Output 1.1 Government Policy and Reform
Overview
The directorate provides advice and direction across the ACTPS on complex policy matters, incorporating a central agency coordination role in strategic planning, social and economic policy, regulation reform, regional policy and government information. The directorate supports the Chief Minister, Cabinet and its Subcommittees and the Head of Service as Secretary of Cabinet through the provision of policy and support, secretariat functions and advice. The directorate has responsibility for monitoring the progress of government priorities as articulated through the government’s election commitments, the Parliamentary Agreement and strategic priorities.
CMTEDD provides secretariat support to the Policy Council. The Council comprises a Deputy Director-General representing each directorate. Similar to Strategic Board, it is intended that members take a WoG, one service and strategic approach. It is chaired by the Deputy Director-General, Policy and Cabinet, CMTEDD.
The directorate supports the Chief Minister in representing the ACT at intergovernmental forums and manages and coordinates the ACT’s relationships with other jurisdictions and the Commonwealth. Most notably this includes:
- the Council of Australian Governments (COAG);
- the Council of the Australian Federation (CAF);
- the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors (CCCLM); and
- the Canberra Region Joint Organisation (CRJO).
In 2018, this has included supporting the Chief Minister as Chair of CAF and CCCLM.
The directorate coordinates regulatory and process reform efforts across government and is secretariat to the Regulatory Reform Panel, a consultative body established to reduce red tape and regulatory impediments to ACT businesses.
Highlights
In 2017-18 the directorate had responsibility for the following WoG policy and project initiatives:
- coordinated a WoG approach for promoting Canberra as the most LGBTIQ welcoming city in the country through the Office for LGBTIQ Affairs, including:
- co-ordinating support for the LGBTIQ community during the Same-Sex Marriage survey;
- promoting LGBTIQ-inclusive events;
- supporting and engaging with the LGBTIQ Ministerial Advisory Council on matters where the government is seeking advice and guidance; and
- providing policy advice to the Chief Minister, Cabinet and other Directorates on LGBTIQ issues;
- coordinated a WoG response to the recommendations of the Final Report, Working With Children Checks Report, Redress and Civil Litigation Report and the Criminal Justice Report of theRoyal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse;
- implemented the Reportable Conduct Scheme, which will provide independent oversight, through the ACT Ombudsman, of the way Canberra's workplaces report, investigate and handle allegations of misconduct involving children;
- supported the introduction of amendments to the Ombudsman Act 1989 in 2017 to improve information-sharing to ensure child protection, law enforcement and oversight bodies have access to the information they need to be effective in dealing with child welfare and safety concerns, and to expand the scope of the Reportable Conduct Scheme to all functions of religious organisations.
- assessed the use of behaviourally informed service and program design in the ACT; and
- worked with state and territory counterparts to advocate for every capital city to receive an Australian Government City Deal.
Testimonial
“With the establishment of the Office for LGBTIQ Affairs, lesbian, gay, bi, trans, gender diverse, intersex and queer Canberrans see that their government is serious about supporting our communities. The Office understands the importance of engaging with us to ensure that our views are heard. This means that our needs can be better addressed by our government.
The Office has also provided wonderful support to the LGBTIQ Ministerial Advisory Council and together we are working to create positive change in our communities and across government.”
Anne-Marie Delahunt, Chair, ACT LGBTIQ Ministerial Advisory Council
The directorate provided support for COAG and the CAF meetings, including:
- chairing and secretariat responsibilities for CAF during 2018;
- hosting a CAF meeting in Canberra in February 2018;
- supporting the ACT's participation in various COAG Senior Officials' meetings;
- supporting the Chief Minister's participation in COAG in February 2018; and
- policy advice, and coordination of cross-government working groups and participation in national working groups on reform initiatives including health and hospital funding, the National Disability Insurance Scheme, housing and homelessness, schools education, national energy market, national security and reducing violence against women and their children.
