Strategy and Engagement

Strategy and Engagement division takes a leadership role in driving future‑focused and whole-of-government policy, representing Queensland’s best interests in intergovernmental matters, leading strategic communication, and maximising external engagement for the Queensland Government.

The division leads Queensland’s future-focused strategy and policy development, and supports the delivery of the government’s priorities, including the Advance Queensland agenda. Strategy and Engagement performs a mix of critical functions including intergovernmental relations, strategic policy, integrated communications, protocol, events coordination and executive correspondence management.

Key achievements for 2016–17

• Led the planning and delivery of whole‑of‑government communication involving stakeholder and community engagement programs, advertising direction and crisis communication. Achievements include:
  • delivering critical community communication campaigns, comprising:
    • Domestic and Family Violence ‘Stop the Hurting’ youth campaign
    • The Ice Regional Community Engagement Summit
    • ‘We Are Queensland’ social cohesion campaign
    • ‘Go Local’ campaign in response to Tropical Cyclone Debbie Recovery
  • leading the development of the new Smart Savings website to assist Queenslanders to access more concessions and rebates
  • leading the Heads of Communication Network to drive the planning and delivery of whole‑of‑government communication, strategic stakeholder community engagement programs, digital engagement and crisis communication
  • managing the Government Advertising and Communication Committee process to ensure rigour around government advertising and leading the response to the Queensland Audit Office report into government advertising.
• Led and advised best practice event delivery and sponsorship strategy, for internal and external clients. Achievements include:
  • managing the Queensland Government’s role in the inaugural Maroon Festival, celebrating Queensland pride ahead of the State of Origin, and the first Myriad Festival in the southern hemisphere, bringing together some of the world’s most innovative minds
  • welcoming 100 Foreign Heads of Mission in Cairns and facilitating a Far North Queensland showcase highlighting local companies with international expertise
  • establishing the Sponsorship and Events Advisory Group to provide a coordinated approach to assessment and implementation of outgoing sponsorships, ensuring value for money investments for the Queensland Government
  • managing 32 outgoing sponsorship relationships including major events, driving key objectives of the Queensland Government such as social cohesion and innovation
  • delivering a range of events and engagement celebration programs, including a program of events across the state celebrating Australia Day 2017 and Queensland Day 2017
  • celebrating outstanding Queenslanders through delivery of significant award programs, including:
    • 2016 Premier’s Awards for Excellence to recognise the Queensland public service
    • 2017 Queensland Australian of the Year Awards on behalf of the National Australia Day Council
    • 2017 Queensland Reconciliation Awards to recognise initiatives advancing reconciliation
    • 2017 Queensland Greats Awards to recognise long-term achievement and dedication.
• Performed a leadership and coordination role across government to deliver future-focused strategic policy and ensure Queensland is well positioned to address government-wide issues through intergovernmental forums, in particular the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). Achievements include:
  • establishing a COAG taskforce and the Interdepartmental Committee for Intergovernmental Relations to drive whole‑of‑government engagement on national and state policy matters
  • leading Queensland’s engagement in the COAG Summit to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children, and the 2017 Annual Queensland Government—Australian Defence Force Consultative Forum
  • leading the Queensland Government’s response to the Australian Government’s Foreign Policy White Paper
  • ensuring Queensland’s best interests were strongly represented in COAG and other intergovernmental forums across a range of significant issues including education, critical infrastructure, health and hospital funding, the National Disability Insurance Scheme, domestic violence, Closing the Gap, housing and homelessness, energy, and national security
  • leading the negotiation and engagement with the Commonwealth Government and other jurisdictions on amendments to important national agreements, and the development of new national agreements, particularly in the areas of health and education
  • supporting the Queensland Plan Ambassadors Council to perform their duties in relation to the Queensland Plan
  • developing the Queensland Plan 2015–16 Annual Progress Report to demonstrate the government’s progress on implementing the Queensland Plan
  • supporting best practice policy making and program design by partnering with departments, researchers, industry and community organisations to highlight emerging policy trends and issues and build strategic policy capacity
  • managing the whole-of-government Strategic Policy Network to share information and coordinate policy development across government.
• Provided strategic advice and coordination of the Premier’s three official overseas visits and 27 official functions, including annual functions recognising Queensland’s strong relationships with trading partners such as India, China, Japan and the United States of America.

Case study

Smart Savings website

The Queensland Government is delivering $5.3 billion in concessions and rebates in 2017–18. To ensure Queenslanders can access all the discounts they are entitled to, the Department of the Premier and Cabinet developed the new Smart Savings website.

Available at www.qld.gov.au/smartsavings, the Smart Savings website brings together every concession and rebate available from the Queensland Government under 17 easy-to-navigate headings:

• Cost of living
• Transport
• Health and disability
• Seniors
• Regional and rural
• Energy and water
• Education
• Housing
• Youth
• Training
• Agriculture
• Legal
• Community groups
• Arts and culture
• Sport and recreation
• Volunteering
• Industry.

Concessions include the electricity rebate scheme, which provides a rebate of up to $340.85 for eligible Queenslanders to cut the cost of electricity, and Home Assist Secure, which helps eligible people over 60, or those with a disability, with assistance to remain living in their home.

The site has already proven popular with 25,290 views in just 20 days between launch and 30 June 2017.

Future directions 2017–18

• Lead Queensland’s engagement with COAG and other whole-of-government interjurisdictional activities to progress social, economic and environmental reforms.
• Drive Queensland’s future-focused strategy and policy development to support the delivery of the government’s priorities, including the Advance Queensland agenda.
• Support the Queensland Plan Ambassador Council.
• Provide strategic advice and coordination of events, Premier’s official overseas visits and official functions.
• Deliver statewide communication campaigns to target important social issues.
• Implement the Queensland Audit Office recommendations into government advertising.
• Provide a best practice sponsorship process across all Queensland Government agencies.
• Deliver key events and celebration programs for the Premier and high-profile sponsorships such as the inaugural World of Drones Congress 2017.

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