The Australian Government should undertake an immediate and full review to examine whether the existing structure of the social services portfolio, and the status of Services Australia as an entity, are optimal.
The Government accepts in principle this recommendation.
The Government agrees that portfolio structures should support the effective delivery of government services and programs. The Government will be guided by the Royal Commission's findings when considering the most optimal arrangement of functions and responsibilities between the Department of Social Services and agencies in the social services portfolio, and the status of Services Australia.
The APSC should, as recommended by the Thodey Review, deliver whole-of-service induction on essential knowledge required for public servants.
The Government accepts this recommendation.
The Government recognises the importance of building the skills and knowledge which are unique and essential to working in the APS.
The APS Academy, within the Australian Public Service Commission, is a networked hub of learning and development; working with APS and industry partners to build the capability and performance of the APS workforce. The APS Induction Pathway (which includes an induction training suite and mandatory modules) provides essential information and guidance to assist new and returning officers to work effectively in the APS.
Services Australia and DSS should introduce mechanisms to ensure that all new programs and schemes are developed with a customer centric focus, and that specific testing is done to ensure that recipients are at the forefront of each new initiative.
The Government accepts this recommendation.
The Government recognises the importance of designing policies and processes of government services that focus on the needs of the individuals engaging in those services. This includes making services as accessible as possible through a channel that meets the needs of the individual.
There has been a substantial change to the way Services Australia approaches service delivery. When considering a change or improvement to delivery of a service an evidence-based understanding of the needs of customers is formed based on their feedback, and with full exploration of how the proposed changes may impact them, before investment or service delivery decisions are made. Services Australia will continue to embed the customer voice in the earliest stages of decision-making, and draw on customer feedback to improve service delivery.
