Government’s objectives for the community
Through whole-of-government collaboration with agencies and stakeholders, DPC delivered key policies, programs and services to support the Queensland Government’s objectives for the community.
These objectives were:
- Creating jobs and a diverse economy
- Delivering quality frontline services
- Protecting the environment
- Building safe, caring and connected communities.
Creating jobs and a diverse economy
DPC played a lead role in strengthening Queensland’s economic position within the global marketplace to enable Queensland industry, business and regions to thrive.
DPC led the Advance Queensland Industry Attraction Fund (AQIAF) Panel ensuring a whole-of-government approach to attracting innovative, job-creating businesses and industries to Queensland. At 30 June 2018, the government has provided $30.306 million to support 10 projects, which collectively support 820 jobs over five years, with capital expenditure of $300 million.
DPC continued to support regional economic development and job creation, supporting the Premier to ensure delivery of the Advancing North Queensland priorities on roads, infrastructure, water and energy security, research and innovation, tourism, trade and investment, and the North Queensland Stadium.
Delivering quality frontline services
DPC continued to strengthen our governance, systems and our workforce to lead the implementation of government priorities, and cross-portfolio projects to achieve better outcomes for Queenslanders. In this way we continued to build confidence in government and effectively lead the Queensland public service to support the delivery of quality frontline services.
In 2017–18, the Governing from the Regions program provided an opportunity for regional communities to talk with the Premier, Ministers and Directors-General over a week-long period. Governing from the Regions were held in Cairns, the Gold Coast, Wide Bay, Ipswich and Mackay/ Whitsundays. A Community Forum was introduced into the program in Governing from Mackay/Whitsundays in May 2018. Further information on the location of future meetings and how to get involved in these events is available on the Premier’s website at www.thepremier.qld.gov.au
Protecting the environment
One of DPC’s key priorities is to strengthen environmental protection and management by ensuring effective leadership, coordination, development and implementation of policy.
In 2017–18 DPC collaborated across government to provide coordination and leadership as well as policy analysis and advice on, drought relief, vegetation management reform, agriculture and food research and fisheries reform.
We worked with Queensland Government agencies and with the Australian Government to develop innovative solutions to counteract the effects of climate change.
DPC supported Queensland’s participation at the Great Barrier Reef Ministerial Forum and supported the Department of Environment and Science (as lead) to improve the Reef’s resilience and water quality, and efforts to respond to climate change including work to establish the Government’s $500 million Land Restoration Fund.
Building safe, caring and connected communities
DPC played a lead role in building safe, caring and connected communities by working with communities, local governments and other organisations to address domestic and family violence, bullying and cyberbullying and ice use in Queensland.
DPC led the whole‑of‑government reform program in response to the Not Now, Not Ever: Putting an End to Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland (the Not Now, Not Ever) report.
The department provided secretariat support to the Domestic and Family Violence Implementation Council to oversee and advocate for action on eliminating domestic and family violence.
The department provided whole‑of‑government direction and guidance to drive the cultural change required to enhance gender equity and to prevent violence against women and domestic and family violence through leadership of the Queensland Public Sector Inclusion Champions of Change (QPS ICC) and the Child Protection and Domestic and Family Violence Inter Departmental CEO Committee (IDCC). The department also provided secretariat support to the Queensland Anti‑Cyberbullying Taskforce from its first meeting on 16 March 2018 until the end of the reporting year. DPC supported the Taskforce to deliver 59 consultations to seek the views of the Queensland community about ways to tackle the issue and gain insights from those affected by cyberbullying of children and young people.
DPC developed a series of immediate actions to tackle bullying and cyberbullying including convening an anti-bullying roundtable of approximately 30 key stakeholders; developing the ‘Bullying is not ok’ public awareness campaign, launched on National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence; and advocating at the Council of Australian Governments for national action against bullying and cyberbullying.
In 2017–18, DPC delivered Action on Ice: the Queensland Government’s plan to address use and harms caused by crystal methamphetamine culminating in more than $100 million in investment over five years to implement the foundation initiatives aimed at reducing the supply, demand and harms of ice use in Queensland.
In 2017–18, DPC’s Anzac Centenary Coordination Unit continued to lead and collaborate with stakeholders and partners to deliver key commemoration activities with community-focused partners, including:
- commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Polygon Wood in Roma, Cairns, Rockhampton and Cloncurry
- a twelve-month sponsorship of the Salute to the Light Horse performances through the Australian Outback Spectacular including special commemorative presentations on 31 October 2017 for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Beersheba
- sponsorship of a commemorative ride with almost 100 horses who travelled through Ilfracombe, Barcaldine, Longreach and Winton also in honour of the Battle of Beersheba
- funding to support the 2018 Premier’s Anzac Prize
- More than $1.7 million allocated to 95 grantees, bringing the total of community projects awarded funding over 11 rounds since 2014 to 335 grants, with a value of more than $6.89 million. The final rounds of funding were awarded in June 2018 with a majority of projects scheduled to be delivered in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice on 11 November 2018.
Further information about how DPC delivered on the Government Objectives for the Community is detailed in Policy Advice and Coordination, and Cabinet Support; Strategy and Engagement; Government Services and Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel sections of this report.
Looking ahead:
Our Future State: Advancing Queensland’s Priorities
On 11 June 2018, the Premier released the government’s plan to advance Queensland—both now and into the future.
Our Future State: Advancing Queensland’s Priorities focuses on the major challenges facing Queensland.
The government’s priorities for the Queensland community are:
- Create jobs in a strong economy
- Give all our children a great start
- Keep Queenslanders healthy
- Keep communities safe
- Protect the Great Barrier Reef
- Be a responsive government.
The priorities reflect what the government commits to deliver for Queenslanders and reflect the government’s values and reinforce the commitments it took to the 2017 election. The priorities were reflected in the 2018–19 State Budget and fulfil the requirement of the Financial Accountability Act 2009 to prepare and publish a ‘Statement of Objectives for the Community’.
To ensure Queenslanders can see the progress the government is making on its targets, DPC has published the priorities, their measures and targets on the website www.ourfuture.qld.gov.au
As well as reporting regularly on progress, the website will also provide case studies on key achievements the government and the community are making to improve outcomes for Queenslanders.
To ensure the priorities remain at the forefront of the government’s effort and investment, DPC developed and implemented new governance arrangements across the Queensland public service.
Sponsored and led by Directors-General and the Public Service Commission, these new arrangements harness and blend the diverse experiences and expertise of senior executives across the Queensland public service—charging them with working across portfolios to develop innovative solutions to progress towards the priority targets.
The Performance Unit in Cabinet Services, DPC, will also work across departments to determine and deliver the key actions necessary to tackle the priorities and meet the targets and monitor and report on progress.