On 30 September 2026, IPAA ACT welcomed Mike Kaiser, Secretary of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), for a discussion on organisational culture, leadership and building a more effective public service. 

Reflecting on his transition from the Queensland Public Service to the Commonwealth, Secretary Kaiser observed that despite differences in scale and structure, many of the fundamental challenges remain the same. 

Drawing on his experience and the work underway at DCCEEW, he explored three priorities for organisational effectiveness: collaboration, external engagement, and developing capability. 

At the heart of his address was a clear message: lasting cultural change requires more than good intentions. It depends on changing everyday behaviours. 

Collaboration beyond organisational boundaries 

Secretary Kaiser challenged the distinction between cooperation and genuine collaboration. While cooperation allows organisations to work alongside one another, collaboration requires a willingness to challenge assumptions, reconsider positions, and confront trade-offs to achieve better outcomes. 

At DCCEEW, this is informing a focus on shared outcomes that cut across traditional organisational structures, encouraging teams to work together on complex, interconnected challenges.

Making external engagement meaningful 

Secretary Kaiser emphasised the importance of looking beyond government for knowledge, experience and expertise. 

He cautioned against consultation becoming a procedural exercise rather than an opportunity to improve decisions. Drawing on the department’s environmental law reform and fuel security work, he highlighted how bringing stakeholders with different perspectives together can help test assumptions, identify risks and strengthen policy advice. 

He also stressed the importance of constructive engagement with industry, balancing an understanding of commercial realities with the responsibility to uphold the public interest. 

Developing leaders through their strengths 

Challenging traditional approaches to capability development, Secretary Kaiser questioned the tendency to focus on correcting individual weaknesses rather than building on existing strengths. 

He outlined DCCEEW’s new Performance and Readiness Framework, which aims to help employees identify and develop their distinctive capabilities, while encouraging managers to create opportunities for people to do their best work. 

Across all three themes, his message was consistent: stronger institutions are built by changing how people work, not simply what organisations aspire to achieve. 

Five key leadership insights 

• Move beyond cooperation: Genuine collaboration requires openness to different perspectives and a willingness to change your position. 

• Work across boundaries: Focus on shared outcomes that bring teams together and confront competing priorities. 

• Make engagement meaningful: Involve stakeholders early to challenge assumptions, improve advice, and strengthen decisions. 

• Build on individual strengths: Recognise and develop the distinctive capabilities people bring to their work. 

• Turn intentions into action: Lasting cultural change comes from the behaviours and habits organisations consistently reinforce. 

Secretary Kaiser’s reflections offered valuable insights into how public sector leaders can challenge established ways of working, strengthen collaboration and create the conditions for people to do their best work. 

Read the full speech here.

This event was proudly supported by