Government and Executive Support Service

Government and Executive Support Service provides policy advice to the Premier in relation to executive government and machinery of government matters; support to the administration of business before the Executive Council, support services to Ministerial Offices, Assistant Ministers and the Office of the Leader of the Opposition; and fixed-wing air services to meet emergency and other aviation needs of the community and the government.

In addition, the service is involved in the management and coordination of events including the forthcoming Anzac Centenary Commemoration, state occasions, official visits and functions and whole-of-government communication activities, preparations for the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Brisbane and associated meetings in 2014, and coordination of state legal representation before various Commissions of Inquiry.

The units that contribute to this service are State Affairs, State Services, the State Coordination of Legal Representation Unit and the G20 State Coordination Unit.

During 2012-13, Government and Executive Support Service contributed to the department’s strategic planning objectives by:

• supporting the Premier as the head of executive government, and for constitutional and administrative support of Parliament
• maintaining the department’s capacity to support delivery of our services.

State Affairs

State Affairs supports the Premier as the head of executive government responsible for constitutional and administrative support of Parliament by:

• providing support and advice to the Premier on matters of parliamentary business and Community Cabinet
• supporting the administration of Queensland’s constitutional legislation, conventions and practices and associated machinery of government matters
• providing advice and support to the Governor and Executive Council
• providing support for Ministers, Assistant Ministers and ministerial offices
• promoting transparency of government decision making to internal and external stakeholders and the community
• providing strategic advice on issues of constitutional and administrative reform, and counter-terrorism and pandemic-related matters
• providing aviation services for organ retrievals, emergency search and rescue, counter-disaster operations and other official transport
• identifying opportunities to participate in and benefit from initiatives that could enhance Queensland’s political, cultural and economic relationships and provide greater access to national and international markets and decision makers
• coordinating visits by senior foreign officials and Foreign Heads of Mission to provide access to target Queensland industries and showcasing opportunities and locations that may be of mutual interest, as well as coordinating official overseas visits by the Premier
• providing advice on the application of protocol policies and procedures across Commonwealth, state and local governments and the broader community.

Achievements

• Provided effective executive support for Parliament, Cabinet and government decision-making processes, Ministers, Assistant Ministers and Ministerial Offices.
• Provided aviation services for 36 organ retrievals, emergency search and rescue, counter-disaster operations and other official transport.
• Finalised the drafting of the new Ministerial Code of Conduct in collaboration with the Integrity Commissioner, and released the code for public consultation.
• Completed a periodic review of all government boards and committees, in accordance with the recommendations of Brokering Balance: A Public Interest Map for Queensland Government Bodies.
• Provided briefing material and executive support for the Premier’s attendance at seven Community Cabinet meetings and regional visits at 19 locations throughout Queensland.
• Coordinated 54 official visits by senior foreign officials, Foreign Heads of Mission and members of the Royal Family, including the Jubilee Royal Visit of Their Highnesses The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall to Longreach.
• Coordinated 146 official functions including receptions for the Indian, Chinese and Japanese communities in Queensland and the tourism and construction sectors.
• Coordinated the Premier’s official visits to India and Papua New Guinea.
• Coordinated the swearing-in of four Ministers and three Assistant Ministers.

State Services

State Services delivers a diverse range of event and communication services and activities to promote community engagement and support government priorities and initiatives. State Services supports the Premier by maximising opportunities for Queensland through:;

• leveraging opportunities to host major events and awards by managing the whole-of-government sponsorship policy
• managing whole-of-government communication and associated contracts
• developing Queensland’s commemoration program for the Anzac Centenary during 2014-18.

Achievements

• Coordinated events in celebration of Queensland Week and Australia Day and in support of flood-affected regions through Rise and Shine Queensland.
• Continued to leverage opportunities for events and continued to manage sponsorships and whole-of-government communication.
• Continued to identify opportunities for coordinated and cost-effective communication through the implementation of various whole-of-government initiatives, such as trials of centralised media monitoring and statewide information newsletters.
• Provided marketing and communication advice and support to the Australian Red Cross in relation to the Flood Disaster Relief Appeal, and to the whole-of-government in relation to the rebuild and recovery effort for the 2012 floods.
• Established and provided ongoing support to the Queensland Advisory Committee for the Commemoration of the Anzac Centenary (QACCAC), comprising broad community representation and providing advice to the government on how Queensland might commemorate the Anzac Centenary.

State Coordination of Legal Representation Unit

The State Coordination of Legal Representation Unit (the Unit) coordinates whole-of-government instructions and provides legal advice in relation to Commissions of Inquiry and corresponding legal issues. The Unit has provided instructions to the state’s legal representatives and legal advice within the department about matters that include the:

• Queensland Child Protection Commission of Inquiry
• Queensland Health Payroll System Commission of Inquiry
• Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
• Queensland Racing Commission of Inquiry.

Achievements

• Worked with other Queensland Government departments to coordinate instructions for the Queensland Child Protection Commission of Inquiry.

G20 State Coordination Unit

The G20 2014 Leaders’ Summit will be held in Brisbane on 15 and 16 November 2014. Queensland will also host the G20 Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ meetings in Cairns on 20 and 21 September 2014.

The G20 Leaders’ Summit will be the most significant gathering of world leaders ever hosted in Australia. In preparation for these events, the G20 State Coordination Unit:

• provides support to the Australian Government G20 Taskforce on operational and logistical planning for the G20 meetings
• coordinates all Queensland Government activities in support of the meetings
• coordinates activities to leverage and maximise the opportunities and benefits for Queensland as the host state.

Achievements

• Developed and implemented state G20 governance arrangements including establishment of the State G20 Steering Committee.
• Negotiated Australian Government funding of jurisdictional security costs associated with hosting the G20 in Queensland.
• Managed and coordinated the delivery of state government services in support of planning for G20-related meetings and events.

Future directions for Government and Executive Support Service

• Continue to provide effective executive support for Parliament, Cabinet and government decision-making processes, Ministers, Assistant Ministers and Ministerial Offices.
• Continue to provide aviation services for organ retrievals, emergency search and rescue, counter-disaster operations and other official transport.
• Continue to identify leveraging opportunities for major events, including the Anzac Centenary Commemoration, and continue to manage sponsorships and whole-of-government communication.
• Continue to coordinate official functions and official visits by senior foreign officials and Foreign Heads of Mission.
• Continue to coordinate state legal representation before Commissions of Inquiry, including coordinating the government’s response to the Queensland Child Protection Commission of Inquiry, which will chart a roadmap for child protection for the next decade.
• Continue to coordinate preparations for the 2014 G20 Leaders’ Summit in Brisbane and Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ meetings in Cairns.

During 2012-13 Government and Executive Support Service achieved the following results:

Notes:

1. This is a demand driven measure. Decreased number of Minutes reflects lower than average number brought to the Governor-in-Council.
2. Training days have been reduced reflecting savings strategies of the current government.
3. Air Wing activity is demand-driven and fluctuates in line with need.
4. Increase in events reflects Queensland Music Festival and Rise and Shine tour events held in May 2013.
5. Figure represents requests by the Premier for more keynote speeches and fewer representative speeches.

Official travel in Government Air Wing aircraft

Note: figures may not add exactly due to rounding.

Note: figures may not add exactly due to rounding.

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