Public Purpose

An Independent Advisory Company

Services-old

Public Purpose is an independent advisory, research and strategy practice that works at the intersection of policy, government, technology and innovation.

The practice is centred on the work of its principal, Martin Stewart-Weeks and the extensive networks of innovators, ideas and influence in Australia and around the world from over 35 years’ work in and around government, innovation and technology.

The practice is busy in the following areas:

Strategic thinking
Helping organisations think about strategy and change to guide new aspirations, plans and work

Research
Conceiving, undertaking and writing up social and qualitative research (focus groups, workshops, interviews)

Writing
Undertake research and writing projects, either independently or for clients, that tackle big strategic issues and “thought leadership” topics to prompt thinking about strategy and change.

Facilitation
Designing and facilitating small and large scale events and processes to help organisations improve the quality and impact of collaboration (for example workshops, conferences, Board and leadership team processes)

We bring a range of skills and capabilities, including:

  • Understanding how the strategic policy and organisational context impacts the event’s purpose and outcomes
  • Over 35 years’ experience in public policy, research, service design and organisational governance, management and leadership
  • Designing the event itself with clients to create an experience that is logical, practical and engaging
  • Helping to source speakers and contributors with the right mix of skills, profile and experience to add to the conversations
  • Facilitating and guiding the event itself with energy, purpose and (occasionally!) humour.
  • Helping clients to synthesis the big themes, outcomes and “next steps” implications.

The practice is active in these domains:

Government, policy and public sector reform, with a particular focus on human services, health and education and whole-of-government strategy and practice in innovation and digital transformation

Innovation, especially social innovation

Cities, both in their own right and, increasingly, as the crucible within which many of the big opportunities and risks that governments, and those engaged in “pubic purpose” work, are working with, are becoming both more evident and more urgent.

Public Purpose has recently undertaken projects for these organisations:

  • Deloitte (as an advisor to the public sector practice in Australia and New Zealand)
  • Cisco (as an advisor to their higher education and cities practice)
  • NSW Department of Family and Community Services (leadership forums, review of executive board, policy presentations)
  • NSW Health (Westmead health precinct – part of my work with Deloitte)
  • Queensland Department of Health (innovation challenge workshops)
  • Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (innovation challenge workshops)
  • Queensland Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services (leadership and strategic planning forums)
  • Queensland Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing (strategic planning workshops)
  • Queensland Treasury/Business Improvement and Innovation in Government group (BiiG state and regional conferences)
  • Federal Department of Human Services (innovation and policy workshops, technology transformation WPIT)
  • The Committee for Sydney (global cities innovation workshops; #wethecity papers)
  • Telstra (CEO Circle design and reporting; research on public sector digital leadership)
  • NSW Department of Finance, Services and Innovation (innovation strategy workshops, Digital Government Advisory Panel)
  • Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (selection panel for Seed Pacific, The Innovation eXchange)
  • Victorian Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (design and reporting on creative industries strategy public forums and workshops)
  • NSW Information and Privacy Commission (open government workshop design and facilitation)
  • Institute of Public Administration Australia (conference design and facilitation; policy and innovation presentations)
  • Orima Research (carer-employer network project – research and literature review, interviews and focus groups)
  • Quay Connection/SE Local Health District (leadership and change at Prince of Wales Hospital)
  • ANZ School of Government (design/facilitation for a workshop on government/NGO relations)
  • NSW Office of State Revenue (design/facilitation of a leadership forum on innovation and strategic change)