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What we do
PM&C's Social Policy Division advises and supports the Prime Minister on social policy issues including:
- health
- community services
- education
- employment
- immigration
- indigenous services
- veterans' affairs
- income support, and
- families.
How we measure our performance
For this output group, our overall focus is on ensuring that the Prime Minister, our executive and other stakeholders are satisfied with the timeliness and quality of our work.
Key results in 2005–06
In 2005–06 PM&C continued to support the Prime Minister by providing whole-of-government leadership and advice on a range of social policy issues. Our major areas of work included:
- pandemic preparedness—we led work on the National Action Plan on Human Influenza Pandemic and the Commonwealth Government Action Plan for Influenza (see Chapter 2, page 17)
- mental health and other health issues—we coordinated work which underpinned new Australian Government programmes in mental health, health workforce and other initiatives (page32), and
- skills—we led work on a timetable and process for improving approaches to mutual recognition, apprenticeships and vocational training through COAG (page 34).
Areas of ongoing work include human capital, immigration and indigenous issues (pages 35 and 36).
Feedback was obtained from the Prime Minister, his office and our executive throughout the year. This indicated that:
- the majority of social policy advice and coordination work was timely and of high quality, and
- we succeeded in maintaining the improvements in timeliness and quality noted in our last annual report.
In addition, two staff received 2006 Australia Day Achievement Awards for their contribution to family law reforms (see photo at left).
Major health reforms agreed
COAG identified several possible areas for improvement at its meeting in June 2005, and asked officials to prepare a draft action plan by December 2005.
PM&C played a significant role in this work. We chaired the Senior Officials' Working Group—involving all states, territories and the Commonwealth—and provided secretartiat support for the group. We also helped the Australian Government formulate its position, leading a committee involving five agencies.
In response to the Working Group's report, at its February 2006 meeting COAG agreed on a $1.1 billion reform package to achieve better health for all Australians. The Australian Government's contribution is expected to reach $660 million over five years. This will be used to help:
- promote healthy lifestyles, detect lifestyle and disease risks, and provide better services to people with chronic conditions such as cancer
- establish a new National Health Call Centre Network from July 2007, so that by 2011 any Australian can access health advice and mental health services 24 hours a day
- provide better care for older people who are in hospital or waiting for admission to residential care, and for younger people with disabilities living in aged care facilities, and
- accelerate work on a national electronic health records system to facilitate the exchange of patient information, subject to patient consent.
COAG also asked senior officials to look into and report back by June 2006 on two more issues: services to and outcomes for people with a mental illness and their families, and Australia's health workforce.
PM&C chaired and supported the COAG groups working on these issues, as well as two interdepartmental committees involving a total of 13 Australian Government agencies.
Mental health is a significant issue, with mental illness costing Australia approximately $20 billion a year.
In February 2006, COAG asked officials to develop a National Action Plan on Mental Health. We led work within the Australian Government and co-chaired with New South Wales work by Commonwealth, state and territory officials.
In April 2006, the Prime Minister announced a mental health package worth $1.9 billion. This package will be implemented across a number of Australian Government portfolios.
At its July 2006 meeting, COAG endorsed a five-year National Action Plan on Mental Health, of which the Australian Government mental health package formed a part.
Health workforce issues underpin the ability of Australia's national health system to deliver high-quality care to all Australians.
In February 2006, COAG welcomed the release of the Productivity Commission report on Australia's health workforce, and requested that senior officials report back on its recommendations and related issues in mid 2006. We led work within the Australian Government, and co-chaired with Queensland work by Commonwealth, state and territory officials.
At the July 2006 COAG meeting, governments announced a health workforce package with a total Australian Government contribution of around $300 million over four years. The majority of this package is now being implemented across a number of Australian Government portfolios.
The implementation of the national registration and national accreditation schemes were announced as part of the health workforce reforms. On these reforms, COAG asked that senior officials consult with stakeholders on its preferred models for the schemes and report back in December 2006 on the consultations and an implementation approach for the schemes to commence on 1 July 2008. We are continuing to lead this work within the Australian Government and co-chairing work by Commonwealth and state officials with Queensland.
Skills in Australia
In recent years, there has been significant reform of vocational education and training (VET), but a more responsive and flexible system is required to address the future skills needs of Australia.
At its meeting in June 2005, COAG agreed that a joint Commonwealth–State working group should look into barriers to achieving a national approach across the VET system, and report back with options and recommendations by December 2005.
PM&C chaired the working group and provided secretariat support for it with the assistance of two staff from the Department of education, Science and Training (DEST).
