The Australia and New Zealand School of Government submission to the review of the Australia Public Service is attached.

Australia&
New Zealand
PO Box 230 Carlton South School Of
Victoria 3053 Australia Government
T +61 3 8344 1990
anzsog.edu.au
ACN 102 908 118 ANZSOG
Mr David Thodey AO
Chair, APS Review Panel
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
PO Box 6500
Canberra ACT 2600
I am pleased to provide you with the submission of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government
(ANZSOG) to the review of the Australian Public Service.
On behalf of ANZSOG, my team and I would be delighted to discuss any elements of the submission with
the Review Panel or Secretariat. The submission details the role that ANZSOG plays in supporting better
public administration Further detailed information is available on our website: www.anzsog.edu.au We
welcome publication of our submission, and it would be our preference to follow publication with
communication via ANZSOG's website and social media channels.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide input to this important review. We look forward to working with the
Review Panel and/or the Secretariat. I can be contacted at k.smith@anzsog .edu.au or on (03) 8344 1977.
Yours sincerely
Owned by and working for Australian and New Zealand governments. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians and First Peoples of Australia
and Maori, as tangata whenua and Treaty of Waitangi partners in Aotearoa-New Zealand.
ANZSOG submission to
the review of the
Australian Public Service
July 2018
Owned by and working for Australian and New Zealand governments.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians and First Peoples of
Australia and Māori, as tangata whenua and Treaty of Waitangi
partners in Aotearoa-New Zealand.
Contents
Introduction and recommendations 1
Introduction 1
Improving our own fitness for purpose 1
Recommendations: areas for attention 3
Recommendations: specific actions 3
ANZSOG: an asset for the Australian public sector 5
Supporting fitness for purpose in the APS 5
Educational leadership for the public sector 5
Building capability for public sector managers 6
A trusted partner on difficult problems 7
A resource for constant improvement 8
Strengthening capability of the APS: areas of focus 9
Delivering high quality policy advice 9
Acting with integrity to strengthen public trust 12
Leading effective organisations 13
Working across the Federation 14
Strengthening Indigenous leadership in the APS 15
Creating greater public value through innovation 17
Making better use of data 18
Conclusion 19
References 20
Attachment: ANZSOG Capability Statement 22
ANZSOG submission to the review of the Australian Public Service
1
Introduction and recommendations
Introduction
The review aims to ensure that the APS is fit-for-purpose for the coming decades, by identifying potential
reforms and the capabilities needed to deliver public value.
An organisation that is fit-for-purpose is one that understands its purpose and the capabilities required to
achieve that purpose.
In considering our response to the terms of reference for the APS Review, ANZSOG has reflected on the
current and future challenges facing the APS, the existing capability and structures of the APS, and
international research on public sector capability.
We consider capability as the ‘defining strengths’ of an organisation; the combination of skills, knowledge,
systems, procedures, decision-making practices, and other factors that enable effective action towards its
purpose (Leinwand and Mainardi 2011).
Much of the growth in organisational capability for the APS will come from building the skills and capacity
of the public sector workforce, which is a focus for ANZSOG.
The OECD’s Directorate for Public Governance has identified four areas of capacity required in the public
sector workforce – the capacity to develop policy and design for implementation, to work with citizens, to
collaborate in networks, and to commission and contract for delivery (OECD 2017). We have used this
OECD framework to review and improve our programs to target contemporary challenges for the
Australian and New Zealand public sector, and it informed our response to this review.
We begin by demonstrating our own approach to strengthening fitness for purpose.
Improving our own fitness for purpose
ANZSOG is currently completing a strategic review in which we have considered our own fitness for
purpose and the capabilities required to achieve our purpose. This is a useful case study of the process to
strengthen fitness for purpose in a dynamic environment.
As an organisation owned by the ten (10) governments of Australia and New Zealand and facilitated
through our fifteen (15) domestic partner universities, our stated purpose is the result of considerable
negotiation. Clarifying an organisation’s purpose is the essential first step in establishing fitness for
purpose.
Our purpose – To work with our government owners and university partners to lift the quality of public
sector leadership and improve the lives of Australians and New Zealanders in everything we do.
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To understand our fitness to achieve this purpose, we considered seven trends that are shaping the role of
the public sector, and how it operates.
• Five trends that affect the role and functions of the public sector:
– Increasing complexity and uncertain environments – requiring new knowledge, flexibility,
collaboration, and different ways of working.
– Greater social diversity through migration and engagement with Indigenous people – requiring new
ways of engaging with communities.
– Declining trust in governments – requiring sensitive responses and greater focus on integrity of
institutions.
– Changing expectations about the role of government and access to services – requiring innovation in
service delivery and information sharing, for effective interfaces between people and government.
– Potential of big data and analytics – providing new options for the public sector, but also new
regulatory challenges.
• Two trends that affect the approach to public sector education:
– Changing profile of the public servant – with a greater diversity of staff across social and professional
backgrounds.
– Changing attitudes toward professional development – with many ways to support life-long learning,
and greater focus on the impact of education.
These trends require the APS to expand and enhance its capability, and to develop new ways to build
capability. Knowing our purpose as an organisation aiming to strengthen capability in the public sector, and
understanding these trends, we identified four themes in our work toward our purpose:
Educate public managers to improve their skills, capacity and leadership and expose them to the best
thinking on public management.
Enrich debate on the future of our public services through our research and providing forums for
discussion of key issues.
Connect public sector practitioners and academics and build networks across agencies, sectors and
jurisdictions.
Inspire public sector leaders to be proud of their chosen career and be the best they can for themselves
and the communities they serve.
We are now working to refine and strengthen our capabilities, within ANZSOG and through our networks,
in order to do this work effectively and achieve our purpose. For ANZSOG, strengthening our capabilities
includes revising the content and delivery of our educational programs, expanding our research program to
ensure it is directly relevant to member governments, and establishing teams and networks to directly build
capability within agencies.
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Recommendations: areas for attention
ANZSOG's submission touches on what we believe are nine (9) priority areas for the APS Review to
consider in the context of its terms of reference. Our view is that these are significant areas of attention for
the APS to meet its mission in future. These are:
• Recognising the significant role of the non-profit and private sector in service delivery now requires
greater capability for commissioning and contracting, and attention to the capability of these counterpart
organisations.
• Providing access to systematic and ongoing targeted research to support innovation.
• Delivering high quality policy advice, through an assessment of policy capability, and developing ways
to better use research and collaboration for policy advice.
• Acting with integrity to strengthen public trust, through an institution-first approach to integrity.
• Leading effective organisations, through prioritising appropriate leadership for effectiveness rather than
simply relying on ongoing structural change.
• Working across the Federation, through attention to the interfaces between jurisdictions and the
responsibilities of each level of government.
• Strengthening Indigenous leadership in the APS, by building both the status of Indigenous public
servants and the capability of the APS to engage with Indigenous communities and other
jurisdictions/organisations.
• Creating greater public value through innovation, drawing on research and new learning and
development methods.
• Making better use of data, recognising both the potential of digital transformation and the technical and
strategic challenges that must be addressed.
Recommendations: specific actions
ANZSOG recommends some specific actions to the APS Review, as outlined in detail in the following
sections of this submission:
In the next section, on ANZSOG’s role:
• Consider appropriate models to provide research and education in the non-profit, mutual, local
government and private sectors.
• Consider the need for a systematic research program to support ongoing innovation in the public
service.
In the subsequent section on strengthening capability of the APS:
• Undertake an APS-wide assessment of current policy capacity which includes (i) internal sources of
advice (ii) external sources of advice (iii) areas of expertise (iv) processes for the internal and external
development/commissioning of advice
• Consider integrity on an institution-first basis, so that it moves beyond an individual, rule-based,
absence of corruption approach.
• Agencies should develop common concepts of institutional integrity and public officer integrity that allow
for consistent and broad support for integrity and ethical conduct across the APS.
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• Given the importance of leadership for organisational effectiveness, we recommend that the APS
Review devote attention to exploring the kinds of leadership attributes that will be required in the future
APS.
• Ensure services are planned and delivered by the right level of government, to maximise
responsiveness in case and place management.
• Acknowledge and support the need for further development of capability to respond effectively to the
needs of Indigenous people, and in leading work to ensure greater focus on achieving improvements in
government service delivery, whether direct or through the not-for-profit, state/territories, and private
sectors.
• Building the capability for innovation across the APS requires a focus on changes in organisational
culture and practices, both bottom-up and top-down.
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ANZSOG: an asset for the Australian public sector
Owned by, and working for, the ten governments of Australia and New Zealand, ANZSOG is a global
leader in education and research that aims to lift the quality of public sector leadership.
ANZSOG’s success is built on its partnerships with the national, state, and territory governments of
Australia and New Zealand and its partnerships with 15 domestic universities. ANZSOG’s partnerships
ensure its students and stakeholders have access to the world’s leading academics and senior
practitioners from the government and non-government sectors. Through its affiliate partners and
relationships with faculty including those from Harvard Kennedy School, the Lee Kuan Yew School of
Public Policy, and the Utrecht University School of Governance, ANZSOG has the breadth and depth to
have first-class faculty and the capacity to recruit leading scholars worldwide.
ANZSOG is a not-for-profit public company founded in 2002 with the support of the Australian and New
Zealand governments. Both contributed a substantial initial injection of capital funds. We have prudently
managed these funds such that they now provide a resource base to support ongoing innovation in the
public sector.
