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Secretary’s messageAustralia now boasts one of the world’s largest digital twin virtual models thanks to the launchof the ‘NSW Spatial Digital Twin’ delivered through our regional Spatial Services team inFebruary 2020. The Digital Twin enables both government and industry to test or simulate inthe digital world before building, resulting in improved planning of infrastructure, precincts andcommunities and ensuring better use of resources.With the incidence and sophistication of cybercrime steadily increasing in Australia and aroundthe world, it has never been more important to build defences, capability and resilience tocombat cyberattacks and protect the information and privacy of NSW citizens relying on NSWGovernment services. In response to increasing cyberattacks, DCS has worked closely withState and Federal agencies and relevant privacy and security authorities to maintain andstrengthen the Department’s cyber security resilience and ensure there are robust and effectivesupport services in place for DCS customers impacted by cyber-attack incidents.The Department’s digital success was recognised with the establishment of the 1.6bn ‘DigitalRestart Fund’ to support digital, information and communications technology initiatives acrossthe government sector.Despite the many changes and considerable uncertainty as a result of the ongoing healthpandemic experienced worldwide, DCS has successfully managed to maintain peopleengagement results of 68%, the same level as last year.Thank you to everyone who contributed to driving the Department’s mission in its first year toposition NSW as a world-leading customer, citizen and digitally centric government. Your ideas,passion and hard work helped to deliver the many achievements realised through DCS during2019/20 and we should be very proud of what has been achieved.Emma HoganSecretaryDepartment of Customer Service Annual Report 2019/2020 Secretary’s message10

1AboutCustomerServiceDepartment of Customer Service Annual Report 2019/2020 About Customer Service11

Who we areThe Department of Customer Service (DCS) wasestablished on 1 July 2019 as the world’s firstgovernment department with the mandate to improvecustomer service.With the mission to position NSW as a world-leadingcustomer, citizen and digitally centric government,DCS is responsible for delivering the Premier’sGovernment Made Easy and World Class PublicService (jointly with the Public Service Commission)priorities, as well as three State Outcomes: Excellence in Customer Service Digital leadership and innovation in public services Fair, secure and efficient markets.The vision of DCS is for NSW to be the world’s mostcustomer centric government where customers andcommunities can expect government services to betrustworthy, effective and easy no matter who theyare, where they are or what they need.DCS is responsible for leadership, policy andpractice, transformation and capacity building acrossgovernment and for a diverse range of customerservice delivery and regulatory activities. As a NSWpublic sector organisation, DCS upholds the sectorvalues of integrity, trust, service and accountability.The NSW Government Customer Commitments areour promise to customers of what they should expectwhen receiving government services.DCS works with other government agencies to embedthese Customer Commitments into the delivery of allgovernment services in NSW as well as across itsown service delivery. In doing this, DCS is working to: establish the customer at the centre of all programsand initiatives across the NSW Government deliver a more consistent and efficient digitalexperience with government use data and behavioural insights to drive customerservice improvements modernise and simplify regulation to make it easierfor businesses to comply and transact with theircustomers engage more effectively with the people of NSW.Customer commitmentsEasy toengageAct withempathyRespectmy timeExplainwhat toexpectResolvethesituationEngagethecommunityMake it easy toaccess what IneedShow youunderstand mysituationTell me what Ineed to knowbeforehandBe clear aboutwhat steps areinvolvedBe accountablefor your actionsMake it easy forme to understandTreat me fairly andwith respectMinimise theneed for me torepeat myselfContact me whenI need to knowsomethingListen to thecommunityto understandour needsMake what Ineed to dostraightforwardLet me knowwhat the outcomescould beProvide service inmy time of needBe clear indecision-makingReach anoutcomeDepartment of Customer Service Annual Report 2019/2020 About Customer ServiceAsk us how wewant servicesdelivered12

Who we areThe DCS cluster brings together transactionalservices; digital, data and design; regulatory andcompliance activities; and a whole-of-governmentview of customer service across 4 broad functions:Regulation oversees regulating, educating,and delivering services directly to citizens andbusinesses. Its focus is to create a responsiveregulatory environment that makes NSW safe, fair andcompetitive for consumers, business and workers.Customer, Delivery & Transformation isresponsible for leading transformation in customerfocused service delivery across NSW government. Itprovides best practice insights, data-led analytics andadvisory support to drive a customer-centred cultureacross sector services and improved user experiencefor customers. It is also home to two customer-facingunits; NSW Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriageswhose role is to register NSW life events accuratelyand securely for all time and Revenue NSW, NSW’sprincipal revenue management agency.Digital.NSW is responsible for digital transformationand developing digital capacity across NSWGovernment. Digital.NSW provides strategicgovernance, advisory and assurance functions tosupport clusters and the citizens of NSW through awhole of government lens.Service NSW delivers ‘one-stop’ access for citizensand businesses to NSW Government’s services andtransactions. Service NSW offers customers accessto services via a multi-channel network for a range oftransactional and community support services.Changes during the reporting periodThe following entities and business units weretransferred to the Customer Service cluster from1 July 2019:Customer Service portfolio Liquor & Gaming NSWOffice of Responsible GamblingNSW Registry of Births, Deaths & MarriagesBehavioural Insights UnitData Analytics CentreDigital, Content and Sponsorships BranchOffice of the Customer Service CommissionerGovernment Communications BranchIndependent Liquor and Gaming AuthorityIndependent Pricing and Regulatory TribunalInformation and Privacy Commission.Better Regulation and Innovation portfolio Office of Racing Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission.The following entities and business units weretransferred to other clusters from 1 July 2019: Heritage StoneworksLuna Park Reserve TrustManly Hydraulics LaboratoryNSW ProcurementNew South Wales Procurement BoardOffice of the Valuer GeneralPlace Management NSWProperty NSWPublic Works AdvisoryTeacher Housing Authority of New South WalesWaste Assets Management Corporation.Additionally, on 1 August 2019, David Chandler OAMwas appointed as the NSW Building Commissioner.The NSW Building Commissioner is responsible forproviding strategic oversight of building regulationand regulatory changes and acting as an advocatefor building industry policy reform. He is supportedby the Office of the Building Commissioner, abusiness unit with the Department.DCS related entitiesThe following related entities, which wereDepartment of Customer Service Annual Report 2019/2020 About Customer Service13

Who we areestablished pursuant to legislation, existed outsidethe principal office’s administrative body but formedpart of the cluster.Customer Service portfolio: New South Wales Government TelecommunicationsAuthority Service NSW State Insurance Regulatory Authority Geographical Names Board of New South Wales Board of Surveying and Spatial Information Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Information and Privacy Commission Workers Compensation Commission Workers Compensation IndependentReview Officer.Better Regulation and Innovation portfolio: Building Professionals BoardGreyhound Welfare and Integrity CommissionLong Service CorporationNSW Architects Registration BoardProfessional Standards CouncilRental Bond Board.Changes after the reporting periodThe Building Professionals Board was dissolved withthe repeal of the Building Professionals Act 2005, witheffect from 1 July 2020.The Emergency Services Levy Insurance Monitorceased functioning with the repeal of the EmergencyServices Levy Insurance Monitor Act 2016 on1 July 2020.The Personal Injury Commission will be establishedand will formally commence operations on 1 March2021. It will be established pursuant to the PersonalInjury Commission Act 2020, which was assented toon 1 August 2020. The new Commission will haveboth workers compensation and motor accidentjurisdiction. It will replace the current WorkersCompensation Commission and also carry outthe dispute resolution functions currently carriedout by SIRA’s Motor Accident Claims Assessmentand Resolution Service, Motor Accident MedicalAssessment Service and Dispute Resolution Service.On 6 July 2020, Revenue NSW was subject to afunctional and reporting line change, becoming astand alone Division with the responsible DeputySecretary reporting directly to the Secretary.Department of Customer Service Annual Report 2019/2020 About Customer Service14

