Policy Advice, Coordination and Cabinet Support

Policy Advice, Coordination and Cabinet Support (PACCS) is made up of Policy Division Strategic Policy and Intergovernmental Relations, and Cabinet Support.

The following table provides results against targets for PACCS for 2014–15:

Notes:

1. This service standard informs on overall satisfaction levels with the quality, timeliness and support provided by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet and is derived from an annual client survey. Customers are Ministers, Directors-General and their agency’s Cabinet Legislation and Liaison Officers and Senior Policy Officers.
2. This service standard measures costs incurred by the department in coordinating two-day Community Cabinet meetings in regional and rural Queensland. Costs of coordinating the meetings, such as venue and equipment hire, as well as costs associated with staff preparing for and attending the events, such as salary, travel and accommodation, are included in the measure.

Policy Division and Strategic Policy and Intergovernmental Relations Division provide advice on social, legal, economic, environment, intergovernmental relations and performance policy. The divisions do this through detailed briefings to the Premier on all matters before Cabinet as well as coordinating a broad range of whole-of-government activities.

Cabinet Support is provided through Cabinet Services. Cabinet Services’ key roles include the provision of expert advice to facilitate the operation of Cabinet and its related processes in the administration of all Cabinet information, custodianship of Cabinet records from current and previous governments and direct logistical support to Ministers in Cabinet meetings.

This service contributed to the department’s 2014–18 Strategic Plan objectives to:

• provide the Premier and Cabinet with independent, rigorous and forwardlooking policy advice
• lead a resilient, innovative public sector
• strengthen organisational capability and agility
• deliver a long-term strategic vision for Queensland.

The Public Sector Renewal performance measures for 2014–15 (discontinued):

Notes:

1. On 12 March 2015, the Public Sector Renewal Board was dissolved. Consistent with this decision, implementation of Commission of Audit activities and other Public Sector Renewal Program initiatives have ceased.

Case study

Addressing alcohol-fuelled violence

The government’s alcohol-fuelled violence initiatives aim to improve community safety in Queensland’s entertainment precincts through a multi-faceted approach incorporating innovative solutions to address this complex issue. This has involved the development of a range of policies and initiatives designed to change the current culture associated with excessive and risky alcohol consumption, improve the safety of patrons while out in Queensland’s entertainment precincts and reestablish social norms, standards and expectations in relation to alcohol consumption and behaviour in public.

Social Policy coordinated the development and implementation of a range of initiatives that spanned the spectrum of mandatory education for high school students and social marketing, to effective management of late night entertainment precincts and increased penalties for criminal behaviour and effective policing responses. To truly address alcohol-fuelled violence and, more broadly, all alcohol-related harm there was a need to understand Queenslanders’ relationship with alcohol. Extensive market research commenced in September 2014 to provide an overarching framework of understanding that could be used to drive behaviour change in Queenslanders’ alcohol consumption.

The results to date have been fascinating. They’ve demonstrated the complexity of Australia’s drinking culture and the many challenges we face to combat this. Qualitative research found that the most ommon drinking risk is drinkers who engage in a combination of binge drinking and regular weekday drinking. It occurs mostly in the 25–44 year old age groups, but extends across all ages with males dominating.

A multi-stage marketing strategy is currently being developed by the department’s Communication Services and Social Policy teams, in collaboration with key government agencies, to address Queenslanders’ drinking behaviour and affect long-term culture change. In 2015–16, DPC’s Social Policy and Communication Services teams will continue to work with key agencies to deliver on the government’s commitments under the tackling alcohol-fuelled violence agenda. The research to date will help inform the action to conduct a multimedia education and awareness campaign that targets young people on safe drinking practices and the impacts of alcohol-fuelled violence.

Key achievements for 2014–15

• Coordinated the implementation of the Safe Night Out Strategy and worked with other agencies to implement the government’s policies to address continuing concerns about alcohol-related violence.
• Provided leadership in the development of the whole-of-government response to the Special Taskforce on Domestic and Family Violence’s report Not Now, Not Ever – Putting an End to Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland and developed a draft Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Strategy.
• Worked with the Department of Education and Training to establish the inaugural Queensland Education Accord, a new state school resourcing framework that enhances transparency and student outcomes, and implemented the Great teachers = Great results and expanded Independent Public School programs.
• Prepared an overarching Program Management Plan to control and monitor the implementation of recommendations from the Queensland Child Protection Commission of Inquiry, led the implementation of key recommendations, and worked closely with the new Queensland Family and Child Commission to develop an evaluation framework.
• Implemented a strategic framework, developed policy and delivered operational solutions for the whole-of-government response to eliminate criminal motorcycle gangs from Queensland.
• Finalised the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan, through the Environment Taskforce for the Great Barrier Reef.
• Finalised and launched The Queensland Plan in July 2014 which led to The Queensland Plan Act 2014, and supported The Queensland Plan Ambassadors Council to advocate for the plan’s implementation by the community, business and industry.
• Supported the Premier at the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meetings.

Future directions for 2015–16

• Lead the Queensland Government response to the Australian Government’s White Paper on Developing Northern Australia through the whole-of-government Interdepartmental Committee.
• Provide secretariat support to the Advance Queensland Interdepartmental Committee, which provides strategic oversight and supporting program delivery to foster entrepreneurship and create knowledge-based jobs of the future in Queensland.
• Co-lead the development of Queensland’s Climate Change Policy Framework and Adaptation Strategy.
• Develop and coordinate a whole-of-government biofutures strategy.
• Deliver the following initiatives:
  • a series of North Queensland business roundtables
  • the Premier’s Business Advisory Council
  • the Northern Queensland Economic Summit.
• Provide leadership in the implementation and coordination of:
  • Queensland’s input into the development of the National Ice Action Strategy, and facilitate Queensland led responses to address the issue of ice in the community including a state-wide awareness campaign
  • the whole-of-government response to the report of the Special Taskforce on Domestic and Family Violence, Not Now, Not Ever – Putting an End to Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland.
• Support the development and implementation of the whole-of-government program to reform the child protection system.
• Support the Premier at COAG meetings, with particular focus on Federation and Tax Reform.

Case study

Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan

Released on 21 March 2015, the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan was developed by the Queensland and Australian governments to guide the collaborative management of the Great Barrier Reef over the next 35 years. The plan is the most comprehensive ever developed for management of a marine World Heritage Area anywhere in the world.

The Environment Taskforce within Strategic Policy and Intergovernmental Relations was responsible for leading the Queensland Government’s contribution to the drafting of the plan and collaborating with the Australian Government on all associated matters, including detailed presentations to the World Heritage Committee technical advisers.

The plan was built on the best available science and seeks to address gaps for future management of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The targets are tangible and measurable. The plan uses an adaptive management approach, establishing monitoring, reporting and review processes to ensure the success of the plan is measured and revised to achieve continuous improvement in outcomes.

Fostering and maintaining effective relationships with Australian Government representatives, external stakeholders such as the World Wildlife Fund, the Queensland Resources Council, and international bodies advising the World Heritage Committee was key to the success of this project.

The confidence of the partnership group was retained through open and transparent communication of the Queensland Government’s objectives and preferences, while seeking to act in response to all reasonable requests of the group.

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