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State 2 – Prioritisation
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State 3 – Contestability
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State 4 – Assurance
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State 5 – Digital Sourcing
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State 6 – Operations
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Secretaries’ Digital and Data Committee communique
Date: 13 March 2025
Strategic Discussion: Enabling Service Delivery
Enabling Service Delivery
Members discussed opportunities for accelerating the transformation of service delivery through data and digital advancements, including artificial intelligence. This included a focus on ensuring digital services are accessible and inclusive and reinforcing whole-ofgovernment approaches
Barriers to transforming connected service delivery
Members noted the key insights following discovery into the legislative barriers which inhibit progress towards more connected and customer-centred service delivery. Members discussed the progress to date and agreed to collaborate with Services Australia and the Department of Finance to explore and identify opportunities to better connect government services, across all channels, through enhanced digital capabilities and increased data sharing.
Improving the customer digital experience
Members noted the DTA will develop a digital experience (DX) baseline of Australian Government digital services. This will enable the subsequent measurement of whole-of-government DX to improve the quality of digital service delivery.
Digital ID – Commonwealth Plan to increase adoption across services
Members discussed adoption of Digital ID across Commonwealth agencies and work to consider data management and retention practices across government services
July to December 2024 SDDC Performance Report
Members endorsed the SDDC performance report for the period 1 July – 31 December 2024 for submission to the Secretaries Board.
DDMM 2025 Workplan
Members noted the Data and Digital Ministers Meeting 2025 Workplan and work underway to maintain momentum on data sharing across all jurisdictions and between agencies for major projects.
A campus approach to APS technology skills uplift
Members noted a multi-disciplinary team has been stood up with representatives from across the Australian Public Service (APS) to conduct discovery work to inform development of a pilot for a campus approach to uplift APS skills in the domains of Data, Digital and Cyber.
Update on the scheduled Statutory Review of the Data Availability and Transparency ACT 2022
Members noted the update by the Department of Finance regarding the scheduled Statutory Review of the Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022 in 2025.
Digital Leadership Committee
Members noted the Digital Leadership Committee 2024 Annual Performance Report.
Deputy Secretaries Data Group and Digital Leadership Committee performance reports
Members endorsed the Deputy Secretaries Data Group 2024 Annual Performance Report and its Terms of Reference for 2025.
The date for the next SDDC meeting is 19 June 2025.
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Secretaries’ Digital and Data Committee communique
Date: 12 December 2024
Strategic Discussion: Data and Digital Government Strategy (DDGS)
DDGS Update
Members noted the update on implementation of the DDGS including release of the 2024 Implementation Plan. Members discussed progress and opportunities to build data and digital capability in the Australian Public Service (APS) to achieve the Government’s vision under the Strategy.
Data and Digital Professions Annual Update
Members noted the update provided by the Heads of the Data and Digital Professions and commended them on the achievements to date. Members agreed that the APS Professions provide a valuable contribution to the uplift of APS capability and effectiveness.
Whole of APS Report from Data Maturity Assessment Tool
Members noted finalisation of the 2024 Data Maturity assessments and discussed how agencies should use the results to support implementation of the DDGS.
Draft Secretaries Digital and Data Committee (SDDC) Forward Work Program 2025
Members agreed the draft 2025 SDDC Forward Work Program, subject to minor amendments, and noted it will be updated throughout 2025 as required.
Integrated Digital Investment Plan Update
Members considered the Integrated Digital Investment Plan Pipeline Overview and Insights
Report (IDIP Insights Report) and discussed the challenges associated with the digital
workforce, systems reaching end of life and legacy systems. Members agreed the next IDIP Insights Report will be considered in the second quarter of 2025, consistent with the twice yearly timing agreed at the 27 November 2023 SDDC meeting. The Committee noted the
IDIP Insights Report supports Secretaries’ decision-making on the priority of investments,
capability uplift, and reuse across the APS.Governance of Indigenous Data update
Members noted the 1 January 2025 start date for implementation of the Framework for Governance of Indigenous Data (GID), and that the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) anticipates providing updates to the Committee twice a year to support high-level oversight of GID Framework implementation. Members noted the NIAA’s support for implementation across the APS including an operational-level community of practice.
APS Data, digital and Cyber Workforce Plan: Exposure Draft
Members discussed the draft APS Data, Digital, and Cyber Workforce Plan. Consideration was given to potential sponsoring agencies to lead implementation of specific workforce planning initiatives. The Workforce Plan will be presented to the SDDC for formal endorsement in early 2025.
Future of Transactional Processing Arrangements
Members endorsed the Transactional Processing Review and noted an update on the implementation of the APS enterprise resource planning (ERP) approach.
Members agreed the Chief Operating Officers Committee will provide oversight for the ERP pipeline (supported by the Digital Transformation Agency) and the workforce recommendations resulting from the Transactional Processing Review in collaboration with the Heads of Professions.
Strengthening assurance of digital projects
Members noted the Department of Finance and the Digital Transformation Agency are working closely to strengthen assurance processes that support successful delivery of digital projects and programs across government.
The date for the next SDDC meeting is 13 March 2025.
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Criterion 10 – Keep it relevant
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Transition approach
The implementation of the Digital Inclusion Standard will be phased to give agencies time to plan and update their services.
- Phase 1: 1 January 2025 – New services
- Phase 2: 1 January 2026 – Existing public-facing services
The DTA will regularly review the Digital Inclusion Standard and make improvements as government service delivery and digital services mature. Improvements will be made in line with agency application and feedback.
Phase 1 – New services
From 1 January 2025, services that meet the following criteria will be required to meet the Digital Inclusion Standard:
- public or staff-facing
- owned by non-corporate Commonwealth entities
- new (including redesigned) informational and transactional services.
Phase 2 – Existing public-facing services
From 1 January 2026, services that meet the following criteria will be required to meet the Digital Inclusion Standard:
- public-facing
- owned by non-corporate Commonwealth entities
- all existing informational and transactional services.
Note: existing staff-facing services are excluded.
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Support for SROs
From 2025, Senior Responsible Officials of Australian Government digital and ICT projects are required to participate in a mandatory professional development program. The program will support these senior leaders through curated content aimed at uplifting digital and ICT project governance capabilities. More information is available on request from the DTA.
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Assurance Fee
The DTA’s role overseeing assurance for digital projects is funded through a fee applied to the largest digital projects funded by the Australian Government. This fee helps ensure the DTA can provide the support agencies and Senior Responsible Officials need to make best use of assurance in supporting successful delivery. Guidance on whether this fee will apply to your proposed project will be provided by your Agency Advice Unit (AAU) at the Department of Finance and by the DTA’s investment advisers.
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The Digital Experience Policy (DX Policy)
Excellent digital services focus on the end-user. The Digital Experience Policy ensures this by mandating four standards that prioritise usability and accessibility from the outset of digital investments. Agencies are required to demonstrate compliance with the DX Policy and any applicable standards, including during project delivery. More information on how the DTA is ensuring compliance with the DX Policy is outlined in the Digital Experience Compliance and Reporting Framework Projects which are in-scope of the DX Policy should include relevant assurance activities in their Assurance Plans which ensure digital experiences enabled through the project will meet the policy requirements. This might include requiring that DX Policy compliance be assessed as part of a solution design review and/or as part of go-live assessments
Connect with the digital community
Share, build or learn digital experience and skills with training and events, and collaborate with peers across government.