Speeches
Monday, 15 January 2024
Reception for Philippines Benchmarking Study Group
It is my great pleasure to host you at Government House this afternoon.
I trust you are enjoying your time in South Australia.
As an alumnus of the University of Adelaide, I know your learning is in good hands.
As the former Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, I was pleased to visit the Philippines on several occasions and lead efforts to deepen the relationship between our two countries.
Our two nations enjoy warm relations, which have been enhanced by the ongoing success of the Australia Awards and Alumni Engagement Program, of which this initiative, the Benchmarking Study of digital transformation strategy and development, is part.
I thank you for your participation in this Study and for placing your confidence in the University of Adelaide and other Australian universities to support your development in the digital transformation space.
Being a digital leader is a priority for both the South Australian and Australian governments.
As DFAT Secretary I came to understand first hand the critical importance of the department’s digital capability, and the need to pursue ongoing excellence in this field.
The onset of the pandemic accelerated the digitalisation of services, and in the public sector we saw agencies perform significant transformations to enable staff to work from home, as well as stay connected to citizens and deliver services through digital channels.
For government, the security of data, working with speed and efficiency, and the ability embrace flexibility and innovation are top priorities and all are firmly rooted in digital transformation strategy and development.
I trust your time in Adelaide is proving both productive and enjoyable, and I hope you will return to the Philippines with warm memories of South Australia, as well as knowledge and contacts that will be of benefit to your future.
Thank you for your participation in the relationship between our two regions, which I trust will continue to strengthen into the future.