On our second episode of our APS Reform in Action series, we hear from Lisa Bush and Maree Wilson from Geoscience Australia about the power of geospatial data for better decision-making in the public sector.

If you want to make better decisions, you need to have quality, trusted data. Unfortunately, critical data can often sit in siloes or be scattered across spreadsheets. Geoscience Australia’s Digital Atlas of Australia steps up to this challenge, providing a unified and accessible data set that can help you build better policies – or decide where you want to build your new home.

Lisa Bush, head of Geoscience Australia's National Location Information Branch, and Maree Wilson, Chief of Place and Communities Division, join host David Pembroke, CEO of contentgroup, to talk about making geospatial data more accessible through the Atlas. They also shine a light on how it can improve functions such as social services or emergency management, and enhance data capabilities in the public sector.

This series is delivered in partnership with the Australian Public Service Commission.

The Digital Atlas of Australia, a collaborative project between Geoscience Australia, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Department of Social Services was a finalist for the 2024 IPAA ACT Spirit of Service Awards.

Key tips:

1. Geospatial data can help you make decisions in minutes - make the best use of it

2. Don't be afraid to try, you won't need to be a geospatial data expert to use the Atlas

3. If you’re creating or using national data, in your role, reach out to the Digital Atlas team.

Show notes:

The Digital Atlas of Australia | Geoscience Australia

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Returning for part 2 of our new ‘APS Reform in Action’ series, Dr Rachel Bacon and Professor Janine O’Flynn discuss how Australia is learning from other countries’ public service best practice – and vice versa.

Wanting to do things better doesn’t always mean you have to re-invent the wheel. In this episode, Dr Rachel Bacon from the Australian Public Service Commission and Professor Janine O’Flynn from ANU Crawford School reveal lessons from overseas and introduce the concept of ‘radical incrementalism’ – making small improvements to achieve a larger goal.

Host David Pembroke, CEO of contentgroup, also speaks to our guests about why effective collaboration will remain a key tool to responding to increasingly complex challenges.

This series is produced in partnership with the Australian Public Service Commission.

Key tips:

1. Instead of aiming for radical change, look for small changes over time.
2. If you want people to collaborate, you need to make it part of their performance assessment.
3. Foster purpose and pride by looking at what works well.

Show notes

• APS Reform | Australian Government
• The Cult of Collaboration in Public Policy | AJPA

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Launching our new ‘APS Reform in Action’ series, we hear from Dr Rachel Bacon and Professor Janine O’Flynn about enduring APS Reform and why public trust shouldn’t be taken for granted.

The APS Reform Agenda has been a major project for the Australian Public Service over the past years – so, where is it at and where will it go in the future?

Dr Rachel Bacon, deputy commissioner, Integrity, Reform and Enabling Services at the Australian Public Service Commission, and Professor Janine O’Flynn, director of the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy, reflect on changes to the Public Service Act, the impact of capability reviews and long-term Insights Briefings, and the value of stewardship.

Together with David Pembroke, CEO of contentgroup, they also talk about protecting the APS as an ongoing institution and maintaining trust with the public, as discourse about the value of public services grows globally.

This series is produced in partnership with the Australian Public Service Commission.

Key tips:

1. To make change stick, you need a shift in culture, a fresh mindset, capability uplift, and patience.
2. Public trust is not a given – it takes continuous effort to maintain.
3. Stewardship sets the public service apart from the private sector – be an active steward for the service.

Show notes

• APS Reform | Australian Government
• Public Service Amendment Bill | Parliament of Australia
• Long-term Insights Briefings | Australian Public Service Commission
• Pathways to Positive Public Administration | Edward Elgar

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On the first episode of Work with Purpose of the year, Dr Claire Yorke lifts the lid on empathy and why it matters for policy and programs.

Critics might say that empathy is a ‘soft skill’, yet it is absolutely critical to understanding people’s experiences and circumstances – and how they feel about them. It is also a key tool for better policy, programs, strategies, and leadership.

Dr Claire Yorke, senior lecturer at the Centre for Future Defence and National Security at Deakin University and host David Pembroke, CEO of contentgroup, explore why being empathetic from the start will lead to a more trusting relationship with your audience, and how it can help you identify blind spots and avoid unwelcome surprises.

They also dive into how populist leaders are using empathy to their advantage, and why public sector leaders should actively tune into societal moods to create better outcomes for Australia’s communities.

Key tips:

• Use empathy to identify blind spots in your strategy early on
• Step out of your silo – work with your audience, for your audience
• Don’t assume that everyone speaks the same language as you.

Show notes:

• Claire Yorke | Forthcoming books
• Work with Purpose APS | LinkedIn

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In our last re-run for this season, Matt Yannopoulos PSM, Associate Secretary of the Department of Defence, maps out a unified approach for the public service to defend Australia’s interests.

In a world with increasing geopolitical tension, collaboration across the public service remains key to protecting Australia’s security and prosperity. On this episode, David Pembroke, CEO of contentgroup sits down with Matt Yannopoulos PSM, Associate Secretary of Defence, to explore what it takes to do this well.

