Print and Visual Communication Association chief executive officer Andrew Macaulay has welcomed the federal government’s public service overhaul which includes merging the education and employment ministries saying the reduction in departments will harmonise service delivery.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announcement the changes last week saying they will bust bureaucratic congestion, improve decision making and deliver better services for Australians.

The changes mean 18 government departments will be reduced to 14 with five government department secretaries to be shown the door from February 1, 2020.

What the changes mean:

• A Department of Education, Skills and Employment will be created through the merger of the current Department of Education and the current Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business.
• A Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment will be created through the consolidation of the existing Department of Agriculture and the environment functions of the Department of the Environment and Energy.
• A Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources will be created through the merger of the current Department of Industry, Innovation and Science; energy functions from the current Department of the Environment and Energy; and small business functions from the current Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business.
• A Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications will be created through the consolidation of the current Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development and the current Department of Communications and the Arts.
• The Department known as Services Australia (formerly known as the Department of Human Services) will be established as a new Executive Agency, within the Social Services Department.

Macaulay welcomed the changes saying they can only stand to benefit members of Australia’s printing industries.

“This is essentially about harmonising service delivery, removing conflicting silos, and cutting red tape. It is a very positive and timely reform. PVCA commends the PM for responding to industry recommendations and moving away from some of the ideological but illogical structures inherited from his predecessor,” Macaulay said in a statement.

The merging of education and employment topped Macaulay’s list of benefits for printers.

“Employment is intrinsically linked with VET, TAFE and post school training. Thus, by creating a single department this would allow better planning, and alignment of various curricula and the creation of a pipeline of school-leavers and job-seekers into trade and industry,” he said.

He was also hopeful that the consolidation of the energy portfolio within industry, innovation and science would also see benefits in times of affordable and stable energy supply.

“High-energy needs of trade and manufacturing should be considered under the Industry portfolio. PVCA would expect to see some movement in the space of affordable stable energy following this change,” Macaulay said.

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