Public Sector Perspectives Podcast

IPAA Victoria presents Public Sector Perspectives, a podcast featuring conversations with incredible people highlighting the interesting work in government and across the Victorian Public Sector.

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Episode 37

Fellows Voice: Interview with Ella McPherson, Victorian Public Sector Commission

As part of IPAA Victoria's Fellows Voice series, Amanda Stevens, Chief Executive Officer, IPAA Victoria, interviews Ella McPherson, Deputy Commissioner, Victorian Public Sector Commission, about her career journey.As part of IPAA Victoria's Fellows Voice series, Amanda Stevens, Chief Executive Officer, IPAA Victoria, interviews Ella McPherson, Deputy Commissioner, Victorian Public Sector Commission, about her career journey.

Episode 36

Fellows Voice: Interview with Pam Anders, Department of Health

As part of IPAA Victoria's Fellows Voice series, Dr Marija Maher, Chief Operating Officer, Victorian Ombudsman, interviews Pam Anders, Senior Executive Director, Mental Health & Wellbeing Transformation, Department of Health, about her significant commitment to public service and experience in implementing reform from the Royal Commission in Victoria's Mental Health System.

Episode 35

Fellows Voice: Interview with Simon Corden, Essential Services Commissioner

As part of IPAA Victoria's Fellows Voice series, Amanda Stevens, CEO, IPAA Victoria interviews Simon Corden, Essential Services Commissioner, and 2023 Fellow inductee about his significant commitment to public service and experience in leading organisations and teams.RESOURCES REFERRED TO IN THIS PODCASTUK Post Office Scandal explainer www.bbc.com/news/business-56718036Mr Bates and the Post Office www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-ra…40201-p5f1pf.htmlWestminster Tradition podcast podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/the-…on/id1695815010

Episode 34

AI and the Future of Governance: Unanswered audience questions (Part 2)

In this follow-up podcast to IPAA Victoria's AI and the Future of Governance event, host Kristy Hornby, Chair, Risk Community of Practice (CoP), IPAA Victoria, and Associate Director, Grosvenor, and guest speaker Peter Williams, Chief Edge Officer, Centre for the Edge, Deloitte Australia respond to some of the unanswered audience questions that were submitted during the event.

Episode 33

AI and the Future of Governance: Unanswered audience questions (part 1)

In this follow-up podcast to the IPAA Victoria’s Ai And The Future Of Governance event, host Josef Oduwo, Executive Program Director, Change & Transformation, Department of Health, and guest presenter Professor Eduard Hovy, Executive Director, Melbourne Connect, University of Melbourne, responds to some of the unanswered audience questions that were submitted during the event.

Episode 32

The secrets of an award-winning public sector workplace

Following on for the excitement of IPAA Victoria's Leadership in the Public Sector Awards ceremony, this podcast episode features Frances Cawthra, CEO, Cenitex, the winner of the Leading Employer Award, and Brigid Monagle, Commissioner, Victorian Public Sector Commission, about the two-year program of transformation Cenitex delivered as part of its Employee experience uplift project.

Episode 30

Risk, Sustainability and Public Policy (Part 1)

As part of IPAA Victoria's Sustainability and Climate Change series, delivered in partnership with its Sustainability Community of Practice (CoP) and VMIA (Victorian Management Insurance Authority), this two-part podcast features Jonathan Masom, VMIA, and Lynette Smith, gramma consultancy. Together, they explore risk, sustainability and public policy.

Episode 29

First Nations women and exercising voice to take on decision-making power

This episode follows the important conversation at IPAA Victoria’s International Women’s Day Gala Dinner. In this Public Sector Perspectives episode, we chat to Elly Patira, Deputy Secretary, First Peoples – State Relations, Department of Premier and Cabinet, who explored the Treaty Framework in Victoria, the strengths and challenges of being a First Nations woman in the public service, and in keeping with IPAA Victoria's International Women's Day Gala Dinner theme, what are the specific opportunities for First Nations women as a result of the treaty process. This episode was hosted by Elke Smirl, Program Director, Victorian Public Sector Commission and member of IPAA Victoria's Aboriginal Advisory Committee.

Episode 28

International Women’s Day Gala Dinner 2023 – Unanswered audience questions

This episode features a very special conversation between Aunty Geraldine Atkinson (Co-Chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria), Professor Eleanor Bourke AM (Chair of the Yoorrook Justice Commission) and Angela Singh (IPAA Victoria Board Member and Regional Director at the Department of Education) who answer audience questions from IPAA Victoria’s International Women’s Day Gala Dinner on 8 March 2023.

Episode 27

Wellbeing and mental illness in the public sector

In our latest episode of Public Sector Perspectives, IPAA Victoria chats to Maria Katsonis FIPAA (Vic), Deputy Chair of Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing, and hear her very personal story about wellbeing and mental illness in a public sector workplace.

