Services Australia has released a four-year strategy that implements “lessons learned” from the Robodebt scandal.
“We’ll continue to implement the lessons learned from the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme through policy simplification and by embedding consultation and co-design to better incorporate staff and customer feedback,” says the document.
Listing integrity as one of the roadmap’s six strategic themes, Services Australia pledges to “make the right payments to the right people at the right time, so people have confidence in our agency.”
The document also commits Services Australia – one of the largest agencies in the Australian Public Service – to delivering services that are “trusted, safe and secure”.
A response program will be established to coordinate and manage remediation matters, which includes “identifying opportunities to reduce debt backlog and inflow of potential overpayments through debt reform.”
The document is in response to a review of the agency by the Australian Public Service Commission, which “identified a number of priority areas for capability uplift.”
“The review considered our ability to meet future objectives and challenges and identified areas of strength as well as opportunities. The findings of the review have informed the development of the Services Australia 2030 Strategy,” CEO David Hazlehurst said.
Customer experience is at the core of the agency’s strategy. Services Australia – which incorporates Centrelink and Medicare – is committed to providing “a seamless and integrated customer experience that allows customers to access services in a way that best meets their needs, including improving support for Australians experiencing vulnerability.”
Technology is another key strategic theme as Services Australia commits to leveraging “secure, scalable technology and robust data governance to enhance service delivery and efficiency.”
The agency – which employs more than 37,000 people –says it’s exploring legislative reform with partner agencies “to simplify the system and facilitate adoption of technology” to improve its services.
In a nod to AI, the document says the agency will “engage responsibly, ethically and safely with emerging technologies to innovate and continually modernise our services.” Services Australia also commits to becoming “a cyber-resilient organisation, with strong awareness of and defence against emerging cyber threats.”
“This strategy guides us as we deliver on our commitments to evolve and respond to the diverse needs of Australians, modernise technology, uplift our cyber security, and increase staff and customer safety,” Hazlehurst said. “I am committed to building on the strong foundation of work already underway across the agency. This strategy will empower us to become more agile, innovative and forward-looking as we respond and adapt to the needs of our customers.”
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