Supporting fitness for purpose in the APS
Government touches all aspects of our lives. Improvements to the quality of the public sector and the
services it delivers have broad social, economic, and environmental benefits for the community. However,
all governments are facing increasing challenges in their daily wok. New skills are required to manage
digital transformation, disruptive innovation, demographic diversity, loss of trust, and the rise of anti-expert,
anti-evidence, and populist movements.
We believe that ANZSOG can work strategically with the APS to address these current and emerging
challenges. Our capability to address such challenges is demonstrated in our education programs, our
strategic partnerships, and our research. A more detailed explanation of our method for increasing public
sector capability and the courses and activities we offer is provided in the recently published ANZSOG
capability statement (attached to this submission).
Educational leadership for the public sector
Our pedagogy is innovative and interactive, designed to bridge the gap between theory and practice for
public sector managers. ANZSOG’s foundation education programs were a two-year part-time Executive
Master of Public Administration (EMPA) with a curriculum designed for aspiring and senior public
managers, funded by governments. It was premised on the idea that an MBA misses the distinctiveness of
government, and the accompanying focus on public value as opposed to shareholder value. Our programs
build public sector capability through combining the practical insights of senior practitioners with the
intellectual rigour of world-leading academics. The Executive Fellows Program (EFP) was developed for
senior officials, drawing closely on the Harvard Kennedy School design. These programs have evolved
ANZSOG submission to the review of the Australian Public Service
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over time but remain at the core of what ANZSOG offers and are now supported by a purpose-built case
library (the third largest in the world) and a substantial research program.
Over time, ANZSOG has developed additional programs to support leadership development, Australia and
New Zealand's public diplomacy policies, policy capability, and to improve jurisdictional relationships.
These programs include:
• Toward Strategic Leadership. This program aims to develop leaders managing the transition from
professional to executive leadership, so they can effectively manage people and programs and respond
to change.
• The CEOs forum. The forum provides a space to share knowledge and confidential discussions about
some of the most pressing issues facing Australia and New Zealand.
• The Deputies forum. Participants will explore the unique challenges they face as deputies through an
immersive learning experience, while being exposed to leading thinkers and practitioners in leadership
development.
• Executive education. These are specialised workshops in a range of disciplines designed to meet the
practical needs of public sector workers and agencies, which can be customised for an agency, or
open-to-market. Recent growth in offerings is bespoke in nature rather than open-to-market.
• India and China international programs. In these programs, participants learn about cultural differences
and gain first-hand exposure to alternative models of public sector leadership and management. In
addition, significant work has occurred in the South Pacific and PNG, Malaysia, Singapore, and
Indonesia.
• Annual conferences and roundtables. ANZSOG works with partners to organise and run conferences
and roundtables on key issues facing the public sector, such as Indigenous engagement and the
implications of the rise of big data.
These evolutions speak to the ongoing development of our offerings and acknowledge global geo-political
transformation through a greater focus on Australian and New Zealand relations with East and South Asia.
We have a strong and growing focus on Indigenous issues across Australia and New Zealand. We are
likewise committed to achieving gender, racial, cultural, and cognitive diversity in our faculty, staff, and
participant body so that we are representative of changing demography and community in Australia and
New Zealand.
While ANZSOG has evolved, our purpose nevertheless remains: to shape the future of public sector
leadership, and so better serve the Australian and New Zealand communities.
Building capability for public sector managers
Our students are high-performing public sector managers who are nominated to join an ANZSOG program
by their agencies or departments from across Australia and New Zealand. Our curriculum covers the
issues that senior practitioners are dealing with daily, and our teaching style is based on real-world
examples and interactive learning, where participants learn from the perspectives of their peers. Students
are encouraged to work collaboratively and build networks that stay active after the course is completed.
Throughout the programs, students gain an understanding of policy design and analysis, economics, the
law, and how to think strategically about their work. We help them to develop their capacity to lead public
sector organisations in complex and uncertain environments. This includes students diagnosing and
reflecting on the strengths and weaknesses of their personal leadership style, and influencing,
collaborating, and leading to achieve outcomes beyond an official mandate. Our graduates know how to
ANZSOG submission to the review of the Australian Public Service
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lead teams of domain experts to understand why and how their work area is part of the larger enterprise of
their agency or government.
Our core programs now include people from the non-profit, mutual and local government sectors. The APS
should recognise the growing reliance on external contracting and commissioning for key service delivery
with both the non-profit, private and local government sectors. This issue is significant. Whilst services are
delivered externally to government, government remains accountable for outcomes. A recent House of
Commons report estimated that 13.7% of UK GDP is spent on public procurement (PACA Committee
2018). As such, it would be useful for the APS Review to consider future capability of sectors external to
the APS yet essential to its continued effective operation. ANZSOG, with a specific mandate associated
with government, is not in a position to deliver comprehensive education programs outside the public
sector. However, there is major potential overlap between these sectors, which raises the challenge of
senior leadership development in a range of areas external to government. Experience in other
jurisdictions is that similar internationally focused public policy programs attract equal representation from
the government, non-profit and private sectors.
In addition to our core programs, ANZSOG delivers specialised workshops and courses which are
specifically tailored to individual government agencies or jurisdictions. These workshops and courses allow
agencies to fill specific gaps in the skill sets of their employees or teams.
ANZSOG provides an environment for intensive, personalised capability building through secondments
from participating governments. Our strategic review in 2018 offered an opportunity for four public service
officers to work closely with ANZSOG and The Boston Consulting Group; this model provides a template
for further collaboration with government in future.
What ANZSOG recommends to the APS Review
Consider appropriate models to provide research and education in the non-profit, mutual, local
government, and private sectors. The ANZSOG funding model of capital injection towards the development
of a virtual institution linking the academy and practice is a logical starting point. Any model specifically
developed could be structured to maximise working opportunities and efficiencies, working in partnership
with ANZSOG to ensure effectiveness in research and education delivery.
A trusted partner on difficult problems
ANZSOG has the ability to bring together world-leading academics and senior practitioners to work through
a specific policy issue or ‘public problem’ via roundtables and seminars, serving as a safe space for difficult
and frank conversations or to help broker complicated negotiations. These highly strategic events
encourage collaboration between jurisdictions on shared and pressing issues, and bring together public,
NGO, and even private expertise as required.
For example, in 2017, we partnered with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to hold the
Indigenous Affairs and Public Administration: Can’t we do better? conference. The conference brought
together over 250 delegates from across Australian states, territories, and the Commonwealth, to begin to
chart a positive path for transformation in the public administration of Indigenous affairs. Following this was
the first in a series of forums of senior Indigenous public servants from Australia and New Zealand which
discussed public service challenges and the benefits of employing more Indigenous people.
ANZSOG has likewise facilitated roundtables with the non-profit and mutual sectors, and hosted cross-
jurisdictional fora on data sharing and analytics.
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This model is flexible to government needs and promotes a solution-focused approach to challenging
shared policy problems. Section 4 provides more detailed recommendations for Indigenous employment
and Indigenous affairs.
A resource for constant improvement
ANZSOG produces and commissions research on key contemporary issues in public administration, policy
development and management. This research supports the development of high quality policy advice and
policy-making throughout the public sector and enhances the knowledge and capability of public managers
and leaders. In 2017, ANZSOG committed to a demand-driven research approach in active collaboration
with its government owners. It simultaneously implemented a significant increase in research funding from
$250,000 to $750,000 per annum, with an objective of securing double-matched cash contributions from
government owners and university members. This substantial fund, potentially valued at $2.25 million or
more per annum, could prioritise policy and practice challenges faced by Australian and New Zealand
governments, working closely with them in the commissioning, supervision and quality assurance of
research projects.
What ANZSOG recommends to the APS Review
Consider the need for a systematic research program to support ongoing innovation in the public service.
Leveraging off the ANZSOG funding allocation of $750,000 per annum, and in conjunction with the states,
territories, and New Zealand, with the possibility of parallel matched university funding, then the minimum
fund for ongoing research on critical APS and other broader public service issues could be $2.5 million per
annum (minimum) in perpetuity.
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Strengthening capability of the APS: areas of focus
The review aims to ensure that the APS is fit-for-purpose for the coming decades. In responding to the
terms of reference, ANZSOG has reflected on the current and future challenges facing the APS, the
existing capability and structures of the APS, and international research on public sector capability. Our
view is that there are a number of significant areas for the APS to strengthen capability, for which
ANZSOG can provide advice and support. These are:
• Delivering high quality policy advice
• Acting with integrity to strengthen public trust
• Leading effective organisations
• Working across the Federation
• Strengthening Indigenous leadership in the APS
• Creating greater public value through innovation
• Making better use of data.
Delivering high quality policy advice
A high performing APS can best serve the Australian community when it has the capacity to deliver high
quality policy advice.
In a first-of-a-kind review of the effectiveness of civil services around the world, undertaken in 2017 by the
Institute for Government and the Blavatnik School of Government, Australia ranks third overall in the
assessment of 31 countries. Canada and New Zealand are in first and second place (Institute for
Government 2018). In determining effectiveness, the International Civil Service Effectiveness (InCiSE)
index focuses on a range of civil service procedures, processes and outputs which impact on the outcomes
that government pursue. These include core functions (e.g. policy making, risk management, tax
administration, HR) and attributes (e.g. integrity, inclusiveness, capabilities). In the specific area of policy
making, Australia ranks seventh;1 this indicator assesses (i) quality of policy advice; (ii) role of civil servants
in setting strategic policy direction; (iii) policy proposal coordination across government; and (iv) monitoring
policy implementation.
