Delivering shared corporate services in Queensland

Tabled Report 3: 2018-19

Tabled date

2018-09-27

Report year

2018-19

Whole of government

Entities audited

Not identified in the published HTML audit scope.

Recommendations

1. QAO's text Addressed to: the Department of Housing and Public Works

   leads an initiative to prepare a proposal for government on a cross-government governance arrangement for the direction and performance of the Queensland Government’s shared corporate services.

   The role of this arrangement should include monitoring performance, promoting collaboration and best use of resources, and developing the cultural change agenda required to complement technological advances.

   Interactions with existing governance arrangements, like the Leadership Board, the Government Shared Services Customer Board and the responsibilities delegated to Chief Executives through the Financial Accountability Act 2009, should be considered as part of this process.

   We acknowledge that this is a whole of government initiative and therefore input from central agencies and all directors-general will be required. (Chapter 2)

2. QAO's text Addressed to: the Department of Housing and Public Works

   leads an initiative to prepare a proposal to government to reset the vision, strategy, and principles guiding shared corporate services delivery in Queensland.

   This should include all Queensland Government shared corporate services operations, not just the shared corporate service providers included within the scope of this audit (Chapter 2)

3. QAO's text Addressed to: the Department of Housing and Public Works

   works with Queensland Treasury to propose options for a revenue and investment model for shared corporate service providers and customers (Chapter 3)

4. QAO's text Addressed to: the Department of Housing and Public Works

   coordinates the alignment of the government’s technology (digitisation) strategy with shared corporate service providers plans for improvements and people strategies. (Chapters 2 and 3)

5. QAO's text Addressed to: the Public Service Commission

   We recommend that the Public Service Commission works with all government agencies to ensure they effectively collaborate to plan, support, and manage those corporate services employees affected by automation. (Chapter 2) 

6. QAO's text Addressed to: each Queensland Government shared corporate service provider

   for each service it provides:

   •  defines a clear strategy, acknowledging external factors (such as innovation in service delivery models and technology), user demand, and future funding challenges 
   • establishes an understanding of the full cost per service
   • establishes and monitors standards for volume, quality, and time (Chapter 3).

7. QAO's text Addressed to: each Queensland Government shared corporate service provider

   maintains a well-defined catalogue of its services aligned to the Queensland Government's Business Service Classification Framework so that demand, efficiency savings, and performance standards can be compared across providers (Chapter 3)

8. QAO's text Addressed to: each Queensland Government shared corporate service provider

   establishes a transparent pricing strategy, if funded through fee-for-service, that includes efficiency, behavioural and sustainability objectives (Chapter 3)

9. QAO's text Addressed to: each Queensland Government shared corporate service provider

   formalises agreements with customers to clarify the type and range of services, performance standards, and exit criteria (Chapter 2)

10. QAO's text Addressed to: each Queensland Government shared corporate service provider

    works with the cross-government governance arrangement for the Queensland Government’s shared corporate services to establish and maintain business, technology, and people strategies that are aligned to the ongoing success of shared corporate services at the whole-of-government level. (Chapters 2 and 3)

11. QAO's text Addressed to: each customer of a Queensland Government shared corporate service

    We recommend that each customer of a Queensland Government shared corporate service provider contribute to driving the effectiveness and efficiency of shared corporate services within Queensland government by:

    • providing shared service providers with quality inputs to their processes to aid efficient processing
    • considering the effect on efficiencies and economies of scale of shared services at a whole-of-government level in any analysis rather than only at the individual customer level
    • continuing to communicate any proposed changes to demand for services in a timely manner to allow the provider to make appropriate arrangements
    • effectively monitoring performance of shared service providers in accordance with shared service level agreements
    • continuing to collaborate on improvement initiatives. (Chapters 2 and 3)

     

     

Authoritative report — Queensland Audit Office

Report PDF on QAO