On 1 July 2018, we said farewell to the DPAC division of Communities Sport and Recreation including the Tasmanian Institute of Sport and Silverdome, which are now part of the newly-created Department of Communities Tasmania. DPAC has provided ongoing corporate support to the new Department to assist in a smooth transition, and I continue to wish our colleagues all the best with the essential work they do for all Tasmanians.
Participation and feedback from the Tasmanian State Service (TSS) Employee survey was a feature of the year, with the results of the survey allowing us to better understand DPAC’s working culture and what we need to do to make sure people are motivated to do their best work. We had some fantastic feedback from our people, including ways we can improve. We know that continuous improvement is important to our goal of delivering the best possible outcomes for the Government and for Tasmanians.
As each year brings its own unique challenges, emergency management and recovery continue to be priorities for the Agency. During the bushfires across Tasmania in early 2019, DPAC’s Office of Security and Emergency Management and TasALERT were in full operation, supporting emergency services, operating the Public Information Unit and the Tasmanian Emergency Information Service during the event, and guiding recovery efforts through the Bushfire Recovery Taskforce in the months since. This significant and ongoing body of work demonstrated the high-level professionalism of our people, and the importance of partnerships across Government, and showed that as both a Department and a Government, we are more prepared than ever to assist Tasmanian communities in times of need.
In March 2019, the Brand Tasmania statutory authority commenced – the first statutory place branding authority established in Australia. This is the culmination of many months of work from our Policy Division and Office of the Secretary. It signals the start of a new chapter for Tasmania’s brand, and will help us build a stronger identity that further builds Tasmania’s national and international competitiveness and provides even greater opportunities for Tasmania and Tasmanians.
I extend a warm welcome to Mr Todd Babiak, Brand Tasmania’s inaugural CEO, who has moved to Tasmania from Canada. Brand Tasmania’s mission is to increase aspiration and to help inspire and encourage Tasmanians and those who want to be Tasmanian to create the extraordinary together. Brand Tasmania’s vision is Tasmanian success: economic, social and cultural. I am excited to be part of the Brand Tasmania journey as a member of the Board.
Within the Department, we had a small restructure aimed at improving our services across Government.
The new Digital Strategy and Services (DSS) division is a merge of the former divisions of Office of eGovernment and TMD. DSS has a mission of ‘working together to lead the digital transformation of the Tasmanian Government through the delivery of trusted advice, strategies and services’.
Our new Strategy and Engagement Unit (S&E) will be coordinating the development and implementation of key Government priorities, such as a Strategic Growth framework, which will include initiatives across Government to ensure more economic growth in regional communities, identify barriers to employment to help more local Tasmanians get local jobs, and deliver a pipeline of jobs and opportunities into the future.
You will find many more examples of the great work that the people of DPAC have delivered for Tasmanians over the past year in this report. The continued professionalism and dedication of my colleagues to not only fulfil the role of the Department to the best of its abilities but to make DPAC an even better workplace, is to be commended. I am certainly proud to lead a team with such passion and commitment for what they do.
Additionally, 2018 was the final year of the most recent DPAC Strategic Plan. As a result, a significant body of work has taken place during 2018-19 to create a 2019-2022 Strategic Plan that reflects and resonates with the current Department and is aspirational in guiding us towards better leading the State Service in supporting Government and achieving the best possible outcomes for the Tasmanian community. The three guiding principles that have been identified to best direct the work of the Department are:
I am excited about the release of the new Strategic Plan in July 2019 and look forward to continuing our momentum, moving from a year of transition to one with our new strategic vision forming a foundation to provide the best possible services and advice, supported by a workplace that is collaborative, diverse and aspirational for our entire DPAC team.
Jenny Gale
Secretary,
Department of Premier and Cabinet.
The majority of DPAC employees are female with numbers remaining stable over the past two years.
Part-time employment is slowly increasing, with a third of the DPAC workforce employed on a part-time basis. A majority of these employees are women.