Work with Purpose: A podcast about the Australian Public Sector

The critically important relationship between business and government in managing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a consistent theme of the Work with Purpose podcast.In this week’s episode we bring together the leaders of two organisations, one private sector, one government, who have been working in Australia’s best interests not since the beginning of the pandemic but well before.Steven Worrall is the Managing Director of Microsoft Australia. Steven joined Microsoft in March of 2014 as Director of Commercial and Public Sector markets. He previously worked for IBM for 22 years.Larry Marshall has been the CEO of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) since January 2015. CSIRO’s mission is “to solve the world's greatest challenges through innovative science and technology’’. Larry holds 20 patents and has served on 20 boards of high-tech companies operating in the United States, Australia, and China.In this week’s episode which was recorded during Science Week, Steven and Larry discuss the similarities in each others' missions and how their teams are working together in the best interests of the Australian community.Discussed in this episode: -         The importance and the role of business and government working together-         The importance of digital literacy-         The Microsoft and CSIRO collaboration -         Developing a vaccine -         ‘’Team Australias'’’ resilience in a post COVID-19 environment Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Jordan has driven major change in the Australian Tax Office since assuming his position of Commissioner in 2013. But it wasn’t his first public service role.Straight out of school, Chris followed his father into the N.S.W Police Force where he served on Sydney’s North Shore. It was the skills of observation and communication he learnt on the beat that helped him to turn the ship around. In his view, it was been the cultural “Reinvention’’ of the ATO over the past 7 years that prepared the tax office to deal with the challenges of COVID-19. Chris Jordan is effusive in his praise of his people and their leadership as they have battled with the demands of major bushfires and a global pandemic in 2020.Please enjoy our conversation with Chris Jordan.Discussed in this episode: -         Chris’s public service beginnings as a policeman -         What can the public service learn from the private sector -         Challenging the status quo -         How the ATO is preparing for the future-         What were the biggest challenges when implementing the Job Keeper program -         IPAA Future Leaders Questions  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Innovation does not stand still on ‘’Work with Purpose’’. This week we feature a conversation with IPAA Future Leaders who undertook a hackathon to explore the question “What could, or should the APS look like one year from now?” The IPAA future leaders, as you have seen from the important contribution they have made to Work with Purpose, are the best and brightest in the APS. We would encourage anyone interested in making bigger contribution to the APS to get in touch with IPAA about how to become a future leader. Today’s episode is hosted by the Assistant Commissioner of the Australian Electoral Commission, Matt McMahon who leads a discussion with Director of the Department of Finance, Holly Noble, Associate Director of KPMG, Rachel Martin, and our first returning guest in her new role as Associate Secretary of the Department of Defence, Katherine Jones PSM.  Discussed in this episode: -         Identifying the need for change and reform-         Interdepartmental governance reflections-         The first steps to taking an active role to shape and become a collaborative leader-         Maintaining resilience in a digital work environment-         Delivering old skills in a new digital world Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

National Cabinet has been one of the shining examples of collaboration in Australia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The gravity, the humanity, and the collaboration demonstrated through this process has been remarkable to observe, with people at the heart of the decisions. In this episode of Work with Purpose - A National Perspective, Sharyn O’Neill shares her experience and insights as the State Recovery Controller on Western Australia’s COIVD-19 response and recovery. She reflects on the flurry of the initial response, on the privilege she has felt in supporting the Premier in meetings of the National Cabinet, and on what the crisis has taught her about herself.  Discussed in this episode:-         The importance of understanding ‘the user experience’ when services go digital.-         The implications of ‘the digital divide’ for regional and remote communities.-         Changing mindsets around different work practices, risk appetite, and accountability.-         Rolling out a partnership approach to COVID-19 with community, business and NFP’s.-         The galvanising experience of working with the National Cabinet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clooney or Pitt? Who would play Secretary Michael Pezzullo in the movie about the change he is driving in the Department of Home Affairs?In this week’s Work with Purpose, Secretary Michael Pezzullo draws on Hollywood inspiration to describe his ambition for the Department of Home Affairs, recalls how by age 11 he had already decided on a career of public service and that the achievements of his Rugby League career at Marist Brothers Kogarah as a hard working second or front rower were “modest but improving with years’’.In a revealing and at times personal conversation, Mike Pezzullo describes the journeys of his parents from post World War Europe to Australia, the inspiration he gets from working with our political leaders and his desire to leave the APS in a better place than when he started.If you are curious about what makes Michael Pezzullo tick, then don’t miss this week’s episode of Work with Purpose.He began his public service career as a Defence department graduate in the late 80’s before heading across the lake to the International Division in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.From there it was to a coveted position on the Ministerial staff of the then Foreign Minister Gareth Evans, before serving as the deputy Chief of Staff to the then opposition leader Kim Beazley.He was made Secretary of the Department in 2014 before taking on his current role Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs in 2017. Discussed in this episode:-         An 11-year-old Secretary deciding he wanted to be a Public Servant-         The Secretary’s COVID experience thus far-         Assisting supermarkets supply systems-         Team Australia coming together-         The future of international education-         Learnings from the Defence operations Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the closing days of March this year, both the threat and impact of coronavirus had become all-too real. The disease was spreading fast, Australians were ordered home until further notice and a degree of confusion and mild panic took over. In response, the Australian Government formed the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission (NCCC) giving it a very clear remit to minimise the impact of COVID-19 on people, communities’ and business. On this week’s edition of Work with Purpose, we speak with Jane Halton AO