The Australian Government is committed to a modern public service that puts people and business at the centre of its data and digital transformation.
In 2023, it is difficult to think of aspects of our life that aren’t touched in some way by digital technologies.
Australians increasingly take up technology to do everything from banking to accessing support payments to seeing a doctor. It is clear that the Australian Government has the opportunity to use data and digital technologies to improve our service delivery and decision-making, with a goal of better outcomes for all people and business.
This is why we have developed the Data and Digital Government Strategy (the Strategy), the first combined data and digital strategy for the Australian Government, as a blueprint for the use and management of data and digital technologies through to 2030.
The Strategy sets out the Australian Government’s vision to deliver simple, secure and connected public services for all people and business, through world-class data and digital capabilities. It is supported by an Implementation Plan (the Plan) which sets out how we will achieve this.
This Strategy and the Plan is a call to action for the Australian Public Service (APS). As Minister responsible for the APS and whole-of-government data and digital policy, I am committed to putting people and business at the centre of our efforts, ensuring everyone’s experience with the Australian Government is inclusive, accessible, responsive to their needs and meets expectations.
We spoke to people, community and advocacy groups, academia, industry, state and territory governments and the APS, so that we could be sure this Strategy focuses on the things that make a difference to people and business. We heard about the challenges people face in accessing government services and the impact this has on their lives. We heard that people don’t want to be left behind as services increasingly move online. We heard a strong desire for the Australian Government to partner more closely with people, the community and other governments, sharing ideas and co-designing policies and services. Partnering with industry to drive opportunities, develop common standards and increase transparency was also a feature of our consultations, and aligns well with our commitments as part of the Buy Australian Plan We also heard about the opportunities innovation and emerging technologies bring for better service delivery in an increasingly digital world.
I thank everyone who shared their views as part of this consultation. Your feedback has been used to finalise the Strategy and prioritise actions we will take to achieve the vision of simple, secure and connected public services for all people and business, through world-class data and digital capabilities.