In developing policy advice, the APS draws on both internal and external sources of expertise. It is widely
accepted that the ‘market’ for advice has substantially increased over time, partly through an opening up of
the APS policy structures and systems (e.g. through contestability and outsourcing), but also through an
increased commitment to community engagement (e.g. through public consultation processes or citizens
juries). A key role of a fit-for-purpose APS is being able to develop, commission, mediate, and interpret
multiple, often competing, sources of evidence and exercise judgment in presenting this to government
and advising on current and future courses of action. The capabilities needed, therefore, range from how to
1As is noted in the report, “No country consistently appears in the top 5 positions for every indicator, although there
are some strong all-round performers and these are highlighted in the individual country assessments” p.5.
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structure community engagement processes, through to producing high quality research. Our current
understanding of the range of processes for seeking and incorporating advice across the APS is not very
clear. A picture of this could provide increased opportunities for shared learning about good practice across
the APS or identify areas where co-investment in research could be undertaken more effectively and
efficiently.
A key component in maintaining and further developing the quality of policy advice is through the
development of a range of internal and external sources of advice. A high-performance APS will maintain
and develop its own sources of advice through, for example, investment in internal expertise and the
development of research hubs/centres.
The APS also needs to maintain and develop the capacity to procure high quality advice, where needed,
from external sources. To continue to provide, commission, and develop high quality advice, continued
investment is needed in learning and development across the APS. This could involve programs that would
enhance the research skills of current APS staff, developing networks of experts across the APS, or
investment in learning and development that enhances the skills of APS members to procure external
advice, including opportunities for cross-agency procurement.
There are also choices about the appropriate agencies to lead policy development. Economies of scale
can be attained through developing centralised units for policy advice, and there has been a trend to
greater policy development in central agencies. However, that ignores the considerable value to be had
from line agencies developing policy advice that is well-informed by their engagement with other
governments (e.g. states and territories), third party service suppliers (private, non-profit, and community),
and directly with citizens. We suggest that a fit-for-purpose policy advisory function must be sufficiently
flexible to support cross-government initiatives, while being able to draw upon the stream of insights that
continuously flow through line agencies concerning program effectiveness and how policies are impacting
with organisations and citizens ‘on the ground’.
High quality policy advice requires different forms of knowledge; knowledge of good government practices,
knowledge of the relevant evidence base, and knowledge of the context in which policy will be
implemented. It is important to resource policy development teams to have access to all relevant forms of
knowledge. Emerging insights from the application of design thinking and behavioural economics to policy
development strongly suggest that policy advising can offer enhanced insights for program design and
implementation when it is well-informed by knowledge of how government services are encountered ‘on
the ground’.
Whether the increased diversity of sources of advice has improved the performance of government or has
been fit-for-purpose is unclear. The current Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit inquiry on the
use of contractors and consultants across the Commonwealth will offer much insight. In any relationship
where an organisation is reliant on external parties (whether it be for procurement of social services, or
advice), there are various costs and benefits that much be weighed up – from the cost of procurement
itself, through to relational and strategic costs and benefits. For example, well-commissioned input into
policy advice can drive innovation, new approaches and the creation of public value. Poorly commissioned
advice may erode the ability of government to deliver on its goals. An overreliance on external parties may,
over time, impact on the capacity of the APS to fulfil its role (O’Flynn et al 2011). Internationally, there is
emerging research which has shown that, in some areas, the increased use of management consultants
has not delivered value for money and has reduced efficiency and performance (Sturdy 2018). Partly this
can be explained by the hollowing out of internal expertise on core business (Parkinson 2018,
Easton 2018) and inadequate governance structures to manage external actors who play a substantial role
in the business of government (Sturdy 2018).
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Developing the capacity to commission advice, in various forms, from a range of parties, is central to the
APS. As is ensuring that the APS maintains, and develops, its own internal advice capability. This means
getting a picture of the current state of capacity across the APS, for example, research skills and expertise
and looking at opportunities to leverage shared research opportunities. This might include pooling
resources internally to share research expertise to underpin high quality policy advice; or moving to joint
commissioning of external policy advice. An example might be the creation of new research hubs internal
to the APS, or shared hubs which draw together experts from across the APS with external experts.
What ANZSOG can offer the APS
ANZSOG plays an important role in maintaining and developing policy capacity, and in providing access to
a diversity of sources of advice. We do this through multiple channels:
• Through programs that focus on developing the leadership and management capacity of the APS,
including to develop and deliver high quality advice.
• Through commissioning a portfolio of research projects, undertaken by experts from Australia and
abroad, that provide robust sources of advice.
• Through drawing together members of the APS to explore complex issues and develop their capacity,
individually and collectively, to respond to these.
• Through brokering access and relationships with thought leaders.
What ANZSOG recommends to the APS Review
• Undertake an APS-wide assessment of current policy capacity which includes (i) internal sources of
advice (ii) external sources of advice (iii) areas of expertise (iv) processes for the internal and external
development/commissioning of advice
• Consider who should have input into advice provided to government and how that should happen; focus
on developing a diversity of approaches for engaging with communities (from citizen surveys through to
more in-depth deliberative processes); researchers (from arms-length competitively commissioned
pieces of research, through to collaborative, long-term co-produced research, evidence and advice)
• Use the InCiSE index methods to benchmark policy advice performance against those assessed as
high(er) performers in the index and develop avenues for learning from them (Institute for Government
2018).
• Develop a suite of learning and development offerings that enhance the capacity of the APS to
commission internal and external advice, including exercising judgement about different types of
evidence and research etc.
• Explore how the development and commissioning of future policy advice can occur in ways that benefit
(1) from the economies of scale of centralised work and (2) the insights that come from close knowledge
of how specific policies and programs impact upon and are dependent on the actions of citizens and
third parties.
• Investment in internal research capacity and development – grow it where it already exists and incubate
it where it may not.
• Investigate models for sector-wide capacity building for policy development. The New Zealand
Government’s Policy Project is a useful model for building capability, aimed at developing a ‘high
performing policy system’. It seeks to work as a catalyst, collaborating with agencies and providing
resources and opportunities for learning. The program provides policy improvement frameworks, a
toolbox of methods to support policy development, and is working to build an active policy community
(NZ DPMC 2018).
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Acting with integrity to strengthen public trust
We are all aware that public trust in the institutions of our representative democracy has been declining
(Brown 2017). Public trust is fundamental to our system of government and must be nurtured and
strengthened. Building public trust requires consistency and clarity of action, beyond the management fads
which emerge from time to time.
A trustworthy public sector is one that consistently demonstrates the ‘spirit of public service’, combining
political neutrality with a commitment to serving the public interest and open government. This spirit of
service enables a focus on public value, and the investment of public resources to create public value,
which accumulates as public wealth for the public good (Mazzucato 2018).
The issue of transparency, integrity, acting in the public interest and ensuring public trust are foundational
issues for the APS. They are important in shaping the APS, its values and ethical base and require
ongoing discussion and reflection.
Integrity is critical for an effective public sector and building public trust. Unfortunately, agencies often seek
to build integrity through a rule-based regime that views the issue of integrity very narrowly as simply the
absence of corruption. Integrity is fundamentally an institutional attribute, which shapes the behaviour of
individuals.
Dr Nikolas Kirby (an Australian and Director of the Building Integrity in Government Program at Blavatnik
School of Government at Oxford University) argues that the focus on rule based primarily anti-corruption
measures aimed at individual public servants misses the main point that we need to re-establish trust in
institutions and through them then turn to the behaviour of individual public officers. As he states, “integrity
in public life is an essential component in establishing trust between citizens and governments. This
prioritization makes sense. The fundamental focus of governance must be in the quality of institutions, and
only secondarily its individual officers” (Kirby 2018, p 11).
The focus on an institutions-first approach to integrity is appropriate for the APS. Kirby’s paper establishes
the importance of focusing on institutions and states to build integrity:
“A public institution has integrity if and only if it has a robust disposition through its constitutive parts, to
legitimately cohere to its legitimate purpose, consistent with its own commitments, across time and
circumstance. And a public officer has integrity if and only if she has the robust disposition to support the
integrity of her institution” (Kirby 2018, p 42).
What ANZSOG can offer the APS
ANZSOG therefore encourages the review to take a fresh look at the approach to integrity within the APS
as an institution first, and then conceptualize what this means for individual public officers. A concept of
integrity is far broader than the narrower conception of what may constitute abuse of power in public office
or official corruption. While rule-based arrangements are clearly important, they can lead to a compliance
culture, as they are insufficient to provide for a public officer integrity. As David J. Apol, an Acting Director
of the Federal Office of Government Ethics stated, integrity requires a “Should I do it? versus a “Can I do
it?” mentality (Kirby 2018, p 34).
ANZSOG is keen to work with the APS and other public services across the nation to define, develop and
refine the approach to integrity in the public sector.
ANZSOG submission to the review of the Australian Public Service
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What ANZSOG recommends to the APS Review
ANZSOG recommends that the APS works to ensure:
• Integrity be considered on an institution-first basis, so that it moves beyond an individual, rule-based,
absence of corruption approach.
