The document discusses social progress in Australia and ways to measure it beyond economic terms. It suggests using 50 social and environmental indicators across basic needs, social infrastructure, and opportunity to better evaluate relative performance and guide social investment decisions. While Australia has experienced economic growth and prosperity, there remain significant issues of unequal social progress that impact productivity. The document examines experimenting with new forms of social service delivery, including through commissioning, outcomes-based financing, and consumer voice. Building capability for cost, data, and innovation is key to reforming social services and managing for results.

1. © 2013 Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
2nd Annual Social Finance forum
Social progress in the ‘lucky
country’
Going beyond good intentions
August 2013
Fran Thorn – National Human Services Partner

2. © 2013 Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
As a country we laud our luckiness
• Primarily consider luck or progress in economic
terms
• Golden years of economic growth
• Escape from the worst of the GFC
• Luck and worthiness conflated
• Benefits of this luck are not shared equitably
• Search for new solutions to old problems
• Choices of problem definition & measurement of progress
• Social progress and attainment as a counterweight to
economic measurement
2

3. © 2013 Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
New ways of looking at and achieving
progress
Fifty indicators
across basic
human needs,
social
infrastructure and
opportunity that
show relative
performance in
order to elevate the
quality of
discussion on
national priorities
and to guide social
investment
decisions
3
• All social and environmental
indicators, rigorously tested
for relevance
• Outcomes not inputs
• 50 indicators: disaggregated

4. © 2013 Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
Are we the lucky country in terms of social
progress?
4

5. © 2013 Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
But a fair bit to feel uncomfortable about
5

6. © 2013 Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
Luck doesn’t shield us from the need to
change – evidence tells us where to look
• Significant forces leading reappraisal of social services
6
Changing
understanding of
how services need
to be designed and
delivered
Serious issues
of performance
to be confronted
Productivity and
prosperity
impact of
unequal social
progress

7. © 2013 Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
A long search for innovation in social
policy and service delivery
• Three decades of reforms
• Question of core/non-core government business
• Involvement of third parties in delivery
• Contestability (of ideas and services)
• Contest between centralisation and decentralisation
• Who does what
• Centrality of NFP sector
• “Emergence” of private provision
• Partly cost/partly flexibility
• “Markets”, incentives and financing innovation

8. © 2013 Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
Experimenting and trending
• Competition and financing experimentation
– Commissioning (and intermediate or prime contracting)
– Outcomes and social financing
– Individualisation (financing/entitlement)
• Quality and performance/ data and measurement
• Scale
• “Channel strategies” (technology/self help/self selection)
• Consumer voice
• Private provision of social services & workforce attachment
8

9. © 2013 Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
Building our luck in service system reform
– getting back to the basics
• Sector will have to build capability
– Cost and productivity
– Information
– 21st century tools
• Managing for results
- Accountability, control and innovation
- Avoiding the PLU syndrome
• Attending to change management
– Clash of values
– Risk and reward - time and “failure”
– Tactics and strategy – the urgent versus the important
9

10. © 2013 Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
General information only
This presentation contains general information only, and none of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited,
its member firms, or their related entities (collectively the “Deloitte Network”) is, by means of this
presentation, rendering professional advice or services.
Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your finances or your business, you
should consult a qualified professional adviser. No entity in the Deloitte Network shall be responsible
for any loss whatsoever sustained by any person who relies on this presentation.
About Deloitte
Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited
by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and
independent entity. Please see www.deloitte.com/au/about for a detailed description of the legal
structure of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and its member firms.
Deloitte provides audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services to public and private clients
spanning multiple industries. With a globally connected network of member firms in more than 150
countries, Deloitte brings world-class capabilities and high-quality service to clients, delivering the
insights they need to address their most complex business challenges. Deloitte has in the region of
200,000 professionals, all committed to becoming the standard of excellence.
About Deloitte Australia
In Australia, the member firm is the Australian partnership of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. As one of
Australia’s leading professional services firms. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and its affiliates provide
audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services through approximately 6,000 people across
the country. Focused on the creation of value and growth, and known as an employer of choice for
innovative human resources programs, we are dedicated to helping our clients and our people
excel. For more information, please visit our web site at www.deloitte.com.au.
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.
Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited
© 2013 Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu