Foreword

 

With the increase in the range of services provided by governments, it is inevitable that government departments become larger and more complex.  Management attention may increasingly focus internally - on services being provided, rather than externally – on emerging community needs.

 

These tendencies can impede the delivery of quality public service.

 

Government departments traditionally work independently of each other. But the services that citizens need do not always fall conveniently within the scope of a single agency. Complex social issues such as child abuse, crime or homelessness do not belong neatly to a single department.

 

Since the 1990s, the NSW Government has been promoting collaboration between departments. Guidelines have been issued on how to set up collaborative projects; central agencies have provided support and forums have been established to facilitate joint problem solving.

 

In this audit we reviewed three case studies where collaboration had been used: a community based Aboriginal employment program, strategies to improve road safety and a program to divert people with a mental illness from the criminal justice system to hospital or community based care.

 

If done well, collaboration between departments can improve services and results. But the approach also creates risks because it can take longer and cost more than a single agency response. Collaboration can also diminish accountability if it is unclear what each department is responsible for.

 

This report highlights some of the benefits to be gained from the Government taking a collaborative approach to resolving complex problems. It also highlights the risks that chief executives need to address to make sure these approaches work.

 

 

 

 

Bob Sendt

Auditor-General

 

March 2006