The New South Wales Premier's Department, a department of the New South Wales Government, is responsible for leading the New South Walespublic sector to deliver on the Government's commitments and priorities. The department provides administrative support that enables the cabinet to identify, design and implement a coordinated policy, project and reform agenda that boosts the efficiency, productivity and effectiveness across the State. The department consults and work closely with other New South Wales government departments, the Commonwealth Government, local government, business and the community to ensure responses to community needs are effective.
On 1 July 2023, the Department of Premier and Cabinet was split into the Premier’s Department and The Cabinet Office, reverting to the way it was before 2007.[1][2]
Agency activities
The Premier's Department s directly responsible for the administration and implementation of government reform agenda through policy and project support. The department also plays a key coordinating role in disaster management, delivery of infrastructure such as major projects and industry and business development. Premier and Cabinet also manages workforce reforms, employee relations and essential services to support the government of the day, such as ministerial services, parliamentary counsel, cabinet secretariat and policy support.[3]
The Department is responsible for investigating various matters as directed by the Premier and the agency Secretary.
Current structural groups and divisions
As of April 2021[update], the Department of Premier and Cabinet is divided into five groups: the Strategy and Delivery Group; the Transformation Group; the Community Engagement Group; Office of the General Counsel; and the People Group. Each group comprises a number of branches (in the People Group, teams).[4] These groups are responsible for a number of functional areas, agencies and cabinet committees. [5]
NSW Government agencies are broadly organised into eight groups, referred to as clusters. The following agencies are included in the Premier and Cabinet cluster, administered by the Department:[7]
In 2006 the New South Wales Government commissioned an inquiry into government administration by Dr Michael Vertigan AC and Nigel Stokes, entitled New South Wales audit of expenditure and assets report or more commonly the Vertigan Report.[8]
Prior to 2007 separate agencies existed, entitled the Premier's Department of New South Wales and the New South Wales Cabinet Office, the latter established in 1988. Premier Morris Iemma merged the two agencies into the new Department of Premier and Cabinet[9] under the direction of Robyn Kruk after the 2006 resignation of the Director General of the Cabinet Office, Roger Wilkins,[10] and replacing the long-term Director General of Premier's Department, Col Gellatly,[11] who served under Premier Carr.[12]
In 2008, following the resignation of Premier Iemma, Nathan Rees replaced Kruk with John Lee, a senior public servant in the New South Wales Department of Transport and brother of Michael Lee, a former Labor Federal Minister and Councillor of the City of Sydney.[13][14] In June 2009, Rees announced a restructure of the New South Wales Government and the creation of 13 super departments aimed at delivering better government services. The Department of Premier and Cabinet was named as the lead agency; responsible for the implementation of the new plan.[15] Additionally, the Department of Premier and Cabinet became responsible to a number of Ministers. In addition to the Premier, the Ministers for the Central Coast, the Hunter, the Illawarra, Infrastructure, Local Government, Police, Public Sector Reform, Regulatory Reform, Women, and the Assisting the Premier on Veterans’ Affairs, and the Special Minister of State all were responsible for various functions administered by the Department of Premier and Cabinet.[16] Following the December 2009 appointment of Kristina Keneally as Premier, Keneally announced that the restructure plan would continue to be implemented, whilst at the same time replacing Lees with Brendan O'Reilly.[17]
Following the NSW coalition's victory at the 2011 state election, Liberal Premier Barry O'Farrell replaced O'Reilly with Chris Eccles on 4 April 2011.[18] By August 2011, a revised agency structure was formalised,[19] together with an overlying management structure[20] that led to the creation of offices and divisions covering local government, planning and infrastructure including strategic lands, environment and heritage including environment and climate change, national parks and wildlife, western Sydney, parliamentary counsel, and general counsel. A further restructure took place following the 2015 state election when Premier Mike Baird transferred the functions of investment attraction, trade and tourism, and major events from the Trade and Industry to Premier and Cabinet.[21] Minor changes to the portfolio were made following the 2019 state election when the number of clusters were reduced from ten to eight.[7]
In April 2023, new Labor Premier Chris Minns announced that the Department of Premier and Cabinet would be split back into the Premier's Department and The Cabinet Office on 1 July 2023.[1][2]
