Overview
The directorate, through Communications and Engagement, provides WoG and directorate communications and engagement advice and services, including for emergency responses.
The directorate is responsible for ACT Government channels including the Our Canberra newsletter, the Your Say community conversations engagement platform and ACT Government social media accounts.
The directorate also provides protocol and ceremonial event support for the Chief Minister and manages and supports a range of ACT and national awards.
Highlights
In 2018-19 the directorate:
- worked to ensure the community was well informed on ACT Government policies, programs and services and supported all directorates to communicate with a one service approach. In 2018-19, 72% [1] of the community felt well informed;
- managed the government’s online engagement website, YourSay, which had more than 100,000 visitors in 2018-19. More than 6,000 people signed up to receive the YourSay e-newsletter, and 20%[2] of Canberrans have accessed the YourSay website. This increased from 13% [3] in 2017-18;
- released the Whole of Government Communications and Engagement Plan to forecast priority conversations until the end of 2019, as part of government’s commitment to strengthen the ACT Government’s community engagement practices;
- developed the new YourSay Community Panel to provide Canberrans with another opportunity to have their say and help government understand views from a representative cross-section of the community;
- continued to produce the Our Canberra print and digital newsletter to directly communicate with Canberrans on ACT Government news, initiatives and services, including:
- a monthly regionalised newsletter to over 187,000 Canberra households, and
- a monthly digital newsletter delivered to more than 51,000 subscribers (an increase of 13.3% in the past year);
- managed the ACT Government’s social media accounts, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube, with all channels experiencing growth in followers;
- provided a unified approach to user experience for ACT Government websites;
- managed WoG services including media monitoring and a framework to purchase creative services and advertising;
- supported the Campaign Advertising process with the Independent Reviewer of Campaign Advertising under the Government Agencies (Campaign Advertising) Act 2009;
- delivered the 44th Canberra Citizen of the Year Award, the 2019 ACT Scientist of the Year Award, and supported the ACT Australian of the Year Awards and Order of Australia honours;
- delivered ceremonial tree plantings at the National Arboretum by visiting dignitaries including for:
- His Excellency Mr Andrzej Duda, President of the Republic of Poland, August 2018; and
- Former Governor-General the Honourable Bill Hayden AC, September 2018.
- supported the introduction of the ACT’s mammal emblem, the Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby (Petrogale penicillate), following community interest that the ACT was the only state or territory without a mammal emblem; and
- supported business units across the directorate with the delivery of priority engagements and public information campaigns, including:
- the ACT’s first LGBTIQ+ inclusion strategy Capital of Equality setting out how we will continue to grow as Australia’s most LGBTIQ+ inclusive and welcoming city;
- the 2019-20 ACT Budget, to provide the ACT community with access to the Budget and a clear understanding of the government’s priorities and forward program;
- the ACT Government’s first progress report on addressing recommendations from the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse, and local events to support the National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse;
- the new Manuka Oval Media Centre, hosting broadcasters and journalists from around the world during Canberra’s first ever international cricket test match;
- providing information to the community on more than 400 online services and transactions available through Access Canberra, helping our community access services through a ‘Digital first’ approach; and
- educating the community to reduce gambling harm through campaigns for Gambling Harm Awareness Week, the launch of a new website and in-venue education and information.
The directorate met or exceeded all 2018-19 accountability indicators against this output.
Future Direction
In 2019-20 the directorate will:
- continue to promote the YourSay Community Panel and recruit Canberrans to sign up and participate in surveys and activities;
- deliver the annual WoG Communications and Engagement Plan to forecast upcoming conversations and information campaigns; and
- support the ACTPS to continue to improve communications and engagement capability, focused on our audience, the Canberra community.
Further information can be obtained from
Anita Perkins
Executive Group Manager
Communications and Engagement
+61 2 6205 0035
Anita.Perkins@act.gov.au
[1] ACT Government Community Views research, Orima 2019.
[2] As above.
[3] As above.