Better coordination and service delivery
On 26 March, Premier Anna Bligh announced that the Queensland Public Service would undergo its most sweeping and significant reform in almost two decades with the existing 23 stand-alone government departments reduced to 13.
Ms Bligh said similar or complementary departments would be grouped together under six clusters encompassing 13 'super departments' to allow better coordination of services.
'There will be employment security under the restructure with any efficiency savings redirected to front-line services,' Ms Bligh said.
The six clusters (see table below right) are Policy and Fiscal Coordination; Employment and Economic Development; Environment and Sustainable Resource Management; Social Development; Law, Justice and Safety; and Government Services.
The new departments are Premier and Cabinet; Treasury; Health; Employment, Economic Development and Innovation; Infrastructure and Planning; Transport and Main Roads; Environment and Resource Management; Communities; Education and Training; Justice and Attorney- General; Police; Community Safety; and Public Works.
The important thing for public servants, and the way these changes differ from previous MOG arrangements, is that this creates a separation between departmental responsibilities and ministerial portfolio arrangements. This should result in a more robust departmental structure going forward, with less need for structural changes based around ministerial re-shuffles in the future.
Director-General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet Ken Smith said the creation of the new departments will deliver more coordinated planning and delivery of services for the Queensland community.
'This provides us with an opportunity for greater integration and effectiveness of service delivery to the community and for more cohesive policy development and implementation across Government,' Mr Smith said.
Each of the 13 departments will be lead by a Director-General. Directors-General in some departments with discreet functions that require high-level executive leadership will be supported by Associate Directors-General drawn from the ranks of the existing Directors-General.
A transition team chaired by the Public Service Commission has been appointed to coordinate the move to the new arrangements.
With the revised structure there will be ongoing recognition of specific functions including Child Safety, Parks and Wildlife Services, Primary Industries and others.
The DG of each department will keep you informed as arrangements within their department are finalised.
Departments and their Directors-General
Premier and Cabinet - DG: Ken Smith
Queensland Treasury - DG: Gerard Bradley
Employment, Economic Development and Innovation - Acting DG: Peter Henneken
Infrastructure and Planning - DG: Colin Jensen
Transport and Main Roads - DG: Dave Stewart
Environment and Resource Management - Acting DG: John Bradley
Communities - DG: Linda Apelt
Education and Training - Acting DG: Julie Grantham
Health - DG: Mick Reid
Justice and Attorney-General - DG: Rachel Hunter
Police - Commissioner Bob Atkinson
Community Safety - DG: Jim McGowan
Public Works - DG: Mal Grierson
Structure of the Queensland Government, April 2009
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Last reviewed: 17 July, 2009
Last updated: 22 July, 2009
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