They delve into the importance of a whole-of-government approach, emphasising the need for speed, focus, and coordination across various government agencies to enhance national security and preparedness.

Matt also shares his perspectives on the current geopolitical landscape, the transformation within the Department of Defence, and the strategic initiatives aimed at accelerating defence capabilities.

Key tips:

1. The APS has always worked well in a crisis. Let’s make this not the exception, but the norm.
2. Give your project managers clarity and set clear expectations.
3. Defending Australia’s interests is important beyond the Department of Defence – think about how your agency or department can contribute.

Show notes:

• 2024 National Defence Strategy

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Trigger warning: themes of mental and physical abuse

Amaly Khalaf and Dr Steven Munns from the Australian Public Service Commission explore psychological safety in public sector workplaces – from the desk to the frontlines – on our third best-of episode of Work with Purpose 2024.

Creating workplaces which are both mentally and physically safe is a mission close to Amaly Khalaf’s and Dr Steven Munn’s hearts. On this episode of Work with Purpose, they talk to host David Pembroke, CEO of contentgroup, about how the public sector is working towards this – from exemplary and trustful leadership to processes grounded in evidence.

Amaly, principal psychologist and lead of the APS Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Unit, shines a light on the new ADDRESS program, designed to support public sector agencies and staff in building mentally healthy workplaces. Steven, assistant commissioner, Diversity & Inclusion Branch, then connects this to how psychosocial hazards play out at the frontlines – for example at Centrelink or veteran’s services – and what can be done to support staff exposed to aggressive or abusive behaviour.

Key tips:

1. Depending on what your staff are exposed to, you need to consider their different emotional well-being requirements. Have protocols in place.
2. Create a team environment where people can safely express their thoughts and concerns.
3. The ADDRESS model is there to support organisations – make sure to tap into the resources available to you.

Show notes:

• Compassionate Foundations | Australian Public Service Commission
• ADDRESS model | Australian Public Service Commission
• APS Census | Australian Public Service Commission
• Violence at Work: Reducing Assault and Abuse Experienced by Frontline Staff in Public Service Roles | Dr Steven Munns

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Today, we listen back to a 2024 Work with Purpose episode with Secretary of the Department of Health and Aged Care Blair Comley PSM. Blair tells the story of his public service career and highlights how devolving leadership in the public sector can reduce risk, increase work quality and staff satisfaction.

Blair Comley PSM looks back at an outstanding career across the public and private sectors, from designing the GST to driving the Department of Health and Aged Care’s recent capability review.

On this episode from June last year, he revisits some of the milestones of his career and how they have shaped his approach to devolution – where mid-level staff in the public sector are empowered to make decisions and build closer relationships with important stakeholders. He discusses the three key ingredients to make it happen at your organisation: skills, culture, and capability.

In conversation with podcast host David Pembroke, CEO of contentgroup, Blair also explores uplifting policy capability at the Department of Health and Aged Care, communicating with success, and what role consultants can play in public sector work.

Key tips:

1. Put your hand up for challenging tasks – look at opportunities where you can go further without exhausting yourself.
2. Devolve where feasible – it reduces risks and increases quality and level of staff satisfaction.
3. If you want to make things happen, you should look to always preserve a sense of optimism.

Show notes:

• Capability review | Department of Health and Aged Care
• Daniel Goleman | Emotional intelligence

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In this re-run of our most popular Work with Purpose episode of 2024, Dr Nina Terrey, Bec Bodel and Professor Brenton Prosser help you learn the ropes of human-centred design.

In today’s complex world, how can the public sector effectively ensure that its policies and programs are centred on the needs of the people they serve? This episode explores human-centered design as one piece to solving this puzzle.

In our first re-run of 2024’s best Work with Purpose episodes, host David Pembroke, CEO of contentgroup, convenes class with three leading experts in the design space: Bec Bodel from the Australian Taxation Office, Professor Brenton Prosser from UNSW Canberra, and Dr Nina Terrey from ThinkPlace. Together, they walk through the most important parts of the design process and discuss how empathy, creativity, and strategic thinking can truly make a difference to policy and service delivery for Australia’s communities. Our guests also share practical tips and resources, so you can hit the books and start your own design journey.

Key tips:

1. You don’t have to always do every prescribed step of the design process. Decide what works best for your situation, and keep in mind that discovery itself is important.
2. Work with a mixed team of people with different areas of expertise.
3. Join a design community with like-minded individuals to keep learning about best practice and new approaches.

Show notes:

• How to empathy map | Nielsen Norman Group
• Expand: Stretching the Future By Design | Book by Christian Bason and Jens Martin Skibsted
• Community-led project | Just Reinvest
• Policy-making through design | The Policy Lab
• Intro to human-centred design | Government of Victoria
• International Design in Government Community
• Don’t Make Me Think | Book by Steve Krug
• Human-centred design program | An outline of National Standards for Out‐of‐home Care
• Government centred design, future-led | NESTA

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