NSW Govt gets new customer services department and minister

Photo: Jason McCormack/CEDA

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has made the state’s digital services a top priority, with the creation of a new Customer Service Ministry – headed by former Minister for Finance, Services and Property Victor Dominello.

Dominello will be responsible for Service NSW’s centralised digital service delivery strategy.

No announcements have been made regarding any, if at all, changes to the internal Service NSW team, following the creation of the Customer Service Ministry.

However as of January 2019, Service NSW was looking for a chief digital and product officer, when Ian Jansen stepped down from the position, after joining the team in September 2018.

Service NSW advertised for the role and required someone to “lead and inspire staff in digital and product development, managing cross-functional teams and diverse interrelated business functions to improve products that support superior customer service delivery”.

According to the ad, the senior executive band two position, with a starting salary of $287,217, will have a key role in digital leadership and the delivery of the digital government strategy through collaboration with agency partners across government.

Applications closed in late January, with an announcement yet to be made on the new appointee.

Damon Rees currently leads Service NSW, as the chief executive officer. Rees previously held the position of NSW Government’s first chief information & digital officer and deputy secretary of ICT & Digital Government within the Department of Finance, Services & Innovation.

Liberal’s member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson appointed as the new Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation, with the former minister Matt Kean – moved to the Energy and Environment portfolio.