4.4.1 Cabinet submissions

Principles
Cabinet submissions are confidential documents.

A submission to Cabinet involving policy changes, public announcements, new initiatives and major decisions must include a communications strategy. Exceptions to this must be approved by the Director - Communications, Government Communications Office.

NOTE: Some discretion is required. Not all Cabinet submissions and Minutes will require a communications strategy eg announcement of appointments.

The purpose of the communications strategy is to provide Ministers and Cabinet with a basic outline of how agencies intend to communicate particular decisions to the Tasmanian public.

It also provides evidence that communication issues have been properly considered during the drafting and development of the cabinet submission.

Policy requirements
Cabinet decisions must be accompanied by a communications strategy as per the Cabinet submission: communications strategy template. See the Cabinet submission: communications strategy users guide for advice on completing the template.

The template is a guide only. It may not be possible to provide specific answers to all questions in the template prior to Cabinet making a decision. However, the communications strategy should:

• accurately reflect the agency’s intentions at the time of Cabinet consideration
• be completed on the assumption that the recommended option in the submission is accepted by Cabinet.

Communications strategies must be approved by the relevant agency’s Communications Manager or their delegate. The communications strategy will also be attached to the signed cabinet decision communicated to the responsible Heads of Agency.

To ensure appropriate measures and adequate resources are recommended to meet planned communication objectives, the Director - Communications reviews the Cabinet Submissions prepared by agencies.

4.4.2 Inter-agency communication

Principles
Communication between Government departments is particularly important where there is inter-agency collaboration to develop policies and programs, to communicate key Government themes and priorities, and in the management of crisis and emergency situations.

Inter-agency teamwork requires information sharing, and is fostered by informal contacts, joint planning and training, pre-planned agreements for the division of responsibilities, and the use of similar technology, procedures, and performance criteria.

Policy requirements
Information sharing across Government contains some risks in terms of privacy and security. Agencies must work together to ensure that confidential and sensitive information is handled according to security requirements, client information guidelines, information privacy principles, and relevant legislation.

In general terms, the principles and practices of communication that apply to ‘Partnerships’ apply equally to inter-agency communication.

4.4.3 Internal communication

Principles
To achieve optimal organisational performance and support of Government goals, agencies must create a positive organisational climate where feelings of trust, awareness, openness, security, involvement and confidence predominate, particularly between managers and employees.

This means articulating the organisation’s vision and objectives, implementing upward communication and feedback mechanisms, and recognising and celebrating staff innovation, achievements and customer service excellence.

Properly engaged in the life of an organisation, employees can be valuable allies in external communications - helping to inform the public, professional colleagues and prospective employees about their department or agency.

Effective internal communication is a shared management responsibility. The Head of Agency must champion an agency’s commitment to open and collaborative internal communications with the support of the entire management team.

Policy requirements
To foster employee knowledge, awareness and understanding of agency and whole-of-government business, policies and activities, agencies must:

• have in place a system, process or mechanism for communicating with employees
• develop and implement strategies that encourage proactive and interactive communications throughout the organisation
• develop and implement mechanisms that recognise the contribution of staff (and volunteers) to service delivery and to meeting business objectives
• develop and implement communications strategies for the collection, dissemination and exchange of information and knowledge
• communicate with employees openly, frequently, and where possible before or at the same time as information is communicated to the public, or as soon as possible.

Information sharing within agencies contains some risks in terms of privacy and security. Confidential and sensitive information, including information or documents communicated electronically, must be handled according to the agency’s security arrangements, and the Personal Information Protection Act 2004.

See Internet and email use in the State Service: Ministerial Direction.

Internal communication activities and processes must be reviewed from time to time to evaluate results, to identify areas for improvement, and to make adjustments as needed.