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[INTRODUCTORY MUSIC]
>> CHRIS ECCLES: About 12 months ago the heads of central agencies, Premier and Cabinet, Treasury and Finance and Services met to consider which of us does what and how we should relate to line agencies.
>> CHRIS ECCLES: It became apparent that not only is there an absence of role clarity between central agencies leading to duplication, inefficiency and confusion, but our approach from the centre of government has been less than strategic and often reactive and compliance focused.
>> CHRIS ECCLES: So colleagues and I, together with the Public Service Commissioner, decided to change things on the premise that good fences make good neighbours.
>> CHRIS ECCLES: Today we'd like to share with you the first phase of the Towards a Strategic Centre initiative.
>> CHRIS ECCLES: At the highest level in the Strategic Centre, DPC focuses on priorities and performance.
>> CHRIS ECCLES: The PSC is about people and capabilities; Treasury deals with finance and economic management and DFS looks after the enablers that support clusters.
>> CHRIS ECCLES: I've spoken to the Premier about this initiative and here is what he had to say.
>> BARRY O'FARRELL: The purpose of government is to deliver services and infrastructure so people can get on with their lives and businesses can get on with their job.
>> BARRY O'FARRELL: The people and businesses of NSW expect the choices they make to be implemented by government efficiently and effectively and at the least possible cost.
>> BARRY O'FARRELL: These services are by nature complex and disparate.
>> BARRY O'FARRELL: They cost around $60 billion a year to deliver and range from meeting specific personal needs of the most vulnerable in our society to the construction of the biggest transport infrastructure projects anywhere in Australia.
>> BARRY O'FARRELL: So the job of the NSW Government's central agencies, the agencies most responsible for strategic decisions, regulation, resource allocation and corporate services is critical.
>> BARRY O'FARRELL: Central agencies are effectively the mission control for an enterprise involving more than 330,000 jobs and millions of transactions and outcomes everyday across NSW ---
>> BARRY O'FARRELL: --- and across the nine departmental clusters.
>> BARRY O'FARRELL: And all mission controls depend upon the hard work of hundreds of specialists to successfully deliver their products and services day in, day out.
>> BARRY O'FARRELL: This is why I'm pleased to give my full support to Chris Eccles and his central agency colleagues - Phil Gaetjens in Treasury, Public Service Commissioner Graeme Head, and Michael Coutts-Trotter in Finance and Services for the Strategic Centre initiative.
>> BARRY O'FARRELL: Chris Eccles has led the development of a framework which will help you, whatever your role, location or agency to play your part in the government's strategy to improve the performance of the NSW Public Sector, in growing our economy, improving our services, renewing infrastructure, improving accountability and giving people a real say in decision making.
>> BARRY O'FARRELL: The NSW Government's priorities are set out in NSW 2021, which details clear accountabilities for my Ministers and the agencies who support them.
>> BARRY O'FARRELL: I can understand for many agencies going about their business or implementing an important reform, it can be hard to navigate their contact with central agencies and even harder for stakeholders and citizens.
>> BARRY O'FARRELL: Whether you need to ask a question, comply with a regulation or administrative requirement, or suggest an idea, it's important that our central agencies are easy to deal with and add value to your work.
>> BARRY O'FARRELL: That's exactly what the Strategic Centre initiative seeks to do.
>> BARRY O'FARRELL: It'll be a one-stop-shop, it'll make clear who is responsible for each priority, give you a road map for who to contact on what matter, and it will improve accountability for central agencies and for others.
>> BARRY O'FARRELL: Our central agencies are rebuilding the leadership and management capabilities we need to make the NSW Public Sector a leader in Australia and around the world.
>> BARRY O'FARRELL: I congratulate Chris Eccles and his team on this important and practical initiative which will assist us all in achieving our shared goals.
>> BARRY O'FARRELL: And I encourage you, regardless of your role, to make the most of this new way of working so that we can make the best use of taxpayers' money, deliver the best possible services and make the most of opportunities for everyone across NSW.