting Exercise Cumpston 06, an exercise simulating the widespread, human-to-human, transmission of a new strain of the influenza virus.

DOTARS investigated, and reported on, major air and sea accidents, including the Lockhart River tragedy, and the loss of the DIMIA vessel, Malu Sara. DOTARS also implemented a range of initiatives aimed at improving the airspace and transportation regulatory environment and transport safety. Australia has become one of the first countries in the world to successfully rollout a security identity regime in a maritime environment.

A strong and prosperous economy

Australia’s strong economic position, in an increasingly complex environment, continues to be supported by the activities of a number of agencies.

ATO continued to focus on sustaining Australia’s strong culture of voluntary compliance with tax obligations by engaging with 11 million individual taxpayers, almost 2.5 million businesses and 26,000 tax agents. For the fifth year in a row, revenue collected exceeded Budget estimates.

Customs worked with industry to deliver material benefits to industry and Government from the implementation of the Integrated Cargo System.

DEWR led the successful implementation of the Welfare to Work reforms that came into effect on 1 July 2006. The reforms aim to increase workforce participation and reduce welfare dependence for working age Australians. DEWR worked in close consultation with other government agencies such as Centrelink and DHS, to ensure successful and timely implementation of the new measures and monitoring of their progress.

Finance, in conjunction with Treasury, completed the Budget and Expenditure processes for the 2007–08 Budget, assessing 517 expense and capital measures, comprising total spending of $36.6 billion over four years compared with $21.7 billion over four years in the 2006–07 Budget.

DFAT’s continued promotion of market access for Australian goods and services and the maintenance of the global rules-based trading system, resulted in 2006 being a successful year for Australian trade, with exports of goods and services rising by 16% to approximately $210 billion.

DAFF advised on, and implemented, the Government’s legislative changes to Wheat Marketing Arrangements and improved agricultural market access, achieving new and improved or re-established access for a number of agricultural products in key North Asian markets, New Zealand, Turkey, Pakistan, Russia and Libya.

DITR continued to pursue regulatory reform on a whole of government basis in order to provide a measurably simpler and less costly business environment. Reforms included achieving agreement for a national system of trade measurement to be introduced in 2010 and progress in implementing the Ministerial Council on Energy National Energy Market Reform Agenda.

DOTARS progressed the Council of Australian Governments’ AusLink Corridor Strategies comprising the 22,500 kilometre AusLink Land Transport Network and provided access to all 24 AusLink Corridor Strategies on the web at: <www.auslink.gov.au>.

Treasury produced the second Intergenerational Report which shows that the Australian Government’s long-term fiscal sustainability has improved since the release of the first Intergenerational Report in 2002.

A culture of enterprise and innovation

Agencies have developed and implemented a range of initiatives that provide considerable benefits to business, the community, research and government.

DCITA developed and implemented broadband initiatives to enhance the supply of high speed broadband across Australia.

DEST developed the Realising our Potential initiatives that include a new Higher Education Endowment Fund and additional funding for Indigenous education. In conjunction with PM&C, DEST also implemented Skills for the Future, a programme that focuses on the need for continuous upgrading of skills over the course of an individual’s working life.

DEW established an intercontinental air link between Australia and Antarctica which will greatly improve access for scientists conducting research on the Antarctic continent.

DITR developed the 10-year, $1.4 billion Industry Statement, Global Integration, which delivers major initiatives to assist Australian firms succeed as global businesses.

A fair and decent society

DAFF continued to lead, in the face of the most severe drought in 100 years, the development and implementation of integrated drought assistance measures to help farming and small business families manage the drought, and adjust to future climate variability and changes in water availability. To help streamline the delivery of drought assistance measures, DAFF also launched the National Agricultural Monitoring System in July 2006.

Centrelink supported Government assistance in drought declared areas in several states of Australia, including the provision of integrated service packages to smaller regional communities through the ‘drought bus’.

AGD further implemented, in close cooperation with FaCSIA, the Government’s major reforms of the family law system with the opening of the first 15 Family Relationship Centres. Four centres in areas with significant Indigenous populations have been given additional funding to enable them to develop services tailored to those communities.

DCITA developed and oversaw the passage of the Telecommunications Amendment (Integrated Public Number Database) Act 2006 that establishes an access regime for publishers of telephone directories and those seeking to conduct limited kinds of public interest research.

The FaCSIA Child Care Management System (CCMS) Taskforce has laid the groundwork for CCMS, a national child care computer system that will provide parents with access to regular online statements on their children’s attendance and the Child Care Benefit fee reductions paid to child care services on their behalf. FaCSIA has also continued the Minister’s emphasis on improving outcomes in remote Indigenous communities.

Health contributed to whole of government efforts to combat petrol sniffing by leading the roll-out of non-sniffable Opal fuel in the Central Desert Region and progressed the implementation of a major reform package to further improve the quality of care for recipients of government-subsidised aged care.

DIAC successfully delivered the largest ever skilled migration programme with permanent migration and refugee arrivals totalling approximately 160,000 people.

Treasury provided advice to government following extensive consultation on the plan to simplify and streamline superannuation announced in the 2006–07 Budget.

DVA progressed veterans’ health services, including the doubling of the number of private hospitals across Australia that are approved to provide high standard health services for veterans.

A sustainable environment

The worst drought Australia has experienced for a century has intensified the focus on the urgent need for improved water management.

