What happens when senior leaders step out of meeting rooms and into frontline service environments?

In this episode of Work with Purpose, host Louise MacDonald, managing partner, at EY, Canberra speaks with Kirsty Kirk, director of Leadership Programs at Services Australia, and Ken Walker, National Manager, Emergency Response at Services Australia, about Services Australia’s Service Delivery Immersion Program.

The program gives SES leaders and policy partners firsthand insight into how decisions, systems and policies land for staff and customers. By spending time in service centres and call environments, leaders see the complexity of frontline work, the needs of vulnerable customers, and the opportunities to make services simpler and more effective.

Recognised through the IPAA ACT Spirit of Service Awards, the program has expanded across government and is helping build more empathetic, customer-centred leadership.

Key tips:

1.      Stay close to the people your work affects. Regularly step away from the desk to observe services, speak with communities, and see firsthand how policies and programs land in real life.

2.      Design and decide from the user’s perspective. Ask, “What does this feel like for the person on the receiving end?”. Aim for interactions that are simple, human, and seamless.

3.      Treat frontline staff as partners, not endpoints. Involve the people who deliver services in shaping policy, programs and systems. Listen to their insights, act on what you hear, and keep feedback loops open.

4.      Lead with curiosity and empathy. Frontline immersion helps leaders better understand customer complexity, staff pressures, and the human impact of their decisions.

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In this episode of Work with Purpose, we discuss how a widening gap between external change and internal capability in the public sector is becoming a major threat to both public trust and effective government.

As governments navigate social media distortion, geopolitical instability, cognitive warfare and rapid advances in AI, many public institutions are still operating in rigid, slow-moving ways better suited to an earlier era.

Guest host Michelle Ainsworth, former ABC politics editor and Churchill Fellow, speaks with Sir Geoff Mulgan, Professor of Collective Intelligence, Public Policy and Social Innovation at University College London alongside IPAA National Secretary Samantha Palmer, about why trust in government now depends on more than competence alone.

Australia’s public service stands out internationally for its relative stability, integrity and institutional strength. Our panel discuss how Australia can use this advantage more ambitiously: to test new ideas, design better institutions and build models other democracies can learn from. The conversation explores how governments can respond to ethical failures more effectively, why public services need to become more transparent and conversational, and what it will take to avoid a new wave of AI-related public sector scandals.

Key tips

1. Trust is built through both competence and integrity. Public confidence depends not just on delivering results, but on being seen as honest, accountable, and guided by clear moral purpose.
2. Governments need to innovate more systematically. Public institutions cannot afford to remain rigid while technology and public expectations move quickly around them.
3. AI should be tested, staged, and governed carefully. Strong procurement, user testing, ethical oversight, and in-house capability are essential to avoid costly failures.

Work with Purpose is produced by contentgroup in partnership with IPAA ACT

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On this episode of Work with Purpose, the Hon Patrick Gorman, Assistant Minister for the Public Service, revisits performance, reform, and the future direction of the Australian Public Service.

 "It’s an incredibly patriotic thing to be a public servant", says Assistant Minister Gorman. At the same time, it requires consistent, positive frontline interactions as well as acting with integrity every day to ensure people continue to put their trust in the public service. So, what’s the minister’s vision for the future?

On this episode, host David Pembroke, CEO of contentgroup and Assistant Minister Gorman dive into growing culturally and linguistically diverse representation at senior levels of the APS, and unpack AI‑driven economic change, climate transition, energy security, misinformation, and more.

They also discuss the State of the Service Roadshow, and the importance of celebrating outstanding public sector initiatives, regional and remote service delivery, and engagement across the country through programs such as the Spirit of Service Awards.

Key tips

1. Competent service matters more than high‑level narratives or messaging. Remain consistent, and respectful in every interaction you have.

2. Capability uplift needs to continue, this includes more diversity and the senior level. Empower and encourage those with diverse backgrounds.

3. Use artificial intelligence and digital tools to improve productivity and services, in a secure and ethical way and with strong data governance to maintain public confidence.

Show Notes

Public Service Amendment Act 2024 | APS Reform

APS Employee Census 2025 | Australian Public Service Commission

State of the Service Roadshow: 2026 | Australian Public Service Commission

Spirit of Service Awards | IPAA ACT

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Host David Pembroke, CEO of contentgroup, speaks with APS CALD Champion Jim Betts, Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Art, and Nu Nu Win, assistant secretary at the Department of the Treasury, about cultural diversity in the Australian Public Service and the work underway to create a more inclusive and representative senior leadership pipeline.