Content Warning This interview contains references to suicide. If this discussion causes you distress and you need support or help, you can contact Lifeline’s 24-hour hotline on 13 11 14.

Episode 25

Wellbeing in the public purpose sector (Part 1)

In partnership with IPAA Victoria's People and Culture Community of Practice (CoP), IPAA Victoria has launched a content series dedicated to exploring wellbeing. In this episode, Professor Deborah Blackman, Head of School, and a member of the Public Service Research Group and Dr Fiona Buick, Senior Lecturer, School of Business, UNSW, explore the ideas and concepts that underpin wellbeing that public purpose sector leaders and professionals should consider.

Episode 26

Wellbeing in the public purpose sector (Part 2)

In partnership with IPAA Victoria's People and Culture Community of Practice (CoP), IPAA Victoria has launched a content series dedicated to exploring wellbeing. In this episode, Professor Deborah Blackman, Head of School, and a member of the Public Service Research Group and Dr Fiona Buick, Senior Lecturer, School of Business, UNSW, explore the ideas and concepts that underpin wellbeing that public purpose sector leaders and professionals should consider.

Episode 24

Victorian Health Building Authority and Sustainability

In this episode, Julian Freeland from the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA) discusses some of the surprising ways that hospitals can be more energy efficient, how to persuade project managers that it's worth investing in better environmental design, and how this type of public service work creates a real sense of satisfaction and value.

Episode 23

Co-design principles and mental health

In this episode, we explore co-design principles in implementing some of the interim recommendations of the Victorian Royal Commission into Mental Health.

We are joined by Paul Flowerdew, Director of the Transformation Strategy and Program Management Office, Mental Health and Wellbeing Division, Department of Health, Michelle Swann, Principal Adivser for Family/Carer Lived Experience, Mental Health and Wellbeing Division, Department of Health, and Karen Gallagher and Alex Moshevelis, co-design practitioners at Today, one of Australia's leading social impact agencies.

Episode 22

Celebrating United Nations Public Service Day (part 2)

As part of IPAA Victoria’s campaign to celebrate the work of the public purpose sector here in Victoria, we highlight the extraordinary individuals who work in the public sector and provide outstanding public service, and the breadth of work that gets done.

In this episode, we speak with Ben Rimmer, Associate Secretary at Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, Victoria and CEO, Homes Victoria, who discusses the highlights of his distinguished career, his perspectives on State–Commonwealth relations post-election and his take on the value of the public sector.

Episode 21

Celebrating United Nations Public Service Day (part 1)

To celebrate United Nations Public Service Day, IPAA Victoria is launching a new series to highlight the extraordinary individuals who work in the public sector and provide outstanding public service, and the breadth of work that gets done.

In this episode, we speak with Y Le – Director of Affordable Housing and Social Investment Group at Homes Victoria, which sits within the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing. Y discusses new ways of tackling housing, public policy and the importance of the public service.

Episode 20

Women in leadership with Deanne Stewart CEO of Aware Super

Reflecting on the release of the IPAA Victoria Top 50 Public Sector Women Awards for 2022, Deanne Stewart (CEO of Aware Super) shares insights on what helps and hinders gender equity in public and private sector workplaces.

Episode 19

International Women’s Day Panel Q&A

Following on from our International Women's Day event, the panel further explore some of the audience questions that were unable to be answered on the night. The discussion features:
  • Molina Asthana, President Elect, Victorian Law Institute; Board Director and lawyer
  • Captain Mona Shindy CSC, Reserve Naval Officer with the Royal Australian Navy
  • Tasneem Chopra OAM, cross-cultural consultant, inaugural Ambassador for Women of Colour, Australia.

Episode 18

Embracing digital services in Government amidst a pandemic with Joanne de Morton, Chief Executive Officer, Service Victoria

Many organisations this year have been required to respond and adapt to the unprecedented impacts of COVID-19. Especially in their approach to the digitalisation of their services. In this episode of Public Sector Perspectives, we look at embracing digital services in government amidst a global pandemic with Joanne de Morton, Chief Executive Officer, Service Victoria. How Service Victoria has modernised its digital operations to be at the forefront of innovation and as a result has established greater trust in government through these everyday interactions.

Episode 17

Celebrating NAIDOC week with Elly Patira Executive Director, Treaty, Aboriginal Affairs Policy, for Aboriginal COVID-19 Taskforce.

To mark NAIDOC WEEK 2020 and celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, in this special episode of Public Sector Perspectives we are joined by Elly Patira, Executive Director, Treaty, Aboriginal Affairs Policy, Aboriginal COVID-19 Taskforce for the Department of Premier and Cabinet. Elly describes how Aboriginal communities in Victoria stopped the spread of COVID-19 through cultural and community-led action. Meanwhile, in the switch to working from home, there have also been surprising outcomes for engagement in the Treaty process.