• Agencies develop common concepts of institutional integrity and public officer integrity that allow for
consistent and broad support for integrity across the APS.
Leading effective organisations
Since its inception, ANZSOG has worked to strengthen the capability of governments operating at the
national level in Australia and New Zealand as well as in the states and territories. We have also worked
with representatives of governments in other countries – most notably, China, India, Singapore, Malaysia,
and many Pacific Island nations – with the purpose of building managerial and leadership capabilities.
While the immediate focus of our programs tends to be on the building of individual capability to offer
leadership in government, a strong secondary focus is on equipping leaders to design and operate
organisational structures that are fit for purpose.
While it is common for observers of government to assume that structural change involves major changes
to the machinery of government, we see things differently.
The starting point for making fit-for-purpose organisations is to populate them with leaders who can
effectively align the day-to-day behaviours and processes embodied in their organisation with a culture of
high performance (as defined by the governors of the organisation). In short, leadership capability can
translate into improved performance of structures and to the incremental adjustment of the structures
themselves.
Realignment of structures has often been motivated by the need to strengthen capability and focus of
organisations. These machinery of government changes are a constant feature of public administration in
Westminster systems (Davis et al 1999). The APS has experienced more than 200 changes in the past 20
years, but questions exist on their efficiency, effectiveness, and the impact they have on APS cultures
(Buick et al 2018).
Structural changes that are not accompanied by significant investments in the capabilities of organisational
leaders are unlikely to generate anticipated dividends.
What ANZSOG recommends to the APS Review
Given the importance of leadership for organisational effectiveness, we recommend that the APS Review
devote attention to exploring the kinds of leadership attributes that will be required in the future APS. This
could be achieved, most readily, through case study explorations of government organisations that have
experienced objectively verifiable improvements in quality within relatively short periods of time. Useful
cases could include the development of new agencies; the transformation of existing agencies; and the
merging of two or more agencies into new entities. We are confident that a small-n study design could yield
a set of rich lessons about how enhancement of leadership capability promotes organisational
performance and continuous learning. Contrasts could also be drawn between cases where machinery of
government changes were made part of organisational development versus those where the focus was on
structural change with limited attention being given to enhancement of the competencies and capabilities
of strategic leaders.
ANZSOG submission to the review of the Australian Public Service
14
Working across the Federation
The evolving nature of our federated structure require those in the APS to have regular contact with their
state and territory colleagues. There are necessary interfaces between the Commonwealth and the states,
for policy and delivery of services in all areas of government.
The Commonwealth has extensive and growing responsibility across social, environment, and economic
policy arenas. In some cases, this involves direct responsibility for both policy coordination, funding and
delivery (in areas like defence, aged care, income support, trade, and border security). In other policy
areas the Commonwealth has significant policy coordination and funding roles, with delivery in conjunction
with the states and territories (in areas like hospitals, schools, environmental management, and transport).
In other discrete areas, states and territories have the major sole responsibility (corrections, police, child
protection, emergency services, and some areas of justice), although often the Commonwealth is more
involved in these areas to drive policy change or adjustment, for example, to achieve better outcomes for
Indigenous people (given constitutional and coordination responsibility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Affairs).
The reality of working in a federation is therefore complex and requires most of the APS to work
systematically with other jurisdictions to deliver better outcomes for the Australian community. This cross-
jurisdictional working occurs through formal means, including negotiation through the COAG process or
Commonwealth/State Ministerial Councils and Officers Groups. We see this currently with the ongoing
significance of education and energy reforms, and with negotiation of outcomes of the Royal Commission
into Child Sexual Abuse. But there are also many less structured interfaces with other jurisdictions that
require further development of capability to streamline relationships between policy development and
delivery.
We have seen both successful comprehensive reforms in the past (such as microeconomic reforms in the
1980s and 1990s) and valiant attempts to reform Commonwealth/State Relations more recently in the
Rudd/Gillard and Abbott governments. The full gains of reforms to Commonwealth/State relations have
eluded us, and there is still a need to pursue improvements to interfaces between jurisdictions, to create
more effective and efficient government in Australia. Some might prefer the relative ‘nirvana’ of a unitary
system of government with regional and/or local representative structures to deliver on the need for
subsidiarity.
We need to ensure the APS has the skills and ability to continue to operate in a complex inter-
governmental, and in fact, inter-sectoral environment. This requires a focus on facilitating both competitive
and collaborative federalism. It will require a continuing focus on which level of government is best placed
to plan and deliver services to diverse communities. We have seen a few successes, but unfortunately
many failures, particularly relating to insufficient focus on implementation issues. Often too few public
servants take heed of the dictum that service reform is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. We are
reminded again and again of policy failure in implementation rather than at the conceptual stage.
What ANZSOG can offer the APS
ANZSOG is in a unique position to bring commonwealth, state/territory, and other sector leaders together
to review and plan better service delivery arrangements. We can do this through our research programs
(including the Case Library), our education programs, and specific roundtables to work through how we
might get consistent, coordinated effort to deliver better outcomes across a range of areas of government
administration.
ANZSOG submission to the review of the Australian Public Service
15
What ANZSOG recommends to the APS review
ANZSOG recommends that the APS works to ensure:
• Services are planned and delivered by the right level of government, to maximise responsiveness in
case and place management.
• Roles and responsibilities of the Commonwealth and states are clarified in those policy areas that
requires resolution, to provide a basis for accountability to the community.
• Where there is primary responsibility for services to be delivered by states and territories (schools and
hospitals), the Commonwealth consider developing independent capacity to coordinate data, monitor
outcomes, and improvements, shifting from an inputs focus.
• Establishment of data sharing protocols with the states and territories, the non-profit and private sectors.
These agreements must protect privacy while providing an inter-jurisdictional, inter-sectoral body of data
as an evidentiary basis for service improvement, as has been achieved in other jurisdictions such as
NZ.
• Innovative solutions are developed to address Vertical Fiscal Imbalance (VFI) in Australia’s federated
system. Recent attempts to maintain the important principle of Horizontal Fiscal Equalization (HFE) and
the availability and quality of services across the nation, and attempts to reform HFE taking account of
issues like GST revenue split, are important.
Strengthening Indigenous leadership in the APS
Building the status of Indigenous public servants
There are more Indigenous public servants shaping the public sector than ever before. However,
significant work remains to achieve proper representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
across all levels of the APS.
Professor Ian Anderson has described the current approach to building the public sector Indigenous
workforce as “well past its use-by-date. It focusses on entry-level programs and assumes a sort of ‘trickle
up’ model that looks increasingly constrained given the growing numbers of skilled and experienced
Indigenous professionals working outside of government.” (Anderson 2017)
This has left many First Peoples being located at the lower and middle levels of the APS, and relatively few
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the SES. Increasingly agencies are recognising the need to
better engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander public servants, make greater use of their talents,
and increase the number of Indigenous staff.
Dr Martin Parkinson has set out the business case for inclusion and representation of Indigenous people in
the public service, stating that diverse organisations are more innovative, creative, and successful than
homogenous ones (Parkinson 2017). Yet diversity alone is not sufficient. The benefits of diversity come
from inclusivity and valuing the diverse experiences and knowledge of staff.
Through engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander public sector stakeholders, ANZSOG has
identified some common challenges, and ways these can be addressed.
• Challenges for the individual – walking in both worlds.
Leadership requires fulfilling commitment to land and people while working within standard public sector
norms. There are significant opportunities to leverage the leadership of Indigenous public servants in
mainstream roles. Indigenous-specific agencies and positions are important and have a place, but the
APS also needs to create space for Indigenous people and policy in other areas.
ANZSOG submission to the review of the Australian Public Service
16
• Challenges for the APS – working in relationship with communities.
Stability in the machinery of government for the administration of Indigenous affairs must be achieved.
This requires structuring government so that decision-making is responsive to community concerns and
engages First Peoples.
The next step for the APS is to move from articulation of what needs to be done to realising those
outcomes.
Building the capability of the APS to engage with Indigenous communities
How the APS engages with Indigenous communities continues to be a fundamental issue for both groups.
Since the 1967 referendum the Commonwealth has been oscillating between principles of guardianship/
assimilation and choice/ self-determination.
In working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander public sector leaders, ANZSOG has repeatedly heard
the message that the APS must engage with communities on the basis of substantive and reciprocal
relationships. As one delegate to the 2017 ANZSOG Indigenous Public Servants Forum explained:
“We know there are no simple solutions to the policy problems facing Indigenous people and
communities… Governments and the public sector cannot assume they have the answers or solutions, or
that they know the aspirations of our people. They need to keep in touch, maintain contacts and
relationships, keep the channels of advice and communication flowing.”
Stronger relationships built on trust between government and community will be essential in overcoming
the deficit frame through which much Commonwealth public policy deals with Indigenous peoples. An
essential component of reframing the deficit lens is the public sector giving autonomy and decision-making
power back to Indigenous people where appropriate.
We are currently working to help build capability for Indigenous-led program evaluation, funded by the
Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. ANZSOG currently hosts the BetterEvaluation website
(www.betterevaluation.org), a global initiative to improve evaluation by sharing information about choosing
and using evaluation methods. In this project we are working with Indigenous evaluators to co-create
guidance material on evaluation, and examples of good practice for Indigenous evaluation. These will be
made available on the BetterEvaluation website for use by individuals, organisations and communities
doing evaluation and those who commission or manage evaluations.