Together, they explore how to challenge assumptions and why the APS still has a long way to go in turning commitment into meaningful change. The episode highlights emerging initiatives across the APS, including sponsorship, stronger staff networks and clearer institutional signals to support fairness, inclusion and better outcomes for the community the APS serves.

Key tips:

• Start with evidence, then act on it. Strong data helps move the conversation beyond assumptions and shows where barriers are real and where action is needed most.
• Leadership signals shape outcomes. When leaders show a visible commitment to fostering inclusion, it positively influences who feels encouraged to apply, grow and see a future in the Australian public service.
• Inclusion happens in everyday decisions. Look closely at small moments where choices are made about who is invited in, supported, encouraged or sponsored. These actions can shape long-term career outcomes.
• The APS has an opportunity to lead. APS leaders have the unique ability to coordinate, act deliberately, and build a workforce that better reflects the community it serves.

Show notes:

APS Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Employment Strategy and Action Plan | Australian Public Service Commission

Modelling Australian Public Service Careers | Tax and Transfer Policy Institute, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU

Cross-agency diversity networks (including CALD CONNECT) | Australian Public Service Commission

APSC CALD Action Plan (2025–2028) | Australian Public Service Commission

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What does it take to lead with purpose in one of Australia’s most complex public institutions? In this episode of Work with Purpose, we hear from Rob Heferen, Commissioner of Taxation, about the responsibility of public servants to build trust, improve systems, and deliver better outcomes in complex, high pressure environments. 

Rob Heferen looks back on a career spanning tax policy, major reform and public sector leadership, from his early days in customs to leading the Australian Taxation Office.

With host David Pembroke, CEO of contentgroup, he shares what has shaped his approach to leadership and what sets public service apart: the opportunity to work for something bigger than yourself and improve outcomes for the public as a whole. 

Rob and David discuss the importance of developing expertise, communicating clearly, working collaboratively, and leading change carefully in environments shaped by complexity, risk and rapid technological change. 

Key tips: 

• Develop deep expertise quickly but always keep sight of the bigger picture. 
• Communicate clearly and avoid speaking in specialist jargon or code. 
• Be someone people want to work with: reliable, collaborative and trusted. 
• Stay grounded in the mission of public service and focus on better outcomes for the public. 
• In complex, high-risk environments, lead change carefully, but do not lose the confidence to think bigger and act bolder. 

Show notes: 

Australia’s Future Tax System Review | Australian Treasury

Australian Taxation Office 

ATO AI transparency statement | Australian Taxation Department

The Tyranny of Merit | Michael Sandel

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Medicare Urgent Care Clinics offer free, walk-in care for urgent but non-life-threatening health issues. In this episode, we explore how the Department of Health and Aged Care turned a good idea into a service that’s taking pressure off busy emergency departments across Australia.

Since opening in June 2023, Urgent Care Clinics have cared for over 2 million people and grown rapidly from an initial 50-clinic commitment to more than 90, with 137 expected by the end of 2025–26. It’s an impressive example of delivery at pace in the public sector, earning the Urgent Care Clinics team the 2025 Spirit of Service People’s Choice Award.

Led by Adam Nettheim, Chief Customer Officer at Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation, Sarah Sinclair, Assistant Secretary, Urgent Care Branch and Sarah El-Sabagh, Director, Urgent Care Policy and Evaluation from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, this episode unpacks the practical decisions and partnerships behind this scale-up, with lessons you can apply in any service or program. They dive into what it takes to stand up quickly, build confidence with partners and providers, and make access easier for communities.

*The People’s Choice Award is proudly sponsored by Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation.

Key Tips

1. Design around the user: build services to fit real lives, remove friction, make access simple, and focus on what people need in the moment.
2. Move at pace by partnering well: strong relationships across the system are the engine room of delivery.
3. Keep listening after launch: build feedback loops early so you can improve in real time, not “set and forget”.
4. Stay anchored to outcomes: success is a better experience for people and less pressure on frontline services.

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How does the government actually buy the things that keep Australia running, from everyday supplies to major infrastructure?

In this episode of Work with Purpose, host Kate Driver speaks with Richard Windeyer, former Head of the APS Procurement and Contract Management Profession, and Deputy Secretary of the Department of Finance, along with Andrew Marsden and Kim Hunter, partners at O’Connor Marsden, to unpack something that quietly shapes almost every part of Australian life: government procurement.

