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The strategies

Overview

Centrelink's eBusiness strategies incorporate the eGovernment objectives set out in the Australian Government's eGovernment strategy, Better Services, Better Government, prepared by the National Office for the Information Economy (NOIE) in 2002.

These strategies include:

  1. Achieve greater efficiency and return on investment.
  2. Ensure convenient access to government services and information.
  3. Deliver services that are responsive to client [customer] needs.
  4. Integrate related services.
  5. Build user trust and confidence.
  6. Enhance closer citizen engagement.

Strategy 1: Delivering the vision of eGovernment

Delivering the vision of eGovernment is about ensuring Centrelink contributes to delivering the Australian Government's eGovernment vision detailed in the Better Services, Better Government strategy. This strategy is also about collaboratively and openly working with other government agencies to deliver integrated services to the Australian people in a manner that links government, community, business, customers and Centrelink as one virtual group. This strategy also encompasses Centrelink's work with local, state, federal and foreign governments.

Activities to be considered within the scope of the strategy include:

  • deploying new services consistent with the Better Services, Better Government strategy
  • identifying the eBusiness enablers and engaging resources to make sure the enablers are there
  • collaborating with other government agencies
  • participating in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Governance and Investment Framework (i.e. Information Management Strategy Committee, supported by a Deputy CEO Information Technology and NOIE initiatives and inter-agency working groups/committees)
  • creating opportunities for working with international governments in an electronic environment consistent with the International Dimensions of the government online framework (A/A6/1.4).

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Strategy 2: Moving Centrelink to integrated, e-enabled service delivery

Moving to integrated e-enabled service delivery is about changing Centrelink to embrace electronic service delivery as another way of delivering service. This strategy is about understanding what has to be done to reach this objective and recognising this is new territory. This strategy links directly with Centrelink's Digital Business Strategy.

Activities to be considered within the scope of the strategy include:

  • delivering future business capability through upgraded Information Technology systems (Refresh)
  • ensuring eBusiness is designed on Value Chain and Value Network principles (assumes capability re-use)
  • adjusting business processes, practices and policies in line with the Business Process Re-engineering methodology to encompass eBusiness as an enhanced way of doing business
  • availability of resources to support an e-enabled environment (plan, design, implementation, maintenance)
  • implementing Centrelink's eBusiness Strategy
  • implementing eBusiness quality assurance processes in line with Centrelink's Quality Assurance Framework
  • legislative and regulatory framework
  • usability and accessibility guidelines
  • record management and a record keeping strategy
  • principles, standards and guidelines
  • monitoring and supporting the components of the technology
  • quality data.

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Strategy 3: Advancing self service

Advancing self service is about appropriately extending the use of self service delivery options across the service delivery channel in a manner consistent with Centrelink's service delivery model. It aims to integrate channels, streamline service delivery, harness technological opportunities and reduce the rate of growth in more expensive channels without negative consequences to outcomes while maintaining or increasing service delivery choice.

Activities to be considered within the scope of the strategy include:

  • researching and investigating opportunities for self service online and through natural language voice technologies
  • using eBusiness to provide flexibility and choice in integrated service delivery across all channels, adding value to customer service, meeting demand, improving the customer experience, lowering cost of overall channels and preventing rework
  • ensuring the self service delivery channel maximises efficiency and effectiveness of customer self service delivery
  • a channel management framework and cross channel management.

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Strategy 4: Connecting with the community

Connecting with the community enables a better customer experience for customers of Centrelink and community organisations through the use of communication and information technologies. It also creates greater efficiencies for Centrelink and the community organisation (service providers).

Activities to be considered within the scope of the strategy include:

  • being the facilitator - linking government and community services
  • assisting our customers by using expertise in the community and business
  • investigating and pursuing opportunities for using the online service delivery channel to provide flexible service in emergency situations (business continuity planning, emergency management and disaster recovery).

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Strategy 5: Making it easier for business to do business with Centrelink

Making it easier for business to interact with Centrelink reduces the compliance obligations on business by using information and communication technologies to provide innovative, cost effective and efficient ways for business to do business with Centrelink and integrating with other government agencies.

Activities to be considered within the scope of the strategy include:

  • reducing the costs of compliance obligations for business
  • Centrelink's Positioning Strategy (includes self service)
  • electronic data confirmation and lodgement
  • promoting the use of eBusiness to provide links with business for the benefit of mutual customers
  • using eBusiness as an opportunity to create efficiencies for business in the medical, retirement, financial and child care sectors
  • progressing and incrementally introducing eBusiness trading, procurement and payment options with suppliers of goods and services to Centrelink (as technologies and supplier readiness allow)
  • eBusiness corporate systems, including payment systems.

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Strategy 6: Creating quality eBusiness services through Centrelink people, processes and technology

Creating quality eBusiness services through Centrelink people recognises people make eBusiness happen. It recognises while eBusiness involves different skills from business skills, there are also similarities. It is also about using eBusiness to enable new, more efficient work practices and training systems. It recognises people help drive, develop and change 'the way we do things around here'.

Activities to be considered within the scope of the strategy include:

  • changing the organisational culture to incorporate eBusiness as a key medium or mode of integrated service delivery
  • harnessing the influence of Customer Service Officers, business analysts and Guiding Coalition members (and their senior staff) in expanding and successfully implementing electronic service delivery
  • staff who are eBusiness savvy (training, knowledge, experience and skills)
  • implementing identified and universal Centrelink eBusiness procedures
  • focusing on eBusiness as a tool for corporate (internal) services.

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Strategy 7: Protecting government outlays

Protecting government outlays is about ensuring Centrelink provides services and entitlements to those who are legally eligible, detecting and where appropriate prosecuting those who commit fraud, preventing unintended abuse of Centrelink and government resources and creating opportunities for electronic transfer of data. This strategy ensures Centrelink is able to prosecute such cases in a court of law using electronic evidence. This strategy also ensures the protection of staff and corporate resources in an electronic environment and ensures transparency and accountability of our services.

Activities to be considered within the scope of the strategy include:

  • detection, review and subsequent prosecution of fraudulent/criminal activity in an e-environment
  • creating opportunities for electronic transfer of data.

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Strategy 8: Protecting the individual's privacy and security and maintaining Centrelink's trusted provider status

Protecting the individual's privacy and security and maintaining Centrelink's trusted provider status is about ensuring the government and people of Australia continue to trust Centrelink as a government service provider. This strategy is about ensuring access via information and communication technologies is appropriate, auditable and ensures transparency and accountability of our services.

Activities to be considered within the scope of the strategy include:

  • access and authentication management in an e-environment
  • engendering confidence in the security of our electronic services
  • security
  • legislative and regulatory framework in the security context
  • researching, investigating and pursuing opportunities to use technology solutions to help identify external users.

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