In 2007, the Director General of the Department referred a matter to NSW Police following allegation that Paul Gibson had allegedly assaulted Sandra Nori, a parliamentary colleague of Gibson's with whom he had a relationship.[69] In 2010, the Department coordinated investigations into claims that Ian Macdonald, a disgraced former Minister, had rorted his travel allowances.[70] During 2010, the Auditor General of New South Wales accused the agency of establishing special deals with contracted public servants which resulted in them receiving a form of golden handshake. Premier Keneally defended the Department and stated that, "nobody in my government has those sorts of arrangements".[71]
^"About us". Department of Premier and Cabinet. Government of New South Wales. 30 October 2008. Archived from the original on 22 April 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
^"Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales. No. 431. New South Wales, Australia. 18 August 1905. p. 5616. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"APPOINTMENTS". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales. No. 131. New South Wales, Australia. 24 August 1910. p. 4629. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"RETIREMENTS". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales. No. 48. New South Wales, Australia. 21 March 1940. p. 1496. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"SPECIAL GAZETTE UNDER THE "PUBLIC SERVICE ACT, 1902."". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales. No. 48. New South Wales, Australia. 21 March 1940. p. 1495. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"PUBLIC SERVICE CHANGES". The Sydney Morning Herald. New South Wales, Australia. 14 March 1940. p. 10. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"SENIOR PUBLIC SERVANT RESIGNS". National Advocate. Bathurst, New South Wales. 2 January 1948. p. 2. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"NEW OFFICIAL FOR PREMIER". The Daily Telegraph. New South Wales, Australia. 26 December 1947. p. 9. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"PUBLIC SERVICE APPOINTMENT". The Sydney Morning Herald. New South Wales, Australia. 26 December 1947. p. 4. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"SPECIAL GAZETTE UNDER THE "PUBLIC SERVICE ACT, 1902."". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales. No. 2. New South Wales, Australia. 2 January 1948. p. 23. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Funeral of Mr. P. H. Roper". The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 October 1956. p. 4.
^Grealy, Michael (29 May 1988). "How Wran picked the best man to run NSW". The Sun-Herald. p. 26.
^"CONSTITUTION ACT 1902—PROCLAMATION". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales. No. 101. New South Wales, Australia. 15 June 1988. p. 3167. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^Murphy, Damien; Frail, Rod (15 July 1988). "Humphry resigns as auditor-general for top job with Greiner". The Age. p. 4.
^"PUBLIC SERVICE ACT 1979". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales. No. 123. New South Wales, Australia. 29 July 1988. p. 3984. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES ACT 1976—ORDER". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales. No. 145. New South Wales, Australia. 16 September 1988. p. 4875. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES ACT 1976—ORDER". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales. No. 180. New South Wales, Australia. 9 December 1988. p. 6309. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^Kennedy, Alan (13 December 1988). "What's in a name?". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 26.
^Coultan, Mark (24 February 1994). "Premier's man goes private". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 3.
^"PUBLIC SECTOR MANAGEMENT ACT 1988". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales. No. 71. New South Wales, Australia. 20 May 1994. p. 2311. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"REMOVAL FROM OFFICE". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales. No. 39. New South Wales, Australia. 5 April 1995. p. 1871. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"APPOINTMENTS TO SENIOR POSITIONS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales. No. 46. New South Wales, Australia. 13 April 1995. p. 2025. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^Humphries, David (27 April 1996). "The Testing of Bob Carr". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 25.
^"PUBLIC SECTOR MANAGEMENT ACT 1988". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales. No. 46. New South Wales, Australia. 12 April 1996. p. 1686. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"PUBLIC SECTOR MANAGEMENT ACT 1988". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales. No. 113. New South Wales, Australia. 4 October 1996. p. 6793. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"PUBLIC SECTOR MANAGEMENT ACT 1988". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales. No. 113. New South Wales, Australia. 4 October 1996. p. 6793. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.