The directorate managed and coordinated regional partnerships and participation and the ACT's relationships with:
- the NSW Government through the ACT-NSW Memorandum of Understanding for Regional Collaboration (MoU);
- the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) through the ACT-QPRC Statement of Intent and annual work plan;
- the surrounding NSW local councils, which are members of the CRJO, to pursue a best of region approach to policy and projects;
- the capital cities through the CCCLM;
- the Commonwealth on Jervis Bay Territory service delivery, and
- the Northern Territory through the ACT-NT Strategic Cooperation Agreement.
The directorate has continued to give objective, strategic advice and support to Cabinet and its subcommittees on decisions before government and monitor and report on the implementation of government priorities. CMTEDD has also continued to provide advice and support to directorates preparing cabinet submissions and other briefings.
CMTEDD coordinated regulation and government reform initiatives across government, including policy and project initiatives targeted at improving the effectiveness and efficiency of regulation and processes to strengthen the delivery of government priorities. This work included:
- managing the transition of industry for the cessation of greyhound racing in the ACT from
30 April 2018 following the passage of the Domestic Animals (Racing Greyhounds) Amendment Act 2017 in November 2017; - engaging with industry and the community to evaluate the ACT's on-demand transport industry (taxi, hire car and rideshare) reforms;
- the Red Tape Reduction Legislation Amendment Act 2017, which included amendments to reduce duplication and reporting for charities and incorporated associations registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission;
- undertaking a detailed evaluation of the extended smart parking trial in Manuka to assess the technology's suitability for wider deployment across the ACT. The trial is now complete with permanent implementation plans underway;
- coordinating ACT Government feedback on sun-setting Commonwealth legislation applying to the ACT;
- reviewing the ACT Evaluation Policy and supporting evaluation work by Directorates; and
- developing new regulatory arrangements for controlled sports in the ACT.
All but two of the directorate’s accountability indicators were met against this output. The targets not met were:
- Whole of government policy and project initiatives - working with the Australian Government to deliver a City Deal for the Canberra Region. While the directorate's efforts towards achieving a City Deal have been ongoing, and it was expected that finalisation of a City Deal Memorandum of Understanding would occur during 2017-18, the timing of final agreement is now a matter for the Australian Government; and
- Regulatory and process reform initiatives - the initiative, the Red Tape Reduction Legislation Amendment Bill 2018 was delayed to allow for further community consultation on the legislation proposals.
Future Direction
In 2018-19 the directorate will:
- continue to provide high quality, objective strategic advice to the Chief Minister and Cabinet and its subcommittees on decisions before government;
- continue to provide advice and support to Cabinet and the Manager of Government Business in the Legislative Assembly;
- monitor and report on the implementation of government priorities;
- provide policy support as required to directorates on complex policy matters;
- assist to achieve government objectives through effective engagement with Australian, State and Territory governments, through COAG and CAF frameworks as well as through treaties and agreements;
- refresh performance accountability indicators across the ACT Government;
- coordinate a WoG work strategy to meet the commitments outlined in the response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse reports, including the: Working With Children Checks Report; Redress and Civil Litigation Report; and Criminal Justice Report;
- continue to develop and promote Canberra as Australia's most LGBTIQ welcoming city;
- continue to promote better regulation across government and remove unnecessary burdens on businesses and the community and ongoing engagement with the COAG regulatory reform agenda;
- finalise the provision of transition support to the greyhound racing industry in the ACT;
- lead collaborative work with NSW Local and State Governments to support the growth and prosperity of the Canberra Region;
- work with the Australian Government to refresh arrangements governing the delivery of
state-type services to Jervis Bay Territory; - work with directorates to implement agreed recommendations of the ACT's on-demand transport industry evaluation (taxi, hire car and rideshare) reforms;
- review licencing, registration, authorities and permits across government to assess where there are opportunities for regulatory improvement;
- implement new regulatory arrangements for controlled sports in the ACT;
- review the Land Titles Act 1925; and
- continue Manuka Smart Parking as a business as usual system, in conjunction with other directorates.
Further information can be obtained from
Leesa Croke
Deputy-Director General
Policy and Cabinet
+ 61 2 6207 3751
Leesa.Croke@act.gov.au