We also convened a consultation session with peak bodies, and held follow-up meetings with the Business Council of Australia, the Australian Industry Group and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
After considering the working group's report, the February 2006 meeting of COAG endorsed a range of measures to create 'a truly national approach to apprenticeships, training and skills recognition'. Governments are now working together to:
- improve quality standards for registered training organisations
- increase mutual recognition between states and territories of trade licenses
- streamline and strengthen processes for assessing migrants' skills, both offshore and onshore
- allow apprentices and trainees to work as soon as they have met industry competency standards
- remove barriers to school-based apprenticeships to make them available where there is industry demand
- introduce a better process to recognise the prior learning of all people entering training
- develop additional nationally portable qualifications in the General Construction Training Package
- establish a new regional programme to address the supply of skilled labour to key industries and regions, and
- develop options for further reform to the technical and vocational education system for consideration by COAG.
Good progress is being made, with the July 2006 meeting of COAG noting that all measures are on track for implementation within agreed timeframes.
PM&C remains closely involved in these reforms as chair of the COAG Skills Recognition Steering Group set up to drive the implementation of mutual recognition and overseas skills assessment. We are also monitoring implementation of the reforms and providing advice to government on broader skills related issues.
Work continues on human capital and indigenous issues
Human capital. Australia has benefited significantly from the economic reforms of recent decades. However, we need to enhance workforce participation and productivity if we are to prepare for emerging pressures, such as the ageing of our population, and to take advantage of new opportunities.
At its February 2006 meeting, COAG asked senior officials as part of the new National Reform Agenda to develop proposals relating to human capital in Australia. The aim was to improve productivity and participation.
PM&C chairs the COAG working group—involving all states, territories and local government—and an interdepartmental committee involving eight Australian Government agencies. We also provide secretariat services for these groups, and for several issues-based subgroups chaired by state and territory officials.
Areas of ongoing work include early childhood development, education and care; diabetes; and literacy and numeracy outcomes for school students.
Indigenous issues. Outcomes for Australia's indigenous peoples have improved noticeably since 1994 but there remains a gap in outcomes between indigenous and other Australians.
PM&C is contributing to Australian Government efforts to tackle indigenous disadvantage and reduce these gaps, working closely with the Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination and other agencies. Significant areas of work in 2005–06 included:
- The Secretaries' Group on Indigenous Affairs. Chaired by our Secretary, this group advises the Ministerial Taskforce on Indigenous Affairs, and provides leadership to the APS on indigenous issues. It met seven times in 2005–06.
- COAG reporting. We coordinated reporting to COAG on progress in improving services to indigenous people and in reconciliation. Future reports will be expanded to include the outcomes of the June 2006 summit on violence and child abuse in indigenous communities convened by the Minister assisting the Prime Minister on Indigenous Issues, the Hon Mal Brough MP.
Other issues receive attention
PM&C has been and remains active in many other areas of social policy.
Human services. We chaired an interdepartmental committee on ways to improve Medicare claiming, and advised on the proposal to create a single health and social services access card. These initiatives are expected to improve the way Australians interact with government in coming years.
Private health insurance. We provided advice to the Prime Minister on options to improve innovation and choice in private health insurance, and to maintain the sustainability of the health care system.
Medicines and therapeutic goods. We provided advice on initiatives to improve the sustainability of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), new listings of high cost medicines on the PBS, the implementation of arrangements under the fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement to dispense PBS medicines, and the establishment of the Australian New Zealand Therapeutic Products Authority.
Human cloning and research involving human embryos. We provided advice to the Prime Minister on the Legislation Review of the Prohibition of Human Cloning Act 2002 and Research involving Human Embryos Act 2002 (the Lockhart Review).
Family law. As a member of the Family Law Reform Steering Committee, we are helping monitor the implementation of reforms announced on 29 July 2004.
Child support arrangements. We worked with other agencies and advised on the government response to the independent review of the Child Support Scheme as well as reforms to the Child Support Agency. We continue to play a role in this area as a member of the Child Support Scheme Reform Steering Committee.
Welfare to work reforms. We continued to monitor and advise government on the implementation of reforms, including through membership of the Welfare to Work Steering Committee and Strategic Project Management Group. The reforms seek to increase workforce participation through a balance of improved services, increased financial incentives and appropriate obligations. Most reforms had been implemented by 1 July 2006.
Immigration. The government continued to pursue a wide range of reforms in immigration policy and administration during 2005-06. PM&C chaired an interdepartmental committee monitoring the changes to immigration detention laws and practices announced by the Prime Minister on 17 June 2005. We also advised the Prime Minister on issues including the government response to the Palmer and Comrie reports, and the settlement of people entering Australia on humanitarian grounds.
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