New plan for people-friendly PS

This article was originally written and published by PSNews on 18 July, 2019.

The former Secretary of the NSW Department of Finance, Services and Innovation, Martin Hoffman,  has been appointed to develop a strategic plan to change the way Australians engage with their Government.

Announcing the appointment, the Minister for Government Services, Stuart Robert, said establishing Services Australia to deliver on the commitment to put people at the centre of Government was one of the Government’s highest priorities.

“In those important moments when Australians reach out for Government services they rightly expect a simple and seamless interaction,” Mr Robert said.

“Services Australia will be outcomes focused and will put in place the right structure needed to deliver that experience,” he said.

“Whether Australians are accessing Government services digitally, in person or over the phone, in the future I want Services Australia to deliver a similar experience to what Australians are used to when dealing with everyday services, such as banking and shopping.”

Mr Robert said Mr Hoffman and his team will spend the next six weeks developing a strategic plan to detail reforms to service delivery.

He said the new Agency would develop a model designed to deliver improved customer service to all Australians.

“[Mr Hoffman] brings a wealth of experience to the role, including an extensive understanding of Service NSW’s customer-centric design, as well as a strong background in successful delivery of customer-focused services,” Mr Robert said.