Public sector Innovation Month begins

Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Dr Martin Parkinson launched 2018’s Innovation Month in an Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) address on Tuesday.

“Innovation in the Australian Public Service is good for the budget bottom line — and it’s making things easier and better for the public we serve,” said Dr Parkinson.

Dr Parkinson gave several examples of the ways in which government services are improving and dollars are being saved.

“The Australian Tax Office, for example, helped recoup an additional $23 million in revenue last year — simply by using behaviourally informed ‘pop-up messages’ to nudge taxpayers to review their claims if they have unusually high deductions, or unusually low interest or dividend income,” he said.

Similarly, the Department of Health has saved $11.7 million using behavioural insights and data analytics to improve Medicare compliance.

Dr Parkinson also made mention of automated ‘digital assistants’ such as Alex, Oliver and Sam, which together have answered more than one million questions about government services just in the last year or so.

And businesses are now taking just 6 days to finalise grant agreements through the Department of Industry’s grants hub — down from 49 days.

“Innovation is hugely important. It’s not a feel-good fad,” he added. “Not one of us, whether we work in the public or private sector, should be thinking it isn’t important to them.”

You can read the full text of Dr Parkinson’s speech online.

Pictured: Dr Martin Parkinson. Courtesy DPM&C.

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