Last year, ANZSOG and DPM&C held our inaugural Indigenous affairs conference - Indigenous Affairs and
Public Administration: Can’t we do better? The capability of the APS to positively engage with Indigenous
communities was a major theme of the discussions.
Professor Chris Sarra, in his address to the conference, called on governments to: “embrace our humanity
and capacity to be exceptional; bring us policy approaches that nurture a sense of hope rather than an
entrenched sense of despair; do things with us not to us.” Professor Sarra also explained that he does not
“want white fellas to stand down, I want them to stand up and be in a high expectations relationship with
us.”
What ANZSOG can offer the APS
As a leader in the thinking and teaching of public sector leadership, ANZSOG is in a unique position to
work with the APS to promote Indigenous leadership and transform traditional bureaucratic practice.
We do this through creating spaces for discussions including our Senior Indigenous Public Service Forum
and our conference. The conference included over 300 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
ANZSOG submission to the review of the Australian Public Service
17
representatives, other Indigenous peoples and public servants from state and federal governments. This
conference was designed to help re-establish old, and forge new, relationships between Australia’s public
services, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander public servants and Indigenous communities more broadly.
ANZSOG also organises bespoke programs where we work with individuals and/or agencies to promote
and develop Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership practices and stewardship of the public
sector.
ANZSOG is continuing to work with Indigenous public servants and the APS to bridge cultural
understandings between them. We are currently seeking an Indigenous public servant to be seconded to
help lead our Indigenous programs, especially the next iteration of the forum and the conference.
To be able to engage in high expectations relationships with Indigenous communities, the APS will need to
overcome the deficit frame that shapes policy. ANZSOG could assist with this transition through convening
forums that bring together Indigenous knowledges, and APS perspectives, to jointly reflect on the way
Indigenous policy has been framed and work to negotiate new understandings and concepts that can
enable positive relationships with Indigenous communities. We can also draw on our extensive knowledge
of co-production approaches to help agencies and programs develop the skills and methods to collaborate
with communities.
What ANZSOG recommends to the APS review
• Acknowledge and support the need for further development of capability to respond effectively to the
needs of Indigenous people, and in leading work to ensure greater focus on achieving improvements in
government service delivery, whether direct or through the not-for-profit and private sectors.
Creating greater public value through innovation
A high-performing APS must respond, often in innovative ways, to evolving challenges to perform its core
functions. Public sector innovation is delivered when new ideas are executed to create public value.2 Such
ideas can be evolutionary – incremental and generated based on the limitations of existing solutions, and
revolutionary – radical and non-linear changes to create novel offerings.
Machinery of government changes are sometimes proposed as a way to promote innovation, but research
is needed to develop an informed agenda for any structural changes intended to enhance innovation
culture and practice.
Current and future leaders in the public sector must be equipped and willing to recognise new ideas, take
positive well-assessed risks, embrace measured disruption and implement effective innovative policies, for
its functions to be delivered.3
ANZSOG prepares public sector leaders for these demands through program offerings that promote
innovative thinking in the public sector, thought leadership that introduces new approaches to common
problems, and creating networks that bring together peers.
What ANZSOG can offer the APS
Moving forward, ANZSOG is in a unique position, with its network of governments and academia, to work
with the APS to incubate and develop new ideas and approaches: This could include using deliberative,
collaborative and experimental lab-based approaches. Such “idea labs” often use approaches that can
2 For more on innovation in the public sector see: Kastelle 2015.
3 For more on innovation, risk taking and the need to develop this in public servants see: Mazzucato 2017
ANZSOG submission to the review of the Australian Public Service
18
provide the space for governments, universities, communities, and others to experiment with new ways to
tackle common challenges. For example, by using design thinking to innovate in service delivery systems,
or deliberative processes to work with communities to tackle tough policy decisions.
We are also experimenting with rapid research and data sprint approaches which will be done to work in
partnership with government owners and partner universities to cross-fertilize knowledge, talent and
achievement. This substantial new investment using innovative research approaches can fuel lab-based
experimentation with broader stakeholder groups, and also infuse our program offerings.
What ANZSOG recommends to the APS
Building the capability for innovation across the APS requires a focus on changes in organisational culture
and practices, both bottom-up and top-down. Previous reports to governments recommended actions to
increase innovation, and we consider that some of these recommendations are now a priority for the APS
in order to realise the sought-after outcomes.
• As the Ahead of the Game review found in 2010, the APSC should contribute to capability through
developing tailored, agency-appropriate learning and development opportunities that encourages both
organisational-level and more system-wide innovation (AGRAGA 2010). ANZSOG is available to assist
the APSC to develop and deliver these capability development programs.
• The APS Management Advisory Committee report of 2010, Empowering Change, showed that the APS
has many options to build a culture of innovation in the public sector. Leadership is critical to building a
culture of innovation, and APS leaders will require training and new methods to facilitate and champion
innovation (MAC 2010). Collaborative arrangements are also necessary for innovation that is fit for
purpose, and effective models for collaboration must be developed and tested to suit the context of
agencies.
• Collaborative experimentation programs are increasingly being developed by governments to enable
and support on-the-ground experimentation to address specific cross-agency policy challenges, and as
a means of developing more innovation-focused cultures.
Making better use of data
Understanding the potential of data and digital transformation is important for the APS. Making better use
of data can lead to more informed policy, better service delivery, better management of public resources,
and better outcomes for Australians. But there are many technical and strategic challenges that must be
addressed.
Our People-centred data collaboration initiative over the last three years has been connecting
organisations across all jurisdictions to explore ways to address these challenges. Senior officials from the
Commonwealth and all states and territories have participated in roundtables, and now form a network of
people who understand the issues and can drive the better use of data for public value.
Agencies often focus on analytical capacity, whereas the strategic challenges are best addressed across
agencies. Our roundtables have helped agencies to understand ways to use data to support both
operations and policy. Topics have included:
• improving the use of data for better people-centred policy and service delivery
• understanding the benefits of data collaboration in support of social investment, and using outcomes
frameworks to guide data collaboration
• using data to support performance and transition to outcomes-focused management
ANZSOG submission to the review of the Australian Public Service
19
• opportunities for data sharing and collaboration across agencies and jurisdictions, including dealing with
different jurisdictional privacy arrangements
• building analytical capacity in the public sector
• developing specific data-related projects.
Building on our People-centred data collaboration, we are now working to facilitate knowledge transfer
from specialists in data strategy and data science to the broader public sector. In March this year we
curated a conference with the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare (AIHW), entitled Breaking the
Data Silos. This two-day conference brought together 400 people from the public sector, university, and
not-for-profit sectors to explore the issues around effective collaboration, data sharing, and more open use
of data. Participants were challenged to look beyond building technical capability, to consider strategies
and tools for data collaboration across the entire public sector and create a growing spirit of collaboration
around data in the ‘public purpose’ sector.
We are planning a follow-up conference for April 2019, with a broader design and planning committee,
representing key government agencies at federal and state level. This conference will among other themes
look at the potential for data and digital transformation to enable greater use of evidence and outcomes
measurement.
What ANZSOG can offer the APS
ANZSOG has a key role as a hub in Australia’s network of governments, allowing us to facilitate
connections between agencies, link agencies to international experts, and deliver collaborative research
projects to address specific challenges.
For example, research could include exploring the application of advanced analytics for interpreting
unstructured data held by agencies, as a way to augment the capability of public servants. Developing data
products and digital services requires a multi-disciplinary team, to cover the technical, strategic, social,
legal, and ethical perspectives. ANZSOG has the deep public sector knowledge and access to
international expertise to facilitate projects to explore options, and address challenges, to support
innovation in data use and digital transformation.
More than ever the public service operates in a multi-disciplinary and cross jurisdiction environment, with
access to vast amounts of data. Making better use of this data through data integration and sharing, and
collaborative technologies, can significantly improve effectiveness.
Conclusion
ANZSOG thanks the APS Review for the opportunity to provide this submission. We are of course willing
to discuss in further detail any recommendations or specific elements of the submission with the Review
Panel or Review Secretariat.
ANZSOG submission to the review of the Australian Public Service
20
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Blueprint for the reform of Australian government administration, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra,
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australia-professor-ian-anderson
Australian Public Service Commission [APSC] 2003, The Australian experience of public sector reform,
Occasional Paper two, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, Australia.
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Brown, A J 2017, Australian Constitutional Values Survey 2017, Centre for Governance and Public Policy,
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Buick, F, Carey, G, and Pescud, M 2018, ‘Structural changes to the public sector and cultural
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running-citizen-satisfaction-surveys/
Institute for Government, 2018, The International Civil Service Effectiveness (InCiSE) Index 2017, viewed
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ANZSOG submission to the review of the Australian Public Service
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MAC [Management Advisory Committee] 2010, Empowering Change: Fostering innovation in the
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22
Attachment: ANZSOG Capability Statement
ANZSOG submission to the review of the Australian Public Service
CONNECT
INSPIRE
ENRICH
EDUCATE
SHAPING
YOUR
Owned by and working for
all Australian and New Zealand
governments FUTURE
CONNECT
03 Prime Ministers' Messages
INSPIRE
ANZSOG THE RT HON.
