We are extremely fortunate to have had the ability to complete this report at this particular moment in the history of the Australian Public Service (APS). There is a distinct sense of renewal occurring inspired both by the APS Review process and the commitment of the Prime Minister to “lifting and improving service delivery for all Australians. Making better use of technology and better integrating service delivery across different portfolios.” There is recognition of the need for change tempered by acceptance that there is still much to do to break through the cultural barriers to realise the Government’s vision.
We would therefore like to express our gratitude to those collaborators who have helped us define the challenge for service delivery in regional Australia and map some potential pathways to change. Firstly, to our passionate and creative collaborators in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, thank you for your dedication, logistical support and creative input. Secondly, many thanks to our research team – Lain Dare, Robert Tanton, Yogi Vidyattama and Jane Seaborn. Lain’s role as project manager has been absolutely invaluable to meeting our research aims.
We would also like to acknowledge the many Australian public servants and citizens who shared their experiences with us. The diversity and honesty of these shared experiences was truly inspiring and we thank each of you for trusting us with your insights. As always, however, the interpretation of data in the analysis which follows remains the responsibility of the research team.
Professor Mark Evans, November 2019