Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and APS Commissioner Peter Woolcott AO today sent a joint open letter to all APS staff.

Read the full Open Letter.

The Australian Government has announced a $2.1 billion (over 6 years from 2022-23) Budget package focusing on women’s safety, economic security and, health and wellbeing.

Gender equality is the foundation for a safe, healthy, and cohesive community and a strong, productive and prosperous economy. Advancing equality and instilling respect are priorities that are vital to Australia’s economic and social recovery from COVID-19.

The Australian Government has released the Digital Economy Strategy 2022 Update, which outlines progress made on Australia becoming a top 10 digital economy and society by 2030.

The Strategy, released with the 2021-22 Budget, sets the framework and direction to achieve the 2030 vision.

When the first iteration of the Strategy was launched last year, it included a landmark investment of $1.2 billion. A further $347 million has been provided over the last year bolstering investment in the digital economy.

On Tuesday 29 March, the Treasurer, the Hon Josh Frydenberg MP, handed down the 2022-23 Federal Budget.

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet contributes to a number of important measures announced in the Budget including:

The Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government (BETA), in collaboration with the Department of Social Services, has released the Increasing Workplace Giving Report.

The new report describes three separate trials which BETA conducted to test interventions to increase workplace giving.

Planned giving, like workplace giving, provides stability for charities and not-for-profits as a predicable source of income. More Australian employers are offering workplace giving to their employees, but participation is low.

The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) supports the growth of Australia’s economy. The PPSR allows Australian businesses to safeguard their security interests (money owed to them) and make informed commercial decisions. Businesses can register on the PPSR by completing an online form hosted by the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA).

The Australian Government has commenced consultation on regulatory settings to position Australia as a leader in digital economy regulation.

As part of this consultation, The Digital Technology Taskforce has released an issues paper, Positioning Australia as a leader in digital economy regulation - Automated decision making and AI regulation.

Emerging technologies, like AI and automated decision-making, offer real opportunities to improve the products and services we use in our work and personal lives, and solve challenges facing Australia now and into the future.