Work with Purpose: A podcast about the Australian Public Sector

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 intriguing conversation on leadership in times of crisis with Dr David Gruen and Dr Ken Henry AC.Happy listening and enjoy the break.Discussed in this episode:Importance of open and regular communication with staff.Balancing personal values vs. corporate ones.How leaders can learn from crisesExamples of effective crisis communications Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The COVID-driven surge to working from home has given us a taste of what different ways of working can look like. Many are enjoying the flexibility, balance, autonomy and other benefits of not working within the constraints of the nine to five office environment. As we come out of the pandemic many workplaces, including the public sector, are trying to figure how to effectively incorporate working from home into business as usual. How do we stay productive when working from home? How do we ensure parity of experience to colleagues the office?In this week’s episode we are joined by Associate Professor of Human Resource Management at the School of Business, UNSW, Dr Sue Williamson and Chair of the Productivity Commission, Michael Brennan. Discussed in this episode:Policy implications of a home-based workforce.Considerations including gender equality and team cohesion.Workplace flexibility beyond the home office.Happiness and wellbeing in a hybrid workforce. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

COVID-19 has obviously had a huge impact on Australia. House prices have gone up, offices have moved to home, school has become virtual and let’s not forget the great toilet paper crisis of 2020. Every government department has been working hard to embrace this impact and more importantly begin thinking about how to recover from it moving forward. The infrastructure sector is no stranger to this. Spanning from transport, cities and communications, the pandemic has certainly reshaped its future. So what will the future look like and who are the key players behind it all?In this weeks episode we are joined by Deputy Secretary of Regional, Cities and Territories at the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, Dr Rachel Bacon Director-General at Transport Canberra and City Services, Alison Playford. Listen as they chat with guest host, Michael Sanese, Senior Manager at PwC from IPAA ACT’s Future Leaders Committee about the impact COVID has had in the infrastructure sector.Discussed in this episode:Australia’s infrastructure landscapeCOVID-19 recovery plansManaging supply and demandLeading in a crisis Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The role of the Australian Public Service, as defined in the Public Service Act 1999, is to apolitically, efficiently and effectively serve the Government, the Parliament and the Australian people. With this in mind, what is the role of the APS at Federal election time? What processes and procedures does the APS need to follow to keep the cogs of government turning while continuing to serve key stakeholders during caretaker periods? In this episode we're joined by Dr Stein Helgeby the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Peter Rush, Assistant Secretary of Parliamentary and Government at Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Rina Bruinsma First Assistant Commissioner at the Australian Public Service Commission and Katrina di Marco, First Assistant Secretary of Tax Analysis division at The Treasury.Discussed in this episode:An overview of caretaker conventions.The role of the Parliamentary Budget Office.The relationship between the APS and Ministerial offices.Staying apolitical. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For almost two years Australia’s border has been closed off to the rest of the world to help protect Australia from COVID-19. Closing this border was not an easy task and opening it won’t be either. Australia’s Border Force are the ones that are set with these difficult tasks. Working day and night, these important members of the APS help protect Australia from an array of pests and diseases, and more recently, COVID-19.In this weeks episode we are joined by Michael Outram, Commissioner at the Australian Border Force, as we discuss the important work the ABF has been doing to help keep Australia safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discussed in this episode:The ABF’s COVID-19 responseChallenges faced during the pandemicSteps being taken to reopen Australia’s borderTechnologies used in the ABF to help keep Australian’s safe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special edition of Work with Purpose brought to you by the IPAA ACT EA Committee, we explore what is involved in the role of an EA. What do they do in their day-to-day role? What made them want to be an EA and why should others consider working in these roles that are vital to the running of our APS?In this weeks episode we are joined by Martin Elliffe, Office Manager for Rachel Stephen-Smith, the ACT Minister for Health, Rhana Crago, Executive Assistant to Rosemary Huxtable, the Secretary of the Department of Finance and Courtney Djerke, Executive Assistant at MinterEllison. Listen as they chat to Executive Assistant to Randall Brugeaud, Head of Simplified Trade System Implementation Taskforce and Deputy Chair of IPAA’s ACT EA Committee, Alyssa Broomby about the important work they do in their roles as Executive Assistants. Discussed in this episode:How lockdown has impacted the roles of EA’sManaging a healthy work life balanceSupporting mental health of others in your teamPractice advice for others working in the field Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

According to the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC), only 4% of the APS workforce identifies with having a disability. Why is this and what can be done to change this statistic to help make the APS a more enabling, collaborative and a more inclusive workplace for those with a disability?In this weeks episode of Work with Purpose episode we are joined by Catherine Seaberg, Assistant Commissioner leading the inclusion group at the APSC and Cain Beckett, Assistant Secretary of Policy Projects and Taskforces at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet as they discuss improving employment outcomes for those with a disability in the APS.Discussed in this episode:Reflections on personal experience of working with a disability in the APSAdvocacy and the STEPtember initiativeWhat is being done to make the APS more inclusiveThe APS Disability Employment Strategy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Now more than ever, public servants are being encouraged to take up mobility opportunities and learn from the different experiences offered within the public sector. The benefits of having an open growth mindset and a genuine commitment to understanding different workplace contexts, help us to be more flexible in our roles, and better prepares us for managing the different pathways that our careers take. Diversity of thought and experience also makes for a well-rounded leader.This special Future Leaders inspired Work with Purpose episode is built around the concept of a how to make an impact in the first 90 days in a new job, within the context of transitioning across the private and public sectors. Guests Jill Charker, Associate Partner, at McKinsey & Company and Stephen Barrow-Yu, Assistant Secretary of Performance, Safety and Integrity at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, speak with Holly Noble, Director, Strategic Planning and Performance at the Department of Finance, and Chair of IPAA ACT’s Future Leaders Committee.Discussed in this episode:The importance of growth and broadening horizonsManaging career change and adjusting to new rolesCross sector relationships and leadership learnings from other sectors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The pandemic has arguably compelled Australia’s public sector to grow and transform in a way as never seen before. It is more modern, flexible, fit for purpose and up to the task. It should be proud of its stewardship role looking after Australia’s health, social and economic needs throughout COVID-19. Yet there is always more room to grow.In this episode we are joined by Simon Atkinson, Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications as he is interviewed by Michael Manthorpe PSM, Commonwealth Ombudsman as part of IPAA’s Secretary Series. Discussed in this episode:Public sector diversity.Systems leadership.Mega projects.Importance of self-reflection and growth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Public Service Medal (PSM) pays tribute to public servants who have gone above and beyond to deliver. It pays homage to outstanding service, including service excellence, innovation, leadership and other achievements. In this episode we’re joined by Paul Way PSM, Director General at the Department of Defence, Dr Ros Baxter PSM, Deputy Secretary at the Department of Education, Skills and Employment and Caroline Edwards PSM, former Associate Secretary at the Department of Health and IPAA ACT Councillor. Hosted by journalist Adjunct Professor at the University of Canberra, Virginia Haussegger AM, they explore the meaning behind and significance of Public Service Medals.Discussed in this episode:Panellists’ reflections on being awarded the PSM Inspiration in the public serviceThe PSM nomination process Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.