ENRICH
03 Prime Ministers' Messages
04 Welcome From The Dean
JACINDA
06 Who We Are ARDERN MP
EDUCATE
07 Our Partners PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND
08 Government Leaders' Messages
10 Our Purpose “ANZSOG has an important
11 Our Board role in helping to support and
grow the talent and leadership
EDUCATE needed to ensure our public
sector continues to provide
14 What We Do – Educate the world-leading service New
15 Executive Master of Public Administration Zealanders deserve.”
16 Executive Fellows Program
17 Towards Strategic Leadership
18 Executive Education and Tailored Learning
19 ANZSOG Career Path
INSPIRE
22 What We Do – Inspire
23 Thought Leadership
THE HON.
MALCOLM
ENRICH
TURNBULL MP
27 What We Do – Enrich
PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA
28 Evidence and Evaluation Hub
29 John L. Alford Case Library
"I offer my strongest
encouragement and support
CONNECT for the School in its work
33 What We Do – Connect to build a public sector
35 CEO Forums distinguished by the highest
standards of professionalism
36 Indigenous Engagement
and rigour, leadership and
37 Alumni excellence."
CONNECT
04 Welcome From The Dean 05 Welcome From The Dean
INSPIRE
PROFESSOR A growing research program
informed by practice issues, and
ANZSOG is a dynamic institution
which is creating a permanent
ENRICH
our Evidence and Evaluation Hub, legacy of better government that
KEN SMITH work with government partners
and universities to provide unique
benefits our societies.
DEAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE research products, with a focus This brochure provides a summary
EDUCATE
OFFICER on practical applications. At a of the scope of our activities. If
time when isolationism is on you wish to know more please
the rise globally, we are building visit our website www.anzsog.
new links across our region, with edu.au or connect with us on our
partnerships with institutions social media platforms. Follow
in Singapore, Beijing, Delhi and @ANZSOG on Twitter, Facebook
Kuala Lumpur, including high- and LinkedIn.
level exchange programs involving
public servants in China and India.
While we have a strong
Government touches all aspects Public sector leaders in the 21st reputation, we are continually
of our lives. Improvements to century face increasing challenges working to improve what we
Professor Ken Smith
the quality of the public sector in their daily work. New skills are do and ensure our education
Dean and Chief Executive Officer
and the vital services it delivers required to manage demands for programs and our research
have broad social, economic and collaboration; technological and evolve to meet the needs of
environmental benefits for the structural changes in all sectors governments.
community. of the economy; an increasingly
informed and demanding In recent years we have revamped
That is why I am proud to be citizenry, and a 24/7 social and our research program, begun
Dean and CEO of ANZSOG, a traditional media cycle. to work more closely with our
unique institution owned by alumni, who form a vital and
every government in Australia Our role is to equip individuals highly skilled network, and
and New Zealand with a mission and agencies with the capability expanded our work with the not-
to lift the standard of public to thrive in this challenging and for-profit sector, which is playing
sector leadership across our complex environment. We offer an increasing role in delivering
two nations. high-quality, contemporary important public services.
programs that are tailored for
We educate and inspire public the public sector and draw on
servants, enrich the debate academic talent available from
our 15 domestic and many other
around public management
global university partners. We
We offer high-quality,
and policy with our research,
and build connections between also have a strong network of contemporary programs that
current and former senior public
agencies, between academics
service practitioners (including
are tailored for the public
and practitioners, between
Australia and New Zealand, those actively engaged in sector and draw on academic
education, mentoring and support
and globally, particularly within
programs). This unique blend of
talent available from our 15
the Indo-Pacific region.
the theory and practice of public domestic and many other
administration allows our students
to expand their knowledge, learn
global university partners.
new skills as critical thinkers
with a greater ability to meet the
challenges that confront them
regularly in their work.
CONNECT
06 Who We Are 07 Our Partners
INSPIRE
WHO WE ARE OUR PARTNERS
ENRICH
ANZSOG was created by We connect senior public service ANZSOG was created, and is Our partnerships with these
government, for government. practitioners and academics and owned, by the New Zealand educational institutions as well
EDUCATE
While business schools teach provide a bridge between theory and Australian Commonwealth as our affiliations with leading
how to create shareholder value, and practice. We build networks governments, and by all eight institutions including the
ANZSOG helps public sector across agencies, sectors, Australian state and territory Singapore Civil Service College,
leaders learn how to create jurisdictions and nations, creating governments. We work in Lee Kuan Yew School of Public
public value. opportunities for collaboration. partnership with our owners to Policy in Singapore, the Razak
As the futures of Australia develop tailored education and School of Government in Malaysia,
Owned directly by 10 and New Zealand become research offerings that meet Indian Government's Department
governments and 15 universities, more closely linked with our their needs and help lift the of Personnel and Training, Chinese
we were established as a not-for- neighbours, we are increasingly quality of public management in Academy of Governance and
profit company in 2002 with the building connections across the Australia and New Zealand. China Executive Leadership
vision of creating a world-leading Indo-Pacific region. Academy Pudong, mean our
educational institution that would There are 15 university and students are exposed to expertise
enhance the capability of public We are committed to adapting business school partners that from across the world.
servants and lift the quality of to the trends affecting the public contribute to ANZSOG’s programs
public management in Australia service including increasing by providing resources and ANZSOG’s head office is in
and New Zealand. We are also complexity and uncertainty, ensuring our students have access Melbourne and our teaching and
home to a substantial research evolving community expectations, to the world’s leading academics. research activities are spread
program that aims to enrich demographic and workforce across Australia and New Zealand,
the discipline of public sector shifts and the rise of big data and They are: with bases in Brisbane, Sydney,
leadership through focused analytics. Being responsive to Canberra, Perth and Wellington.
Australian National University
research that explores better these trends ensures we meet the We use the campuses of our
ways to serve our communities changing needs of public sector Carnegie Mellon University partner universities and business
into the future. leaders. H. John Heinz III School schools to deliver courses across
of Public Policy and our education programs. The
Management, Australia school has recently established
ANZSOG’s purpose is to shape the
future of public sector leadership Charles Darwin University new academic positions at
and, by doing so, improve the lives Curtin University of Victoria University of Wellington,
of people in Australia and New Technology Griffith University in Brisbane
Zealand. Flinders University and Curtin University in Perth,
which are in addition to existing
Griffith University academic positions in Sydney,
Melbourne Business School Melbourne, Canberra and
As the futures of Australia Monash University
The University of Melbourne
Wellington.
and New Zealand become The University of New South
Wales
more closely linked with our The University of Queensland
neighbours, we are building The University of Sydney
The University of Western
connections across the Australia
University of Canberra
Indo-Pacific region. Victoria University of
Wellington
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08 Government Leaders' Messages 09 Government Leaders' Messages
INSPIRE
ENRICH
EDUCATE
THE HON. DANIEL ANDREW BARR MLA THE HON. WILL THE HON. STEVEN
ANDREWS MP CHIEF MINISTER OF THE HODGMAN MP MARSHALL MP
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
PREMIER OF VICTORIA PREMIER OF TASMANIA PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA
“We are pleased to support ANZSOG “Attracting and retaining talented “We support ANZSOG for its “I am pleased to support ANZSOG
and its crucial role in developing people can help make our city great. commitment to good public in its important role in training and
the next generation of public policy ANZSOG programs develop talented administration. It plays an important developing a high level public service.”
leaders.” people for all Australian jurisdictions role developing better educated,
and New Zealand.” informed and motivated public
sector leaders.”
THE HON. GLADYS THE HON. MICHAEL THE HON. MARK THE HON.
BEREJIKLIAN MP GUNNER MLA MCGOWAN MLA ANNASTACIA
PREMIER OF NEW SOUTH WALES CHIEF MINISTER OF THE PREMIER OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA PALASZCZUK MP
NORTHERN TERRITORY
PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND
“NSW recognises ANZSOG’s integral “The demands of the Territory “Western Australia is proud to “The Queensland Government
role in developing a well-qualified and demand a high quality public service. support ANZSOG and its role in recognises the role of ANZSOG in
effective public sector and is pleased I’m thankful every day for the quality providing the public sector with shaping our best and brightest to
to support the School’s globally- people we have throughout our the skills and knowledge to deliver ensure the public sector is well
renowned work.” centres and remote regions. Our the best possible outcomes for our placed to respond to current and
Government applauds ANZSOG community.” future policy challenges, be agile
and any organisations dedicated and innovative thinkers, and
to professional and effective globally engaged.”
governance.”
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10 Our Purpose 11 Our Board
INSPIRE
OUR PURPOSE OUR BOARD
ENRICH
The ANZSOG Board of Directors
has overall responsibility for the
EDUCATE
organisation, setting direction
and overseeing the effectiveness
of delivery against strategy.
To inspire public Our Board of Directors are:
sector leaders To educate public
to be proud of their managers to improve
chosen career and be their skills capacity and
the best they can leadership and expose
for themselves and them to the best thinking
the communities on public management.
they serve.
Mr Peter Hughes Professor Ken Ms Kathryn Mr Chris Eccles AO
CNZM (Chair) Smith Campbell Secretary
State Services Dean and Chief Secretary of the Department of
Commissioner Executive Officer, Department of Premier and
and Head of ANZSOG Social Services, Cabinet, Victoria
State Services, Australian
To work with our New Zealand Government
government owners and
university partners to lift
the quality of public sector
leadership and improve the
lives of Australians and
New Zealanders in
everything we do.