What we doBetter Regulation DivisionOffice of Responsible GamblingBetter Regulation Division protects the NSWcommunity through innovative regulatory services toensure fair, secure and efficient markets.The Office of Responsible Gambling leads thedevelopment of responsible gambling strategies andpublic policy advice to the NSW Government, andmanages programs and initiatives to prevent andreduce gambling harm in the community.NSW Fair TradingNSW Fair Trading is the state’s consumer protectionagency. It safeguards the rights of all consumers,advises business and traders on fair and ethicalpractice and delivers a wide range of regulatoryservices to protect the community and businessesthroughout NSW.Fair Trading regulatory activities include complainthandling, licensing, compliance, inspections andinvestigations with the aim that businesses complywith fair trading requirements, that the products soldin NSW are safe and that consumers are protectedfrom harm.SafeWork NSWSafeWork NSW is the state’s workplace health andsafety regulator. It works with the community to reducework-related fatalities, serious injuries and illnesses,while making it easier to do business safely.SafeWork focuses on preventing harm and improvingthe health and safety landscape in NSW workplacesthrough the provision of advice, information andeducation on work health and safety; and providinglicensing, registration and testing for potentiallydangerous work and plant items. It also conductsinspections and investigations following allegedcontraventions of work health and safety requirements,and, if appropriate, takes regulatory action.The Office is funded through the ResponsibleGambling Fund, which is overseen by Trustees whoprovide independent advice to the Minister.Office of RacingThe Office of Racing provides policy advice andmanages legislation to support the effective oversightand economic viability of racing in NSW. It alsomanages relations with the organisations responsiblefor the three racing codes.Subsidence Advisory NSWSubsidence Advisory NSW supports NSWcommunities living in areas where there is thepossibility of mine subsidence. It managescompensation claims for damage arising fromsubsidence from historical or current undergroundcoal mining. Subsidence Advisory NSW also regulatesdevelopment in Mine Subsidence Districts to helpreduce potential damage from subsidence.Liquor & Gaming NSWLiquor & Gaming NSW regulates the liquor, gaming,wagering, casino and registered clubs sectors inNSW and provides policy advice to government inthese areas.Liquor & Gaming NSW also provides secretariatsupport to the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority,the statutory decision-maker responsible for a rangeof casino, liquor, registered club and gaming machineregulatory functions.Department of Customer Service Annual Report 2019/2020 About Customer Service15

What we doThe following BRD agencies report asindividual entities to the Deputy SecretaryBetter Regulation:Office of the Registrar GeneralThe Office of the Registrar General is an independentregulator overseeing the performance of the landtitle registry operator (NSW Land Registry Services)and Electronic Lodgement Network Operators. It alsoprovides legal and policy advice on land title policy, isan independent arbitrator of disputed title boundariesand administers the Torrens Assurance Fund (TAF).The TAF is a statutory compensation schemedesigned to compensate people who, through no faultof their own, suffer loss or damage as a result of theoperation of the Real Property Act 1900.Long Service CorporationThe Long Service Corporation is responsible for themanagement of portable long service schemes forworkers in the building and construction, and contractcleaning industries in NSW.Corporate ServicesCorporate Services supports DCS in achieving itsgoals by providing strategic and operational policy,advisory, transaction and assurance services tosupport and enable the work of the Department.Delivering centre-led customer and client focusedsupport services, Corporate Services binds togetherthe divisions and business units of DCS and iscomprised of 6 major business functions for thecluster: Legal ServicesFinanceProcurementWorkplace Services & PropertyGovernance Risk & PerformanceInformation Communications and Technology.Corporate Services also oversees the delivery ofshared services by GovConnect to DCS and otherGovConnect client agencies.Professional Standards AuthorityThe Professional Standards Authority is the nationalregulatory agency hosted by NSW Governmentsupporting the Professional Standards Councils inregulating occupational associations to facilitate andpromote consumer protection across Australia.The Authority does this by working with occupationalassociations in the regulation of their members tocontinuously improve professional standards underapproved professional standards schemes.Emergency Services Levy Insurance MonitorThe Insurance Monitor was an independent statutoryofficer who worked to detect and prevent prohibitedconduct associated with the emergency services levyreform, in line with the Emergency Services LevyInsurance Monitor Act 2016.As at 30 June 2020 the Emergency Services LevyInsurance Monitor ceased functioning.Department of Customer Service Annual Report 2019/2020 About Customer Service16

