Work with Purpose: A podcast about the Australian Public Sector

Australia, like all countries, has experienced rapid change over the last few years which has altered people's expectations of government and the way they access government services. A new government at the federal level also means change – a need to adapt to new priorities, connect with stakeholders and build new relationships. In this latest episode, we’re joined by Australian Public Service (APS) veterans, Andrew Podger AO, Professor of Public Policy at the Australian National University, and Carmel McGregor PSM, Adjunct Professor at the University of Canberra. They discuss:What the APS can expect from the new government.A new reform agenda.Future directions for the public service.Building more effective relationships between public service and academia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meetings can consume a large part of our working day, so we expect them to be productive and meaningful. While many of us ‘endure’ hours of seemingly wasteful meeting time, we need to remember that meetings are essentially a platform for unlocking the potential of people working collectively. They are a place where organisational culture forms and takes hold. In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Sean Innis, Principal of Damala St Consulting and Fellow of the Australian Studies Institute at the Australian National University, and Dr Subho Banerjee, Deputy CEO, Research and Advisory at the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG). They speak with Megan Aponte-Payne, IPAA ACT Future Leaders Committee Member, on designing and conducting meetings that work for you and for your organisation. Discussed in this episode:Improving meeting effectiveness.Striking a balance between being well prepared and adaptive in meetings.Structuring meetings to enhance organisational culture.Replicating ‘corridor chats’ in virtual meetings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are currently experiencing a reset of the strategic order and rules that have governed our region for more than 70 years. China is challenging American dominance. We’re seeing the rise of other powers such as India and Indonesia, and a more assertive Japan. This, compounded with climate change, stress on the natural systems and food sources, has created a strategic environment that Australia hasn't had to deal with before. Policy makers – in fact all Australians - need to reconsider how we operate in the region, how we contribute, how we exercise leadership and what role we will play in responding to these enormous changes.This episode is a special one, as it was recorded shortly before the untimely passing of Brendan Sargeant. Brendan was the Professor of Practice in Defence and Strategic Studies and Head of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the Australian National University (ANU), former Associate Secretary of Defence, and long-time supporter and Deputy President of IPAA ACT. In the episode, Brendan is joined by Katherine Mansted, Director of Cyber Intelligence and Public Policy at CyberCX and Senior Fellow at the ANU’s National Security College. Discussed in this episode:A rapidly changing Asia-Pacific region and its impact on Australia.Articulating difficult conversations to develop a robust sense of defence in a complex time.The impact of climate change on the strategic order.The APS response. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The devastating 1926 Australian east coast bushfires were a critical point in history that highlighted the imperative for governments to collaborate across jurisdictions. At that time, Victoria and New South Wales worked together to establish insurance populations of species to ensure their ongoing survival.Over 100 years on, and with a whole new spectrum of environmental issues at the fore, all levels of governments are still refining how to work together to get the best outcomes for their own jurisdictions, Australian citizens and the environment.In this week’s episode we are joined by Kate Lynch, the First Assistant Secretary of the Environment Protection division at the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and Warrick McGrath, the Director of Biodiversity Regulatory Reform at the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water, and Planning. Listen as they explore the topic of working across jurisdictions on environment, policy, and regulation.Discussed in this episode:The importance of relationships and trust.Collaborating across governments while maintaining jurisdictional loyalty.The role of Local Government.Tips for working with stakeholders on environmental policies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before the pandemic, the APSC reported that 22% of APS employees were working from home or utilising flexible working arrangements. As we all know, when COVID-19 hit the nation, this number grew substantially to 56%. In 2022 Australians are slowly learning how to work in the context of the pandemic. This means that for many flexible working arrangements are becoming the norm, including those in the APS. So, the question is posed, do we have to be in the office or even the same city as our office in order to work effectively and efficiently?In this week’s episode we are joined by Duncan Young, General Manager of the Census and Data Acquisition Division at the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Ali Jenkins, Senior Executive at the APS Reform Office at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Listen as they both share how they are leading teams in Canberra, remotely from Tasmania.Discussed in this episode:·        The pluses and minuses of working remotely to your team.·        Key tips for remote working.·        Maintaining professional relationships from a distance.·        The future of flexible working.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