DEW undertook the responsibility for national water resource policy mid-way through the year following the Prime Minister’s announcement of the $10 billion National Plan for Water Security and has quickly assembled a new suite of technical and legal expertise. It has integrated DAFF, PM&C and DEW staff into two newly created Water Divisions. DEW also advanced measures to give effect to water management reforms in the Murray-Darling Basin.

DFAT and DEW made progress in implementing a range of international and domestic initiatives aimed at mitigating and adapting to climate change.

DAFF and DEW have advanced the protection of Australia’s fisheries and marine environment. These included the Securing our Fishing Future package, the proclamation of the South-East Commonwealth Marine Reserve Network and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Amendment Bill.

PM&C chaired and provided secretariat support for the Prime Ministerial Task Group on Emissions Trading which informed the Prime Minister’s announcement on the establishment of an Australian Emissions Trading scheme.

International cooperation

Agencies were involved in both global and regional initiatives and activities.

ABS was actively involved in supporting the World Bank’s global initiative, the International Comparison Program (ICP). The ICP produces internationally comparable price levels and estimates that will enable comparisons of the relative size of economies and the purchasing power of currencies to be made.

PM&C and DITR were heavily involved with APEC Ministerial Meetings, working groups and dialogues. The APEC year culminated in the APEC Leaders’ Week, which took place in September 2007, in Sydney.

DFAT coordinated Australia’s largest ever consular evacuation from Lebanon, and opened a new Crisis Centre in March 2007 that was first used during the rapid response to the Yogyakarta air accident.

DFAT and Treasury were involved in strengthening governance in the South Pacific, enhancing security and providing economic, fiscal and technical advice.

PM&C led the development of a whole of government strategy for Australia’s support for East Timor following the outbreak of violence in early 2006.

The national story—Celebration and commemoration

Marking key events and understanding our history is important to Australians’ sense of identity.

The Australian Public Service Commission staged Drawing Together, a national art competition and exhibition, in conjunction with NAA, NMA and FaCSIA, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1967 referendum, and to promote the employment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the APS.

DCITA completed and opened Stage One of the Australian Prime Ministers Centre as part of the development of a Gallery of Australian Democracy. Early activities included the establishment of a Fellowship programme, development of collaborative projects to provide greater access to Prime Minister-related material held by other institutions, and the commissioning of a series of ten short films on Prime Ministers.

A flexible, efficient and responsive public service

The APS has implemented a range of programmes to extend and increase the responsiveness, efficiency and flexibility of the public service.

ABS successfully completed the 8 August 2006 Census of Population and Housing. The success of the Census resulted in the ABS winning a number of external awards, including the 2007 Excellence in e-Government Award, the 2007 Spatial Sciences Institute Map Competition, and the 2007 Participatory Process Award. ABS also implemented the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, which was undertaken jointly by a project team from ABS, Statistics New Zealand and DEWR.

The Australian Public Service Commission received a 2007 UN Public Service Award in the category of ‘Improving transparency, accountability and responsiveness in the Public Service’ for its annual State of the Service report.

ATO implemented major aspects of their Change Program and also initiated a number of leading edge programmes for their employees, including training over 14,000 employees in a compressed period in enterprise-wide case management and workflow management systems.

Centrelink improved customer service with a 21% increase in the use of self service, a 56% reduction in unmet demand and a 35% reduction in waiting times.

Defence progressed, in a timely manner, a range of acquisition programmes for major capabilities and made significant improvements to the management of departmental finances.

FaCSIA established the Program Operations Group to support and guide FaCSIA managers in reforming and improving the way FaCSIA provides funding to community service organisations.

Finance is progressing the Australian Government Online Service Point service, a central online access point for users of Australian Government services and, following a broad review of financial legislative, policy and reporting frameworks, is implementing Financial Framework Simplification.

DHS is developing key policy aspects and business requirements for the Access Card programme, and is coordinating a cross portfolio package of 18 measures to reduce health and welfare fraud and improve compliance in the delivery of government services.

DIAC released portals for case management, compliance and border operations under the $495 million Systems for People programme in April 2007. The programme, which is on track and on budget, will provide staff with a single view of all the Department’s dealings with a client, and consistent and improved business processes. It will also support decision- making, better recordkeeping and operational control.

DVA has introduced the Veterans Service Centre, an initiative that will lead to significant improvements in the way the Department handles some 1.3 million calls to DVA annually, ensuring that veterans receive a consistent and high-quality service no matter where they are calling from.

Conclusion

I am very pleased to be able to conclude this year’s State of the Service report with an overview of the achievements of MAC agencies. These achievements provide us with a sound understanding of the scope and complexity of the work that agencies have undertaken and demonstrate the interconnectedness of the APS as an institution.

To meet the challenges ahead it is imperative that we continue to develop our capacity to work strategically, to be innovative, creative and collaborative, now and into the future.

 

1 These agencies were: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C), the Australian Public Service Commission, AttorneyGeneral’s Department (AGD), Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA), Department of Defence (Defence), Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST), Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR), Department of the Environment and Water Resources (DEW), Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA), Department of Finance and Administration (Finance), Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Department of Health and Ageing (Health), Department of Human Services (DHS), Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources (DITR), Department of Transport and Regional Services (DOTARS), Department of the Treasury (Treasury), Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Australian Customs Service (Customs), Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and Centrelink.