BLIGH REFORMS CONTINUE WITH PUBLIC SERVICE RESTRUCTURE

The Queensland Public Service will undergo its most sweeping and significant reform in almost two decades with the existing 23 stand-alone government departments streamlined into 13.

Following the swearing-in of her new look Cabinet today, Premier Anna Bligh announced plans to dramatically modernise Government and deliver better coordination and better service delivery to Queenslanders.

Ms Bligh said the shakeup would see the 13 new departments lead by the government’s 18 Ministers grouped under six clusters – Policy and Fiscal Coordination, Employment and Economic Development, Environment and Sustainable Resource Management, Social Development, Law, Justice and Safety and Government Services – reflecting the Bligh Government’s priorities of employment, social development, environment and law and justice.

Ms Bligh stressed there would be no job cuts under the restructure of 23 stand-alone departments into a streamlined 13, with any efficiency savings redirected to front-line services.

“I made a commitment to Queenslanders that I would change the face of this Government and deliver better front-line services and to do this, Queensland requires a modern public service structure,” Ms Bligh said.

“This is about simplifying Government, reducing bureaucracy and cutting red tape.

“Under the changes, similar or complimentary departments will be grouped together under six clusters encompassing 13 ‘super departments’ to allow better coordination of services.

“For example under the Social Development cluster, the new Communities Department will include Community Services, Housing, Local Government, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Partnerships, Disability Services and Multicultural Affairs and Child Safety and Sport.

“The new Department of Employment and Economic Development will encompass the new employment and economic development responsibilities of the Treasurer along with Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, Trade, Primary Industries, Fisheries and Tourism and Fair Trading.

“Ministerial portfolio responsibilities will remain unchanged and I want to assure all public servants – particularly those on the front-line – that I stand by my commitment to jobs, not job cuts and this reform does not mean jobs will be lost.

Ms Bligh said the changes would be of particular benefit to regional Queensland.

“This will put more regional services under the one roof, making access a lot easier through departmental one-stop-shops.”

The new departments are:

• Premier and Cabinet
• Treasury
• Health
• Employment and Economic Development
• Infrastructure and Planning
• Transport and Main Roads
• Environment and Resource Management
• Communities
• Education and Training
• Justice and Attorney-General
• Police
• Community Safety
• Public Works

Ms Bligh said the Machinery of Government changes would take effect immediately.

“I have told my new Ministers I want them to hit the ground running, and I have told my Director-General that I expect the same of these new departments.

“I want to see the efficiency of services at the front-line as quickly as possible,” she said.

26 March 2009

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