CCI works with Government review panel

Written on the 6 June 2017

Service Priority Review chair Iain Rennie and panellist Margaret Seares consulted with CCI's chief executive officer Deidre Willmott, Director of Advocacy Cath Langmead and Policy and Communications Manager Belinda Blackman last week.

The $500,000 Service Priority Review a key election promise of Premier Mark McGowan started this month to look at the functions, operations and culture of the WA public sector.

The review will run for five months, with a report due in mid-October. It follows the State Government announcement it would amalgamate state departments to reduce the number from 41 to 25 by the middle of this year.

Willmott welcomed the review and the opportunity to meet with panellists. 

"The State Government is particularly interested in driving a culture of service within the public sector, making sure the public sector is as efficient as it can be and is focussed on the right areas in its service delivery," she said.

"CCI and the WA business community support key measures the Government has already begun to implement, including the streamlining of government departments, reducing the number of Directors General and establishing an identifiable leadership team that will drive a culture of service throughout the public sector.

"Having an efficient, service-orientated public sector is critical to supporting the business community excessive government departments create red tape, confusion and a lack of consistency for industry, which hinders business growth overall.

"CCI looks forward to continuing to work with the Labor Government's Service Priority Review panellists to examine in detail areas of public service delivery that are particularly critical to supporting the business community.

"CCI also supported earlier initiatives to reduce red tape in the public sector, including the 'Shred the Red' repeal campaign and the 90-day regulatory mapping projects focussed on reducing regulatory burdens industry by industry."

In its terms of reference, the Government says it would like to receive advice on measures to:

develop a more effective, outcome focussed, adaptable and accountable public sector that is aligned to the Government's strategic priorities
deliver services in an efficiently and financial sustainable way; and
provide different, better and lower cost services, where appropriate.
The review will make recommendations on:

Achieving cultural change within the public sector.
Promoting a culture of collaboration in the achievement of outcomes for the community.
Promoting public service innovation that delivers transformative public policy and service delivery that is different, better and lower cost.
Identifying opportunities to further consolidate public sector entities into departments or other entities aligned with the Government's strategic imperatives.
Identifying opportunities to deliver Government services, programs, projects and other initiatives more efficiently or effectively.
Developing and implementing whole of sector KPIs.
Attracting and retaining a skilled public sector workforce with the capacity to meet emerging economic, social, environmental and technological challenges.
Achieving greater economies and efficiencies in Western Australia's public sector administration, including opportunities to reduce bureaucracy and red tape within Government, improve workforce management processes and facilitate workforce renewal in a fair and transparent manner.