PSM, one of the four NCCC Executive Board of Commissioners hand-picked by the Government for their expertise in government, the private and not-for-profit sectors. Jane Halton is an Australian Public service legend. During her 33 year career in the APS, she served as a secretary of the Departments of Finance and Health (and Ageing) for 15 of those years; She has gone on to Chair the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations as well as significant roles in Global Health Governance including as Chair of the board of the WHO. She is also a board member of the ANZ Bank. Her experience, networks and knowledge mean Jane is uniquely positioned to advise the government on how best to not only manage the health crisis but to restore livelihoods as quickly as possible. Discussed in this episode:-         Funding and creating the COVAX Facility -         The planned distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine-         Recognising the significance of the pandemic as it unfolded across the globe -         What the COVID-19 commission has achieved over the past 4 months-         Working with industry to streamline delivery during the pandemic-         Maintaining personal resilience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A shiny new leadership role in the Australian Public Serve and then … the implementation of 50 plus policy decisions by National Cabinet, 3 million phone calls in one day, the number of claims normally processed in years were being processed in days, the onboarding thousands of new staff, and the prospect of helping one million Australians who were about to lose their jobs.This is what faced Rebecca Skinner when she took over the leadership of Services Australia, the agency responsible for delivering government payments and services.Now while Rebecca maybe one of Australia’s most experienced public servants having held senior positions in Defence, Prime Minister and Cabinet and Attorney General’s, what she faced was unprecedented.In this week’s Work with Purpose, Rebecca Skinner shares with David Pembroke her memories of the earliest days of the Covid 19 crisis and how she prepared her team to not just cope but thrive. She reflects on the importance of sharing the load, taking it one day at a time and always remembering that no matter how bad things looked, the sun would always rise the next morning.Discussed in this episode:Managing the pressureMoving services onlineHaving one point of authoritative communicationHow to sustain the momentumHow DSS support their staff’s wellbeingCOVID-19 allowing the APS and Services Australia to demonstrate its mobility Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australia's first peoples are among Australia's most vulnerable communities.The virality of Covid 19 posted a particularly serious threat.In this episode we speak with the leaders of the National Indigenous Australians Agency to explore the decisions, partnerships and networks that were deployed to keep the people in and the virus out of our most remote communities.Ray Griggs was appointed the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of the National Indigenous Australians Agency when it was stood up as an Executive Agency on 1 July last year having earlier serviced as Associate Secretary in the Indigenous Affairs group in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.His entire career has been dedicated to the best interests of the Australian people, a commitment that continues today. Letitia Hope is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the NIAA and a proud Bundjalung Torres Strait Islander and South Pacific Islander women.The Bundjalung people are from the Northern Rivers of N.S.W.As Deputy CEO, Letitia is responsible for making stuff happen and ensuring that the NIAA is a trusted and reliable partner contributing positively to the lives of all Indigenous Australians.For the past 26 years, Letitia has served in a range of positions across both Commonwealth and State governments in both mainstream and specialised social policy development, service delivery and more recently in health.Discussed in this episode:The unique value proposition Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people bring to the APSCreating the space to have conversations about values and behavioursKeeping COVID-19 out of remote Aboriginal communitiesThe importance of food securityReinforcing the value of NIAA’s regional teamsHow to get involved in the reconciliation journey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we begin Innovation month in the Australian Public Service (July), we celebrate the creativity of public servants across the country during a time of great challenge and change.This week’s guests David Fredericks, the Secretary of the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources and Michelle Bruniges AM, Secretary of the Department of Education, Skills and Employment, reflect on the power of collective work and reaching out to colleagues in an open and transparent way.How have public servants embraced creativity to invent new solutions to the challenges of the crisis?For this episode of Work with Purpose, our guests talk about the importance of keeping an open mind, leading with curiosity and learning to manage risk.They reflect on the innovation that has been displayed within the public service this year and consider the importance of a culture where creativity is celebrated and valued.Discussed in this episode:-         The short, medium- and long-term response to COVID-19.-         Building trust and strength in relationships – the importance of working with colleagues in the public service, and counterparts in the private sector.-         Letting go of state and territory boundaries at speed, to create policy that delivers.-         How COVID-19 has created a new authorizing environment.-         Hanging on the capacity for Public Servants to pivot when needed.-         Creating a permissive environment for creativity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Integrity is the essence of public service. It captures the aspiration of the APS values (Impartial, committed to service, accountable, respectful and ethical) and sits at the heart of the its mission.In this week’s episode of Work with Purpose, we speak with three APS leaders about the importance of integrity and its impact on citizens. Angelene Falk is the Information Commissioner and Privacy Commissioner and her roles take in several functions across privacy, freedom of information and government information management.Grant Hehir is the Auditor General of Australia, a position which is an independent officer of the Parliament with responsibility for auditing Commonwealth entities and reporting to the Australian Parliament.Michael Manthorpe is the Commonwealth Ombudsman, an independent officer who safeguards the community in its dealings with the Australian Government.In this informative and entertaining discussion our three guests carefully outline their expectations of APS staff during the Covid 19 health pandemic and the importance of collaboration in a crisis.Discussed in this episode:– The importance of integrity and transparency in government– Maintaining trust between the public service and Australian citizens– Privacy and data management in government departments– Listening to citizens and dealing with complaints– Oversight organizations on managing work without impeding action– Making reports accessible– using multimedia tools to bring messages to life Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.