Professor Margaret Professor Girol Ms Robyn Kruk AM Mr Tim Reardon
Gardner AO Karacaoglu Independent Secretary
President and Head of School, Director Department of
Vice-Chancellor, School of Premier and
Monash University Government, Cabinet, NSW
Victoria University
of Wellington
To connect public To enrich debate
sector practitioners and on the future of our
academics and build public services through
networks across agencies, our research and providing
sectors and jurisdictions. forums for discussion
of key issues.
Ms Jodie Ryan Dame Karen Sewell Mr Robert Setter Professor Deborah
Chief Executive, DNZM QSO Chief Executive, Terry
Department of the Independent Public Service Vice Chancellor,
Chief Minister, Director Commission, Curtin University
Northern Territory Queensland
CONNECT
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INSPIRE
EDUCATE
EDUCATE
CONNECT
14 What We Do – Educate 15 Executive Master of Public Administration
INSPIRE
ANZSOG's mix of government EXECUTIVE MASTER OF PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION
ENRICH
owners and university partners
means we are uniquely placed The Executive Master of Public The EMPA is a supportive and
to offer programs that combine Administration (EMPA) is
ANZSOG’s flagship course – a
collaborative environment,
which allows graduates to build
the practical insights of senior two-year post-graduate degree
that equips senior managers with
a network of peers from across
Australia and New Zealand that
practitioners with the intellectual a broad toolkit of essential skills
required in today’s public sector.
will be a valuable resource for the
rest of their careers. The EMPA is
rigour of world-leading The EMPA produces world-
class public sector leaders with
taught at eight universities across
Australia and New Zealand, and
academics. strong skills in everything from
financial management to laws
includes the option to study a unit
delivered in partnership with the
and regulations, data analysis Lee Kuan Yew School of Public
and intellectually sound policy- Policy in Singapore. Students
making. complete a mix of compulsory
A globally-recognised school Our courses range from the and elective units, as well as an
for developing the theory and two-year Executive Master of The program has been designed applied research work-based
practice of outstanding public Public Administration to day-long in collaboration with ANZSOG’s project during the second year of
sector leadership, we operate workshops on key issues and owner governments and the degree.
in cities across Australia, New core skills. All courses focus on accredited by our partner
Zealand and the Indo-Pacific. equipping participants with the universities in Australia and New The EMPA program now has
skills and mindset they need to be Zealand. It applies the latest over 1545 graduates based in 15
We have created an outstanding, leaders in their jobs and to deliver thinking and academic rigour, countries around the world and
immersive learning environment public value for the communities while being firmly grounded in has been providing high-quality
that attracts the most promising they serve. the reality of the modern public education since 2003.
public sector leaders. The sector environment. Participants
curriculum covers the issues ANZSOG has a commitment to learn from world-recognised
that students are dealing with providing diverse gender and academics and high-calibre
daily, and our teaching style is cultural representation in both practitioners from the senior
based on real-world examples its faculty and students across ranks of the public, not-for-
and interactive learning, where our educational programs. profit and private sectors.
participants learn from the Graduates gain an understanding
perspectives of their peers. of policy design, economics and
Students are encouraged to work the law, and the ability to think
collaboratively, through initiatives strategically about their work.
such as work-based projects, and
to build networks that stay active
after the course is completed.
EMPA graduates are confident,
critical thinkers with the skills
required to manage the growing
complexity of public sector
challenges and deliver public value
to the communities they serve.
CONNECT
16 Executive Fellows Program 17 Towards Strategic Leadership
INSPIRE
EXECUTIVE FELLOWS TOWARDS STRATEGIC
PROGRAM LEADERSHIP
ENRICH
The Executive Fellows Program resource for the rest of their Towards Strategic Leadership We help participants develop
(EFP) is an intensive, three-week careers. The EFP is delivered in (TSL) is a program with a unique habits of reflection and strategic
residential course which helps three cities across New Zealand, philosophy and structure thinking, and encourage them
senior executives develop their Australia and the Indo-Pacific designed to create leaders who to integrate these into their
adaptive capacity to lead public region. A core element of the can effectively manage people everyday practices. The course
sector organisations in complex EFP is the annual Impact Lab and programs and respond to aims to reveal the potential
and uncertain environments. for alumni, which is focused on change. The program is aimed strengths as well as the endemic
refreshing and extending learning, at senior executives or managers roadblocks within participants
The EFP provides a rare deepening networks, and helping who have recently moved, or and the systems they inhabit.
opportunity for learning and participants overcome obstacles are about to move, into a more
reflection away from the office. to applying their learning. The strategic leadership position TSL harnesses the knowledge and
The immersive course challenges EFP has increased the leadership in the public or not-for-profit experience of the participants
and stretches its participants and capacity of over 990 graduates sectors. as a key learning tool through
gives public sector leaders the since 2003. active participation. Its practical
tools they need to spark critical The most effective leaders have approach includes real-world
insights and build their capacity a defined sense of purpose, a case studies, experiential learning
to innovate. strong sense of self and the ability and access to exceptional leaders,
to discern and address not only and helps participants build a
The program uses the latest the urgent but the strategically
important tasks. TSL is designed
network of like-minded peers.
thinking and academic research to develop such leaders. The TSL program has produced
but is grounded in the reality of over 250 graduates since 2009.
modern public sector challenges.
Participants learn from a unique
combination of world-recognised
academics and high-calibre
practitioners from the public,
private and not-for-profit sectors.
The EFP includes faculty from
Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School
of Public Policy, The University of
British Columbia in Canada and
Warwick University in the UK.
The EFP is a supportive and
collaborative environment
which allows graduates to build
a network of high-level leaders
from across Australia and New
Zealand which will be a valuable
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18 Executive Education and Tailored Learning 19 ANZSOG Career Path
INSPIRE
PROFESSIONAL
• EXECUTIVE MASTER OF PUBLIC
EXECUTIVE TAILORED
ADMINISTRATION
• EXECUTIVE EDUCATION WORKSHOPS
EDUCATION LEARNING
ENRICH
• INDIVIDUAL ACCREDITED SUBJECTS
• THOUGHT LEADERSHIP SEMINARS
• TAILORED IN-HOUSE COURSES
CAPABILITIES
ANZSOG delivers specialised ANZSOG works with individual
workshops in a range of government agencies to develop Deliver projects/programs,
disciplines designed to meet the courses that suit their needs and develop skill sets, problem
solve, broaden experience
practical needs of public sector which can increase capabilities and build networks.
workers and agencies. This is part and bring about concentrated SENIOR PROFESSIONAL
of ANZSOG’s role of building the changes in understanding and • EXECUTIVE MASTER OF PUBLIC
capacity of public services across practice. ADMINISTRATION
• TOWARDS STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP
Australia and New Zealand and • EXECUTIVE EDUCATION WORKSHOPS
spreading the latest thinking on Our long-term relationships with • INDIVIDUAL ACCREDITED SUBJECTS
public management. our ten owner governments give
us a unique understanding of
Executive Education workshops their needs, and our network CAPABILITIES
expose public sector workers of academics and practitioners Understand and lead teams
to new ideas and different gives us the expertise to design of domain experts to understand
why and how their work area
perspectives. The workshops and deliver tailored education is part of the larger enterprise
allow agencies to fill specific programs for individual agencies of agency and government.
EXECUTIVE
gaps in the skill sets of their and jurisdictions that meet their • EXECUTIVE MASTER OF PUBLIC
employees or teams. specific learning needs. ADMINISTRATION
• TOWARDS STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP
• EXECUTIVE EDUCATION WORKSHOPS
Presented by world-leading These courses are shaped by • INDIVIDUAL ACCREDITED SUBJECTS
experts, the workshops cover the needs of the agency, ranging
a range of subjects including: from a seminar series through to
regulation, policy design, intensive, multi-module learning CAPABILITIES
behaviour change, solving programs.
Diagnose and reflect on strength and
complex problems and evaluation weaknesses of personal leadership
for the public sector. Workshop Tailored short courses can style, and influence, collaborate and
topics are continually updated incorporate content on new ideas
lead to achieve outcomes beyond
boundaries and official mandate.
to ensure they cover areas and approaches to issues, drawing SENIOR EXECUTIVE/
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR /
which are relevant to our owner on expertise in areas as diverse DEPUTY SECRETARY
governments and the needs of as behaviour change, budgeting • EXECUTIVE FELLOWS PROGRAM
their staff. and finance, economics, program • EXECUTIVE ROUNDTABLES
• OUTBOUND INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
evaluation, evidence-based • DEPUTIES FORUM
By working with our government policy, governance, knowledge
owners and university partners, management, leadership,
CAPABILITIES
ANZSOG’s Executive Education inter-agency collaboration,
workshops are able to meet the organisational change, policy Manage up, out and down, including
working with ministers and major
professional development needs skills, strategy, evidence and stakeholders, to lead major reform
of 1500 public sector employees evaluation, project management initiatives at whole of agency and
each year. and service delivery. whole of government level.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE/
ASSOCIATE SECRETARY/
SECRETARY/COMMISSIONER
• CEO FORUM
• EXECUTIVE ROUNDTABLES
CAPABILITIES
Define, manage and deliver the
key public sector leadership tasks
of principal portfolio and ministerial
adviser, department head, custodian
of the integrity and effectiveness
of the public service and principal
negotiator of interjurisdictional
relationships.
