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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 12 Hansard (13 November) . . Page.. 4126 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

Service providers consult regularly with their customers about the adequacy, design and standard of service. The development of feedback and consultation mechanisms with customers is an important process to develop quality customer service. These mechanisms include complaints procedures and handling, customer surveys and customer focus groups. Information on how customers may consult with service providers or how they may comment on service is written into commitment to service statements.

Services are responsive to customers. The customer commitment program is underpinned by training to develop staff at all levels in the ACT Public Service to enable improvement in our customer service. Training includes improvement in customer service, such as telephone skills, complaints handling and dealing with a diverse customer base. Services meet the needs of customers. The customer focus unit within the Chief Minister's Department provides information to service delivery areas on customer commitment, which includes guidelines and techniques for improving customer service.

Services maximise the outcomes for customers. The program of reforms in the ACT government services has been underpinned by a shift from inputs to outputs. In the purchase agreements with service providers the emphasis is on the delivery of specified outputs which contribute to the attainment of desired outcomes for customers. This is now measured through the alignment of outputs with outcomes in purchase agreements performance measures. Services report on how they deliver outputs for customers. This is done on an annual basis through reports to the Legislative Assembly.

MR SPEAKER: Order! There is too much audible conversation in the chamber.

MRS CARNELL: While the principles I have described apply across government services and are applicable to all customers, it should be noted that in the case of specific target groups particular agencies may take a lead role, such as in the case of disability issues where the Department of Health and Community Care has a lead role. In other cases where there is a whole-of-government approach, or an intergovernmental approach is required, the Chief Minister's Department takes a lead coordination role. An example would be multicultural and international affairs.

The application of fairness and opportunity principles is, of course, an issue for all government services, especially those with a high service delivery role. The Chief Minister's Department takes a lead role in developing the strategies for implementing a customer focused public service and in evaluating commitment to service statements. Each agency, however, is responsible for the finetuning and ensuring that fairness and opportunity principles are applied and are relevant to their particular consumers.

Mr Speaker, as a consequence of the approaches I have outlined, I now propose to provide to this Assembly some examples of the real outcomes which have been delivered. In July 1996 the Chief Minister's Department arranged a national symposium, "The Way Forward: Harnessing Australia's Cultural and Linguistic Diversity".

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