Long-term insights to inform future policy

Long-term insights reports are intended to inform future policymaking by efficiently exploring emerging challenges for Australia that cut across policy responsibility silos. This long-term insights report explores the future of human services, beyond the current policy reforms.

Our aim is to build the evidence base for future policy by bringing together knowledge and expertise from across the public sector, services industry, experts and the Australian community. By looking at a long-term horizon we can uncover emerging trends, risks and opportunities, and identify a set of impartial insights.

The long-term insights provide us with a shared understanding of the future operating environment for human services delivery. The insights tell us what is important for people, what works and where future efforts can best be focused.

Building a strong evidence base

The future of human services is a broad, pressing topic that has been at the forefront for public service leaders as they consider how to deliver the best possible services for Australians into the future.

When we look at successful models around the world, there is no one right way to delivery human services. Analysts argue that the public choice paradigm for government services has run its course, but the long-term replacement has not yet been clearly articulated.

In this ongoing conversation, questions emerged about the merits of different human service models and how you choose between them to deliver outcomes for clients – How does government service delivery compare against private provision? Can a network approach provide integrated services for clients with multiple and complex needs? What opportunities are provided by emerging technology?

Importantly, we can learn from an understanding of what works. This report aims to build a strong shared evidence base from which to evaluate our human service delivery options going forward.

Objectives of this long-term insights report

The objectives of this long-term insights report are:

1. To assess the long-term trends and risks for human services in Australia
2. To understand what Australians want from human services in the future
3. To identify the opportunities for the future of Australian Government human services delivery.

Applying a research approach

The approach to preparing this long-term insights report included a number of research techniques including: an expert literature review, surveys, targeted interviews, community workshops and focus groups. We also used structured foresight and horizon-scanning techniques to engage experts and communities in the future of human services.

To build an understanding of the current state of the service delivery system and what might influence the system into the future, we undertook the following research activities in 2024:

• Have Your Say survey – The survey sought qualitative feedback from Australians about their experiences and preferences for human services design and delivery. The survey was run by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and open to the Australian public for 3 weeks. It was broadly publicised through ministerial media release and a social media advertising campaign.
• Trust in Australian Public Services survey – Specific questions were included in the annual survey which is run by the Australian Public Service Commission from May to July 2024. The questions aimed to gain quantitative information from a representative sample of Australians on their experiences and preferences for service design and delivery.
• Literature Review – The Australia and New Zealand School of Government undertook a literature review and prepared a paper on the history of and future directions for service delivery reform.
• Expert discussions and workshops – A combination of future-oriented interviews, discussions and workshops with community members and non-government, academic and APS experts were used to explore community perspectives and future visions for service delivery.

Engaging the community

Community engagement is a legislated element of the preparation of long-term insights reports. Genuine engagement is helping us understand community sentiment and citizens’ needs. More than 8,500 Australians were engaged and contributed to the insights in this report.

The report process brings together expertise and perspectives from across the public service, community, academia, industry and the not-for-profit sector.

Figure 1 shows how community members were engaged through a number of approaches.

Figure 1: Community engagement in the preparation of this report

More than 8,500 Australians were engaged and contributed to the insights in this report