COVID-19 has accelerated the uptake of digital technology and brought about a greater awareness of wellbeing and productivity, particularly in times of crisis. It has forced a new way of working for teams, organisations and individuals. So, what are the lessons that we've learned from the past couple of years and what do we need to do to ensure that we can create and sustain high performing organisations throughout this time of change? What are the building blocks for improving performance and productivity and how do we manage and sustain not just our own performance, but the performance of the people who we lead at this time?In this week’s episode we are joined by two former federal APS Departmental Secretaries who are now part of the team at Proximity. Glenys Beauchamp PSM is the Principal Advisor of Proximity’s health and industry practices and Kerri Hartland is a Principal Advisor and Chair of their Advisory Board. Listen as they chat to David Pembroke, contentgroup Founder and CEO, in a conversation originally recorded as a webinar between contentgroup and Proximity. Discussed in this episode:·        New ways of problem solving. ·        The importance of planning, no matter the situation.·        Risk management and mitigation in the APS.·        The APS response to misinformation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The vast majority of public servants behave respectfully and civilly to their colleagues, but employee surveys of public servants across the country repeatedly show that bullying and harassment is still a significant issue. There is strong evidence that it weakens institutions, undermines productivity and innovation and poisons workplace culture. So, what does workplace bullying and harassment look like and what can be done to tackle it and make sure that we have safe and respectful workplaces in the public sector.In this week’s episode we are joined by Victorian Public Sector Commissioner, Adam Fennessey PSM, Vice-Chancellor and President at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst, Renee Leon PSM and President of IPAA National, Dr Gordon de Brouwer PSM. Listen as they are interviewed by guest host, Clare Walsh, the Deputy Secretary of Business Enabling Services at the Department of Finance and Councillor at IPAA ACT.Discussed in this episode:·        What makes a healthy workplace culture.·        The current state of bullying and harassment in the APS.·        Varied approaches to tackling workplace bullying·        The impact this has on the APS. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One in three Australian women have experienced physical violence. One in four Australian women have experienced violence by an intimate partner. One in five Australian women have experienced sexual violence. These statistics merely touch the sides of a very serious and significant problem. The Government is now in the consultation stage for the 2022-2032 National Action Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children. Drawing on experience and lessons learnt from the current National Plan, a wealth of expertise from across agencies, jurisdictions and sectors, and a contemporary post-COVID way of working, the new National Plan is shaping up to further close the gap on violence against women through a range of initiatives.In this week’s episode we are joined by the Co-chairs of the National Plan Advisory Group, Alison Frame, Deputy Secretary of the Social Policy Group at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and Liz Hefren-Webb, Deputy Secretary of Families and Communities at the Department of Social Services.Discussed in this episode:·        Domestic violence in Australia.·        The focus of the 2022-2032 National Plan.·        Leveraging architectural changes and Government responsiveness brought about by COVID.·        Bolstering outcomes through collaborations and major cross-cutting strategies.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The number of women in the field of economics in Australia is unproportionally low. How can we address this issue and encourage more women to work in the field of economics? And what are the consequences if we don’t?In this week’s episode we are joined by Cherelle Murphy, Chief Economist at Austrade, and Dr Leonora Risse, Senior Lecturer in Economics at RMIT University and National Chair of the Women in Economics Network. Discussed in this episode:Creating a career in economics.Improving gender equality in economics in the public sector.Applying the ‘gender lens’ on economic analysis and policy design.The future of women in economics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy Holidays! It’s been a big year for the APS and we hope you all have a restful and well deserved break. Here at WWP we are also taking a much needed break. We will be back in your ears shortly, but in the meantime here is one of our favourites from the year, an insightful conversation on indigenous communications with Letitia Hope, Ray Griggs and Justine O’Brien.Happy listening and enjoy the break.Discussed in this episode:Engaging and connecting with Indigenous audiences.Cadence of partnerships and place-based relationships.Government as an enabler.Importance of all public servants recognising the impact they can have in their Agency. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.