From paper clips to submarines, every ambulance, bridge, hospital, IT system, and research project has to be bought, managed, and justified. Together, our guests explore how more than $100 billion of taxpayer money each year is turned into public value, why integrity and transparency matter as much as price, and how both public servants and suppliers can navigate this space with confidence – especially in light of the recent changes to the Commonwealth Procurement Rules.

Key Tips

1. Start early: the most important procurement decisions happen at the beginning, when defining the problem, engaging the market, and designing the right approach.

2. Talk to the market and do it well: early, transparent engagement helps agencies understand what is possible and leads to better outcomes while maintaining strong probity.

3. Integrity and transparency make decisions defensible: managing conflicts of interest, documenting decisions clearly, and ensuring fairness are essential to maintaining public trust.

4. Procurement is everyone’s business: if you design, approve, or manage work involving suppliers, you play a role in how public money delivers public value.

Show Notes

• 2025 Commonwealth Procurement Rules | Department of Finance
• Australian Government Contract Management Guide | Department of Finance
• Procurement | Department of Finance
• Commonwealth Procurement and Contract Management Training Suite | Australian Public Service Academy

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Trigger warning: themes of mental health/sexual assault.

Robin Edmonds from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication and the Arts and Joey Ballantyne of Grit n Grace Collective talk about neurodiversity, developing a strong sense of self, and supporting people to learn and work in a way that helps them thrive.

When Joey Ballantyne, founder of Grit n Grace Collective, speaks about breaking the survive/burnout cycle, and her late autism diagnosis, it comes from the heart. Driven by her own experience, she started her own neuro-affirming professional development program, built to empower atypical women in the workplace.

In this special Work with Purpose conversation, Joey and guest host Robin Edmonds, co-chair and co-founder of the Australian Public Sector Neurodiversity Community of Practice and assistant director, Media Reform at the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication and the Arts, shed light on the experiences of neurodivergent women in the workplace, and the specific challenges they face. They also talk about ways to get to know yourself, and how managers can build inclusive team cultures that benefit everyone.

Key Tips

• Develop a strong sense of self and what you need in a work environment to succeed
• As a leader, give agency to your staff to show you how the work best. For example, ask people how they want to receive feedback
• Be clear about meeting purposes, take notes, and give people time to process.

Show Notes

• Grit n Grace Collective
• Public Sector Neurodiversity Community of Practice | Australian Public Service Commission
• 2024 APS Census | Australian Public Service Commission

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On this episode of Work with Purpose, we hear from Ray Griggs AO CSC about what working in the navy has taught him about taking and giving feedback, and why difficult conversations are part and parcel of becoming a better leader.

Ray Griggs AO CSC looks back at a long and distinguished career in the public sector – from Australia’s Defence Force to most recently the Department of Social Services. Along the way, he navigated many difficult conversations, had his views contested, and at times, had to manage failure. In this conversation with host David Pembroke, CEO of contentgroup, he tells us how these challenges contribute to growing as a leader – and as a human.

They also discuss managing large-scale change in complex environments, why you should always do your own fact-checking, and how solutions through new technologies need to be co-designed with Australia’s communities.

• How you respond to people’s views and ideas is crucial. Respond the way you’d like your own leaders to respond to you.
• Never neglect doing your own fact checking. Once you launch into the process, your credibility can be at risk.
• Work out how real a timeline is. Sometimes we impose unrealistic timelines on ourselves.

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In this landmark episode of Work with Purpose, host David Pembroke sits down with Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC, Australia’s 28th Governor-General, for a deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation recorded at Government House.

Marking one year and one day since her appointment, the Governor-General reflects on her journey from suburban Canberra to one of the nation’s highest offices. She shares insights into her upbringing, career, and the values that guide her leadership – care, kindness, and respect.

Listeners will gain a rare glimpse into the evolving role of civic institutions, the importance of inclusive public service, and the power of storytelling in shaping national identity. From her early volunteerism to her work in law, sport, climate, and social justice, the Governor-General’s story is one of curiosity, courage, and commitment to community.

In this episode, you’ll hear about her path to Governor-General, why care, kindness, and respect are central to her vision for modern leadership and public service, and how her diverse career shaped a holistic view of Australia’s institutions and the people who power them.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone who cares about Australia’s future, the role of public service, and the values that bind us together.

Key tips

• Champion civics education. Help build a more informed and engaged society by promoting understanding of Australia’s democratic systems and institutions
• Collaborate across sectors. Break down silos between public, private, and community sectors to foster innovation and shared purpose
• Lead with compassion. Embed care and kindness into everyday decision-making – whether in policy, leadership, or community engagement.

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