ANZSOG conference

The Department of Human Services is aiming to approach digital customer service like a bank — or Domino’s pizza — revealed the man leading an overhaul of Australia’s welfare payment system. It begins with not keeping the customer in the dark.

Ministers tend to see departmental heads as their principal advisers — but there’s a whole lot more to it than that, argued Finance’s Jane Halton and NSW DPC’s Blair Comley at the ANZSOG conference. Finding the right skills and leadership style is challenging, and ministers don’t always help.