Review of the Australian Government’s use of Information and Communication Technology
Submission to Management Advisory Committee on Innovation in the Public Service
In “Powering Ideas – An Innovation Agenda for the 21st Century”, it specifically states:
“Public sector innovation
The Australian Government must lead the national innovation system by example, embracing new and better ways to develop policy, deliver services, and manage information —both on its own account and through its partners in the community sector. It can also use its procurement powers to stimulate innovation in the private sector.
With this in mind, the Australian Government will…
§ Take advice from the Australian Public Service Management Advisory Committee and the Australian National Audit Office on how the public sector can implement the recommendations of the Review of the National Innovation System.
§ Use public procurement to drive research, innovation and technology development by Australian firms —building on the new Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines released in December 2008.
§ Take steps to develop a more coordinated approach to Commonwealth information management, innovation, and engagement involving the Australian Government Information Management Office and other federal agencies.
§ Consider options for reforming the Australian patent system to increase innovation, investment and trade; and supporting intellectual property education for researchers and business.
§ Improve the management and regulation of biotechnology and nanotechnology to maximise community confidence and community benefits from the use of new technology —starting with a new National Enabling Technologies Strategy.”
In the “Advancing Public Sector Innovation – A discussion paper for the public sector innovation Management Advisory Committee project August 2009”, it raises many questions and problems inherent in the public service currently with regards to fostering innovation.
The Public Service is overly risk-averse. Its whole structure, its goals, its methods, the roles of people who work in it, the tasks given to people, are all designed to avoid risk and maintain the status quo, apart from a few new programs which are often remakes of old programs. Even when they are not, they are contracted out on the false assumption that government cannot do it more cheaply or effectively.
Take the whole internal structure of the Public Service for example. It consists of, in the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, a few APS5’s and 6’s, a whole lot of EL1’s and 2’s and a bloated number of SES staff, ostensibly there to manage EL-level staff who in turn manage APS-level staff. SES level managers are also supposed to be more “strategic” and more “high level policy thinkers”, whereas lower levels implement their ideas. But how many levels are really needed to accomplish this? Just how “high level” or “strategic” is their thinking?
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The Gershon Review
In 2008 Sir Peter Gershon reviewed and reported on the efficiency and effectiveness of the Australian Government’s current use and management of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The purpose of this review was to determine whether the Government is realising the greatest return from its investments in ICT. A key feature of the review was a consideration of how well the Government is recruiting, developing and retaining key ICT skills.
Sir Peter’s report provided a comprehensive and detailed analysis of a wide range of issues affecting the Government’s use of ICT, and also outlined a staged plan for the implementation of specific recommendations. The recommendations related to six key areas including: governance, capability, ICT spend, ICT skills, data centres and sustainable ICT.
Cross-agency ICT Skills Working Group
A cross agency ICT skills team from the Australian Public Service Commission in partnership with the Australian Government Information Management Office has been established. The team is responsible for the implementation of the recommendations relating to enhancing the APS ICT skills base.
The Commission has the lead responsibility for implementing two recommendations of the review. The two recommendations refer to the development of;
- A whole-of-government ICT career pathway to enhance the ICT capabilities of APS staff.
- A whole-of-government strategic ICT workforce plan to assist agencies to better manage their ICT workforce.
Strategic ICT Workforce Plan
The strategic workforce plan will detail the current capacity and capability of the APS ICT workforce, identify the anticipated movement of these factors in the short to medium term, and also outline the shifts in capability and capacity required to help agencies effectively deliver Government priorities.
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The strategic workforce plan will include strategies to address any capacity and capability gaps identified as a result of the strategic analysis, demand forecasting, and supply forecasting that is undertaken. Stakeholder inputs, including from agencies and APS employees will be an important source for strategy development. The workforce plan will also include whole-of-government strategies for the improved recruitment, retention and engagement of ICT personnel.
The plan will be released in early 2010.
The ICT Workforce Planning and Capability Assessment: Employee Survey is now closed.
The Commission in conjunction with ORIMA research is currently conducting the Agency ICT Workforce Planning and Capability Survey.
ICT Career Pathway
The career pathway aims to support ICT employees in the APS with their career planning and capability development. The pathway will deliver a toolset, which will include: capability profiles; self assessment tools; career transition tools; and learning and development options. The toolset will be available to all APS staff online.
The ICT career pathway will be released in late 2009.
Review of the Australian Government’s use of Information and Communication Technology
The Review of the Australian Government’s use of Information and Communication Technology made several recommendations targeted at enhancing the management of the Australian Public Service (APS) ICT skills base:
- creation of a whole-of-government ICT career structure
- development and maintenance of a whole-of-government strategic ICT workforce plan
- implementation of a series of leadership events to promote greater understanding of ICT issues at senior levels of government
- establishment of a whole-of-government tele-working policy
- sponsorship of annual ICT awards.
A cross-agency team from the Australian Public Service Commission (Commission) and the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO) is working to deliver these objectives.
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