The need for speed: Delivering more, sooner for all Australians - Speech to the Australian Public Policy Institute 2025 Policy Maker Summit

Acknowledgements omitted
 
It is wonderful to be here at the University of Technology Sydney. I went to another great technology university, Curtin University of Technology.

One of my first jobs while a student was delivering pizzas for Domino's. Zipping around the dusty streets of Perth with my printed UBD street directory and a pencil case full of cash change. Delivering food to customers who, almost always, answered the door fully clothed.

It taught me that delivery is important. It is what matters to customers and it is what matters to citizens. Delivery is the standard by which all of us must measure ourselves.

In other words, there is no point telling people how great your pizzas, or your policies are - if you cannot deliver.
 

DELIVERY

That is why I am so proud that the Albanese Government is focused on delivery. Delivering the policies we developed in our first term. Delivering the election commitments that were the cornerstone of the May election. Delivering what Australia needs for the challenges of the 21st century.

And it is a big agenda. Leading Australia’s transition to net zero. The biggest economic transformation of our lifetime. Building a Future Made in Australia. So we are more resilient, more diversified and more decentralised. Delivering the biggest investments in Medicare in a generation.

Our $43 billion Homes for Australia plan sets an ambitious goal of building 1.2 million new homes over five years. Delivering on our ambitious home building target means cutting through the red tape that holds back housing construction.  Smoothing the way for progress by removing barriers, and fixing the broken approvals process. 

Significant tax reform, including:

1. A $1,000 instant tax deduction;
2. Tax cuts in 2026 and 2027 for 14 million Australians;
3. And tax reform dialogue to incentivise greater business investment.

And of course we are protecting Australia’s interests as we face the most challenging strategic circumstances since World War II.


AN UNCERTAIN DELIVERY ENVIRONMENT

I mentioned earlier that I had to be prepared to deliver a pizza to someone who might be in pyjamas – or worse.

Our Government also has to prepare to deliver in an uncertain world. We know the world out onto which we engage, trade and rely upon is uncertain. Regional conflicts. Trade wars. Uncertainty in financial markets. And the upheaval that will come with the widespread use of artificial intelligence.

Therefore, in very simple terms, the world is changing. And so too must the way we develop and deliver policy.  On many of these challenges, there is no time to wait.  Effective and speedy delivery is essential.  

Even in the early 2000s using a landline phone, a DOS computer system and my trusty Ford Telstar we could deliver a pizza to a home in 30 minutes. We need faster solutions to faster moving problems. 

There are glimmers of encouragement. Minister Katy Gallagher has sped up the time in which a Paid Parental Leave claim is paid seven-fold. From twenty days, down to just three.

Minister Anika Wells is delivering world-leading age restrictions for harmful social media.

And Minister Tim Ayres is ensuring we get the balance right in the fast moving world of Artificial Intelligence. Making sure we can grab the massive opportunities, whilst also effectively managing the risks.


SLOW MOVING SYSTEMS, FAST MOVING CHALLENGES

The reality is that Australia’s institutions were built in a slower time: back when our Constitution was written, it took some 40 days to travel by ship from here in Sydney, to my hometown in Perth. Imagine how long I would speak for if I had travelled 40 days to be here, and had a 40-day journey home in front of me.

The Public Service Act of 1999 predates the networks, phones and laptops that enable work from home. And you can still see in Parliament House the places where the fax machine once took pride of place.

We are living in a time where the policy cycle can struggle to keep pace with the change that is happening. This is a huge challenge for the Australian Public Service. But it is a challenge we must openly acknowledge and then meet. 

In this room, everyone is familiar with the Australian Policy Cycle framework. It is so ingrained in the Australian Public Service that there is a copy of it in the Museum Of Australian Democracy. But the need for speed is part of every policy challenge we face.

Australia had a lost decade in the Climate Wars, but we are in a global race to net zero, and in a competitive market to become one of the world’s renewable energy superpowers. We need new environmental laws that make decisions, not endlessly delay low emissions technology. 

Australia needs to build more homes, faster. And basic human services can be delivered with superhuman speed.        

Whole-of-government and cross-sector partnerships can reduce duplication and speed up delivery. Engaging business, academia, and community groups early ensures solutions are practical and scaleable. Leveraging data, digital tools, and automation can dramatically cut decision-making time and improve service delivery. 

Ultimately, the need for speed in policymaking is about leadership. Leaders who embrace agility, empower their teams, and engage constructively with the public can break through inertia and accelerate progress.

Policymakers must be willing to make bold decisions, accept measured risks, and drive cultural change within institutions. Iterative, flexible approaches allow us to act quickly while learning and adjusting along the way.


CONCLUSION

So my call to action today for every public policy practitioner is this: make a commitment to avoid taking the long road to urgently needed policy change. 

I am not advocating shortcuts. I know from my Domino's days that a poorly thought out shortcut only causes more headaches and delays down the line. Usually pulling over and flipping through the UBD in a panic.

But we need to acknowledge there are faster ways of doing what we need to do. This was one of the underlying threads of the Economic Reform Roundtable. 

So when you leave today, make sure that the need for speed is in your policy toolkit. It is not optional, it is the only way forward.

 
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