Case studies | NSW Public Service Commission

Through 2022 the NSW public sector continued to play an important role in helping citizens recover from emergencies and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here are some stories of great work across the sector and how we are building a world class public service.

These stories are featured in the State of the NSW Public Sector Report 2022.

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Women’s Economic Opportunity Review

The COVID-19 Economic Recovery Strategy committed to identify and review barriers to women’s economic participation and reform opportunities such as enabling greater workplace flexibility, reducing gender segregation within industries and occupations, and improving the accessibility and affordability of early childhood services. This commitment led to the Women’s Economic Opportunity Review (the Review), an initiative jointly sponsored by the NSW Treasurer, the Minister for Women and the Minister for Education and Early Learning.

A workplace approach to addressing domestic and family violence

The NSW Government provides support for employees experiencing domestic and family violence (DFV), such as by offering 20 days of paid leave each calendar year and providing flexible working arrangements. However, the former Housing and Property Group at the NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) found there had been minimal uptake of paid DFV leave. To better understand why, it formed a team to investigate the issue.

A proactive policing response for community members with a mental health condition

Mental health continues to be a significant health issue across NSW communities. Over the past year, the NSW Police Force Mental Health Intervention Team (MHIT) has improved the response capability of police officers and other frontline employees when they interact with members of the community with a mental illness.

3 people stand at a table together talking with computers in front of them

Creating accessible digital products and services for all NSW Government customers

The NSW Government aims to be the world’s most customer-centric government. To achieve this vision, we need to ensure that customers can access our digital products and services if they wish to do so. Around one in five people in NSW have a disability, meaning we need to consider customers with diverse vision, hearing, mobility, cognitive and literacy needs.

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Implementation of the renewed Closing the Gap Agreement

In March 2019, the NSW Government signed the formal Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap 2019–2029 alongside the Commonwealth, state and territory governments, the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations and the Australian Local Government Association.

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COVID-19 self-reporting platform eases pressure on pathology services and hospitals, enabling customers to lead their own care

The surge in COVID-19 cases over the 2021 holiday period meant that pathology testing centres across NSW were struggling to cope. People using Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) kits at home began presenting to hospitals in large numbers, concerned about their symptoms and test results. Emergency departments and ambulance services were overwhelmed by concerned patients who, with the right information and support, could have safely monitored and recovered at home.

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Regional NSW 2022 flood response

The 2022 floods in the Northern Rivers region of NSW were the worst on record, requiring flood response teams to mobilise to help communities deal with the consequences. Then, when flooding struck the Hawkesbury and Nepean rivers while clean-up efforts were underway on the North Coast, the Department of Regional NSW flood response teams mobilised immediately to respond to a second natural disaster.

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Delivering COVID-19 vaccinations to vulnerable communities

Mid-pandemic, NSW Health, the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) and local support services reached out to rough sleepers, social housing tenants and other vulnerable members of the Illawarra and Shoalhaven communities to offer them COVID-19 vaccinations. The response they received was one of the best in the state, and demonstrates the power of mobile clinics, targeted communication, and genuine collaboration to save lives.

Read the 2022 State of the NSW Public Sector Report
A summary of the NSW public sector's performance, achievements, challenges and priorities.