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INSPIRE
INSPIRE
CONNECT
23 Thought Leadership
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
ENRICH
Thought Leadership sees world-
leading academics share their
ANZSOG’s Thought Leadership knowledge with public managers,
creating a dialogue which
seminars are developed and encourages learning, reflection
and innovation.
delivered in partnership with owner
governments to bring challenging and
fresh ideas in public policy and public
management to wide and diverse
audiences of practitioners.
Each seminar encourages
rigorous, critical and
innovative thinking to
support the capacity of
public servants to deliver
the highest quality services
to citizens.
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ENRICH
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CONNECT
27 What We Do – Enrich
RESEARCH CONFERENCES
We use our unique network ANZSOG works with partners to
of scholars, practitioners and organise and run conferences
ANZSOG’s research program governments to fund practical
research that meets the demands
on key issues facing the public
sector, such as Indigenous
focuses on collaborative research of our owner governments and
addresses contemporary issues
engagement and the implications
of the rise of big data.
that lifts the quality of public sector in public administration, policy
development and management. These conferences use ANZSOG’s
management and creates solutions In 2017, ANZSOG expanded its
networks to bring together public
servants, academics and other
for governments. We link academia research funding from $250,000
a year to $750,000, on the
experts, from Australia, New
Zealand and the rest of the world,
with practitioners to solve current basis that every dollar is at least
matched by a government,
to create unique forums for
productive discussion. Findings
challenges and assist the public sector university, foundation or other
partner. This will result in up
from conferences are distributed
broadly to spark debate and
to improve outcomes for people to $2.25 million in funding
for research into public
provide resources for further
discussion.
and communities. administration and public
policy issues each year, with
an emphasis on research with
practical application. ANZSOG
also appointed University of
Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Glyn
Davis AC as chair of its research
committee.
All our research aims to inform
debate and enhance the knowledge
and capability of public services in
Australia and New Zealand.
As well as ANZSOG’s research
program and the work of our
academics, our research activities
include the Evidence Base journal,
the ANU research series and
one-off collaborations on
specific issues.
CONNECT
28 Evidence and Evaluation Hub 29 John L. Alford Case Library
EVIDENCE AND JOHN L. ALFORD
EVALUATION HUB CASE LIBRARY
ANZSOG’s Evidence and Evaluation
Hub is a centre of expertise
developed to strengthen the
capacity of the public and not-for-
profit sectors to use evaluation and ANZSOG’s Case Library is a
other types of evidence to support unique resource for teaching
decision-making and practice. public management and policy
and has become the third-largest
collection in the world with nearly
Rather than seeing evaluation
as the responsibility of a 200 cases from federal, state and
few technical experts, or an
afterthought to the ‘real’ work, local governments in Australia
the Hub places an emphasis on
ensuring that evaluative thinking and New Zealand.
and evidence-informed decision
making are embedded in the ways The cases provide detailed
that organisations and people descriptions of real-world examples
work. of public management and policy
issues. They are a vital resource for
The Hub works with public ANZSOG’s courses, which use the
services and not-for-profit interactive approach known as ‘case
organisations, to evaluate specific teaching', focusing on people as
projects or policies, to strengthen decision-makers and giving practical
evaluation capacity and to shape and illustration to concepts.
conduct research into strategies
for more effective evaluation. The Case Library was started in
2004 to remedy the lack of case
The Hub designs and delivers studies relevant to our region. It was
evaluation capacity strengthening made freely available to the public
activities, including blended in 2017 as part of ANZSOG’s ongoing
learning workshops, mentoring, mission to lift the standard of public
and quality assurance. administration in Australia and New
Zealand, and offers a regularly-
updated collection of resources to
assist anyone interested in public
management. It is now named
after its founder, former ANZSOG
Professor of Public Management
John Alford, in recognition of his
contribution to the creation and
international reputation of the
Case Library.
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33 What We Do – Connect
INTERNATIONAL
ENGAGEMENT
ANZSOG’s international
ANZSOG’s international programs programs develop partnerships
and connections across the
develop partnerships and Indo-Pacific to educate,
strengthen and progress the
connections across the Indo-Pacific strategic interests of Australian
and New Zealand public sectors.
to educate, strengthen and progress
the strategic interests of Australian The programs are generally
aimed at deputy head of agency
and New Zealand public sectors. level or above from Australia,
New Zealand and international
jurisdictions. Tailored programs
for other levels of the public
sector can also be developed.
Participants learn about cultural
differences and gain first-hand
exposure to alternative models
of public sector leadership and
management, including how other
governments are approaching
similar challenges.
CHINA RECIPROCAL
PROGRAM
ANZSOG’s China Reciprocal
Program is a two-week intensive
in-country program that provides
an opportunity for Australia
and New Zealand senior public
officials to gain a deeper
understanding of China. The
program covers several major
cities in China and introduces
participants to senior Chinese
officials and explores information,
ideas, values and beliefs with
a focus on the Chinese system
of government, including
politics, the economy, and key
contemporary issues such as
the environment, industry and
social policy.
34 What We Do – Connect 35 CEO Forums
CHINA ADVANCED CEO FORUMS
LEADERSHIP
PROGRAM The program has been running
since 2006, and since 2017
has been operating under the
The China Advanced Leadership leadership of Professor Glyn Davis
Program is a three-week program AC and Dr Jeffrey Harmer AO. It
for Chinese officials, delivered in centres on strategic management
Australia and New Zealand. The techniques and how to apply
program develops productive these in the world of government.
relationships between high- It provides a forum for sharing
level public officials of Australia, knowledge and confidential
New Zealand and China, whilst discussions about some of the
providing the opportunity for most pressing issues facing
Chinese officials to learn from our Australia and New Zealand. The
approaches to leadership, policy forums include input from social
and public administration issues commentators, intellectuals
of common concern. and current and former leading
government and political
identities from Australia and
New Zealand, including former
Australian state Premiers. Due to
the success of the CEO Forum,
ANZSOG commenced a Deputies
Forum in 2018 aimed at providing
the same opportunities to public
sector deputies.
INDIA ADVANCED
LEADERSHIP
PROGRAM ANZSOG’s annual CEO Forum
brings together government
The India Advanced Leadership
Program is a unique collaboration agency heads from across
between ANZSOG, the NSW and
Victorian governments and India’s New Zealand and Australia to
Department of Personnel and
Training. Inaugurated in 2013, reflect on challenges in their
the one-week program delivered
in Melbourne and Sydney to work with the aim of improving
Indian public officials aims to
develop a positive and productive organisational practices and
relationship between high level
public officials of Australia, New performance.
Zealand and India.
36 Indigenous Engagement 37 Alumni
INDIGENOUS ALUMNI
ENGAGEMENT
ANZSOG acknowledges the ANZSOG’s alumni network is development, thought leadership
Traditional Owners of the land on one of our greatest strengths and visiting academic events
which the organisation operates and forms a powerful network organised in partnership with
and pays respect to Elders, past of influential leaders across local alumni groups.
and present. the senior levels of the public
sectors of Australia and New Many alumni play an active role in
ANZSOG is committed to working Zealand, and internationally. Our ANZSOG, by serving as program
with communities across Australia alumni community is now 3,600 mentors for current students or
and New Zealand to promote and strong and based in 37 countries, acting as Alumni Ambassadors.
prioritise the perspectives and offering a wealth of knowledge They also have the opportunity
contributions of Aboriginal and and experience. to contribute to ANZSOG’s future
Torres Strait Islander peoples direction through working groups
and M ori. ANZSOG’s alumni program helps or the Alumni Advisory Council.
our alumni to stay connected
As part of the organisation’s and build their relationships
responsibility to First Peoples, by providing professional
ANZSOG is developing programs In 2017, we partnered with Australia’s development opportunities
and research to support the and networking events. Alumni
development of better educated, Department of the Prime Minister have the chance to refresh their
informed and motivated public and Cabinet to hold the ‘Indigenous skills, knowledge and networks
sector leaders. This is relevant for by participating in professional
all members of the public service, Affairs and Public Administration:
including Aboriginal, Torres Strait Can’t we do better?’ Conference to
Islander and M ori public sector
leaders and non-Indigenous mark the 50th anniversary of the Our alumni community is
public sector leaders. Commonwealth Government’s role
ANZSOG is committed to helping
in Indigenous policy in Australia. now 3,600 strong and based
create public services that are
diverse and representative of
in 37 countries, offering a
the communities they serve. This
means public services which
The conference brought together
over 250 delegates from across wealth of knowledge and
value Indigenous culture and
knowledge, and work to recruit
Australian states, territories
and the Commonwealth, to experience.
begin to chart a positive path
and retain Indigenous public
for transformation in the public
servants at all levels.
administration of Indigenous
affairs.
ANZSOG is working with
government departments to
This was followed by the first in
create an inter-jurisdictional
a series of forums of Indigenous
network for sharing knowledge
public servants from Australia
and experience, to support
and New Zealand in Canberra,
Indigenous leadership in the
which discussed the challenges
public sector and maximise the
within the public service and the
influence of First Peoples across
benefits that could be delivered
all levels in every jurisdiction.
by employing more Indigenous
people.
ANZSOG.EDU.AU