You can see a listing of NAIDOC week events and examples of some of community health messages that have been used to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Episode 16

Moving to remote learning with Elizabeth Wilson, Chief Executive Officer for Department of Education and Training Victoria

2020 has put enormous stress on public servants. In this episode of Public Sector Perspectives, we look at how the Department of Education and Training responded to the challenges of COVID-19 and why their CIO, Elizabeth Wilson believes the term ‘transformation’ can have an adverse reaction. To encourage small incremental changes that in turn optimises the experience people have with the public service we need to rethink our approach to digital transformation.

Episode 15

Reflecting on the Community you Serve with Bonnie Cavanagh, Taungurung woman and Project Manager at Victoria Police

One of the challenges facing all long term public sector institutions is renewal – bringing in new people with new ideas and building and rebuilding a sector that better reflects the community it serves. In today’s episode of Public Sector Perspectives, we talk to someone who epitomises that renewal, Bonnie Cavanagh is a Program Manager in the Media and Corporate Communications Unit in Victoria Police. She has worked at Victoria Police for more than 12 years, starting off as forensic officer - providing frontline forensic technical expertise - and then moving into senior policy, project program management positions. Bonnie is also a proud Taungurung woman and won IPAA Victoria’s Young Indigenous Leader Scholarship in 2018. Bonnie has some unique insights into the work of the public sector, how it can better reflect the community it serves and how it can attract young people who bring new ideas and new perspectives. 

Episode 14

An insight into econometrics and COVID-19 with Emma Grey, Deloitte

In this episode of Public Sector Perspectives, we hear from Emma Grey, Manager of Macroeconomic Policy & Forecasting at Deloitte Access Economics, who discusses the impacts of COVID-19 on the social economic structure in Victoria from the lens of a young professional. As Victoria looks to start navigating its way to ‘COVID-19 normal’, the roadmap to reopening turns our attention towards the state of the economy. It’s difficult to fully measure what has been lost both economically and socially and so with this comes the challenge to capture the data and assist Victorians to move forward.

Episode 13

Beyond the virus, with Dr Sandro Demaio, Chief Executive Officer, VicHealth

VicHealth was a world-leading example of public sector innovation when it was established in 1987, for more than 30 years it has supported and promoted new ways of improving public health. In this episode of Public Sector Perspectives, we speak to Dr Sandro Demaio, the CEO of VicHealth, about how COVID-19 is reshaping the work of one of Australia’s most influential public health organisations. 

Episode 12

Warwick Gately AM, Electoral Commissioner, Victorian Electoral Commission

Last month, the State government confirmed Local government elections will go ahead as scheduled, for Saturday 24 October 2020. In this podcast episode of Public Sector Perspectives, we are fortunate to gain an insight to the election preparations already well underway. Warwick Gately AM, Victorian Electoral Commissioner, discusses how the VEC is planning to deliver these state-wide council elections entirely via postal ballot. Warwick also shares his own adaptive leadership approach during this pandemic and reassures us that even during these very difficult circumstances, “we can have absolute confidence in the way public administration is conducted”. 

Episode 11

Dr Steve Hodgkinson, CIO, DHHS

“One of the big debates in the leadership of digital transformation is the merits of a ‘big bang’ strategic program versus a more tactical, incremental approach,” says the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Chief Information Officer and IPAA Victoria Fellow, Dr Steve Hodgkinson. IPAA Victoria’s Public Sector Perspectives interviewed top 50 CIO, Dr Hodgkinson to discuss his views toward organisational transformation. COVID-19 has refocused attention on the power of digital tools to transform the public sector, so what does that actually mean and what is really possible? Listen to Dr Hodgkinson’s podcast of Public Sector Perspectives in which he reveals why he’s a digital pragmatist and why the concept of ‘digital fitness’ is crucial in the creation and adoption of new digital systems. 

Episode 10

Andrew Wear, Author and Director of Economic Development  City at the city of Melbourne

If a city is constantly evolving and growing, what happens when we press the pause button? In this episode of Public Sector Perspectives Podcast, IPAA Victoria is joined by Andrew Wear, Director of Economic Development at the City of Melbourne and senior public sector professional.  Andrew discusses this poignant question and how residents across Melbourne are facing the pandemic in very different ways. He has authored, Solved! How Other Countries Have Cracked The World’s Biggest Problems And We Can To, in which he analyses the success of countries around the world and applies these learnings to problems we face in our own backyard. As humans, we are social creatures who thrive and innovate from one another and we now have a rare and unique opportunity to rebuild the society we want when the pandemic has passed. As Andrew states, “Humans are a bit like a hive of bees, we collaborate and cooperate, and compete to drive and develop interesting ideas and when that gets disrupted by an event like a crisis such as this, the city really feels it.” 