What we doCustomer, Delivery andTransformationCustomer, Delivery and Transformation (CDT) leadstransformation in customer-focused service deliveryacross government and the Department with theexpertise of the Customer Experience Unit (formerlythe Customer Service Commission), the BehaviouralInsights Unit, the NSW Data Analytics Centre, anddata.nsw. It provides best practice insights andanalytics support to transform customer outcomesacross the cluster and the sector.As custodian of the NSW Government brand,advertising, communications and digital areas, CDT’saim is to ensure better customer engagement on keycustomer priorities. The Department’s Delivery Unitis also part of the CDT group, overseeing delivery ofdepartmental and Premier’s Priorities.In 2019/20, CDT was home to two customerfacing units:Births Deaths & MarriagesThe role of Births Deaths & Marriages (BDM) is toregister NSW life events accurately and securely forall time, ensuring their integrity and confidentiality.This includes the registration of births, deaths,marriages, relationships and official changes of nameand sex.BDM meet the varied and valid needs of its customersby providing a range of certificates, products andinformation services that help establish a range oflegal entitlements.Revenue NSWRevenue NSW is NSW’s principal revenue collectionauthority and collected 27.9 billion during 2019/20,providing over one-third of the State budget to fundand deliver essential core services for NSW citizens.Revenue NSW provides grants, manages unclaimedmoney, and offers socially responsible ways forvulnerable customers to satisfy their debts. RevenueNSW’s objectives are to collect revenue due tothe State efficiently and provide the best possibleexperience for customers and staff.Digital.NSWLed by the Government Chief Information andDigital Officer (GCIDO), Digital.NSW is the homeof technology, responsible for driving digitaltransformation and developing digital capacitywithin the NSW Government through collaborationacross clusters. Digital.NSW accelerates digitaltransformation to quickly deliver service improvementsfor all customers.Digital.NSW provides strategic governance, advisory,assurance functions and digital platforms to supportNSW Government clusters and the citizens of NSW.This includes Government Data Centres (GovDC),Government Radio Network (GRN) services, ICT andDigital Sourcing and Cyber Security. Digital.NSWis the key provider of spatial information services,surveying and mapping information and land andproperty services to the people, businesses andGovernment of NSW, and interjurisdictional agencies.Office of the BuildingCommissionerThe Office of the Building Commissioner (OBC) wasestablished to implement the NSW Governmentreform program, ‘Construct NSW’. The program willhelp transform the building and construction industry,and the regulator, into a modernised sector that ismore capable, accountable, quality-focused andinnovative and which places the customer at theheart. The ultimate goal is to produce trustworthybuildings and restore public confidence in the NSWconstruction industry, particularly for multi-storeyresidential apartments.The Construct NSW strategy is centred around sixintertwined pillars of reform: customer-focused regulatory frameworkrisk profiles and rating systemslifting skills and capabilitystrengthening contracts and standardsusing digital platforms to drive accountabilitydata and rese

Department of Customer Service Annual Report 2019/2020 Secretary's message 9 Secretary's message The Department of Customer Service (DCS) was established on 1 July 2019. As DCS Secretary, I am pleased to provide the Department's inaugural Annual Report. I would also acknowledge Mr Glenn King who served in the role of Secretary