Episode 9

Colin Radford, Chief Executive for WorkSafe Victoria

As a leader, Colin Radford understands human beings are social creatures and his own energy is replenished through interactions with his team. After commencing as Chief Executive for WorkSafe Victoria in November 2019, he was only in the role for a few months before, like so many others, was asked to work from home. This week’s episode of Public Sector Perspectives delves into how Colin built trust and communication with the workforce he had only recently started to lead and how he remains upbeat and confident that Victoria can get through this crisis, if we focus on the right things. As Colin mentions in this episode, “whatever the new normal looks like, it will be different”.

Episode 8

Claire Spencer AM, CEO, Arts Centre Melbourne

All the world’s a stage and fittingly, in this week’s Public Sector Perspectives episode, we are joined by Arts Centre Melbourne CEO, Claire Spencer AM – one of IPAA Victoria’s 2019 Top 50 Public Sector Women. Sitting beneath its iconic Spire and home to The Australian Ballet, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Theatre Company and Opera Australia, Arts Centre Melbourne is Australia’s largest and busiest performing arts centre. Its doors however are currently closed because COVID-19 has created a crisis for Australia’s performing arts professionals. Listen to how Claire continues to lead this major cultural centre with an emphasis on care, empathy and communication in leadership. Staying connected with the community during these times has proven to be a challenge yet Arts Centre Melbourne has introduced initiatives to combat this. Although the curtains are drawn, the show will go on …

Episode 7

Glenn Patterson, Chief Executive Officer of the City of Casey

The City of Casey has a population of more than 300,000 people and is the largest council in Victoria after the City of Melbourne. In this episode of Public Sector Perspectives, CEO Glenn Patterson describes how one decision taken three years ago made their transition to remote work easier, how you maintain staff morale during a period that has included the COVID19 crisis and the sacking of the Council, and why he thinks he might­­­ never see all his staff again. IPAA Victoria offers a range of leadership and development programs that are designed specifically to deal with the unique challenges of being a leader in the public sector including: Gain the Policy Edge and Integrity and Ethical Leadership Program.

Episode 6

Tanja Kovac, Gender Equity During a Crisis

Putting the gender lens over COVID-19. This episode of Public Sector Perspectives features Tanja Kovac, CEO of the newly formed peak body Gender Equity Victoria. How has the epidemic affected men and women differently and how has the community sector, on which the public sector depends for advice, expertise and service delivery, fared during the crisis?Gender Equity Victoria can be found at www.genvic.org.au

Applying a Gendered Lens to the Stay and Defend or Leave Early Approach to Bushfire Safety by Benjamin Reynolds and Meagan Tyler is in the December 2018 issue of the Australian Journal of Public Administration which is available free to all IPAA members.

Episode 5

Cube Group, From Response to Recovery (Part 2)

In this two-part episode, we sit down with Managing Partner Ben Schramm and Director Tom Craven of Cube Group to discuss flattening not one, but four curves of disruption and how to manage public services through the waves of the COVID-19 crisis.

Episode 5

Cube Group, From Response to Recovery (Part 1)

In this two-part episode, we sit down with Managing Partner Ben Schramm and Director Tom Craven of Cube Group to discuss flattening not one, but four curves of disruption and how to manage public services through the waves of the COVID-19 crisis. Read Cube Group's report in full 'From Response to Recovery'.

Episode 4

Dr Wesley Payne McClendon, Crisis Leadership

In this episode we hear from Dr Wesley Payne McClendon, expert in transformation and change strategy. Dr McClendon discusses leadership in a crisis, outlines a transformation lifecycle and shares ways to approach leadership and ways to adapt during a pandemic. Dr Payne McClendon has written multiple articles on the topic since the crisis of Covid-19 began, read his latest article: 'Leadership, Pandemics and the Future of Working'.

Episode 3

Kate Torney, Chief Librarian & CEO, State Library of Victoria

Kate Torney, describes her COVID-19 moment and how the State Library is capturing this unique cultural moment in Victoria's history.

Episode 2

COVID-19 and Victoria Police

Susan Middleditch, Deputy Secretary at Victoria Police, describes the phone call that made everything change in her professional world and the behind-the-scenes work that has kept one of Victoria's most important public sector services operational during the COVID19 pandemic.

Episode 1

Mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 crisis

Today on the show we look at how public sector managers are responding to the challenge of suddenly having to manage their teams remotely.

Click to find out more details about IPAA Victoria’s People Leaders’ Wellbeing Leadership Online Workshop Series