August Newsletter
Welcome to the August edition of the Synergy Law Newsletter and our First Edition published as a LinkedIn Newsletter. The change of format reflects your feedback that our content should be easier to access and engage with. So here we are! We hope you enjoy the new format as much as we do!
August has been an incredible month for Australia as we came together to support the Matildas in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 hosted right here in Australia and New Zealand. This World Cup has shown support for women’s sport in an unprecedented way that is sure to inspire generations to come. Like so many of you, we are so proud of what our Matildas and the World Cup have done for women’s sport in Australia and we hope to see their legacy have impact on the future of sport.
This month we have also seen discussions on the Voice referendum heat up with the referendum date to be announced any day now.?We have also seen the spotlight shine on all things procurement, a capability and skill now considered ‘critical’ in government. This has seen the conversation shift towards a greater focus on strategic sourcing and active management of supply chains and supply markets to maximise value for money.
The Government procures and grants billions of dollars each year to suppliers and service providers. While panels exist and competitive tenders are sought, the findings (Report 498: “Commitment issues”) from the recent inquiry into Commonwealth procurement by the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) leave much to be desired in terms of better practice across the Commonwealth.
After watching this space and reviewing Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) Audit findings for decades, our view is that not only is an overhaul of procurement practices required, but a procurement ecosystem needs to be built which proactively includes upstream work to be done to ensure a strategic sourcing framework is built into and applied to government procurement processes. Implementing a strategic sourcing strategy would provide the government greater leverage, transparency and competitive benefits. The current reactive procurement environment produces less than optimal outcomes and needs to be addressed if real change is to be made.
So, this month, our articles are focused on all things best practice in government procurement, knowledge sharing and uplifting capability.
Spring is just around the corner and we couldn’t be more excited.
Stay tuned for our next edition!
Synsights
The Power of Sharing Knowledge in the Workplace
Laura, our legal Associate, explores the power that sharing our knowledge with one another in the workplace can have on achieving outcomes. Laura looks at how sharing information expands the knowledge of those around us and the impact this has on creating a positive workplace culture and increasing efficiency. Laura shows that the power of knowledge sharing is perhaps greater than we might think and that there are real benefits of sharing what we know with those around us.
Read more here.
ANAO Audit Findings
Hasibah, who has recently joined our procurement team as a Senior Consultant, guides us through the Australian National Audit Office’s Audit of the procurement of office furniture carried out between 2017 and 2022. Hasibah outlines the findings of the report and explains some lessons learned. This article reveals the importance of value for money and ensuring transparency and accountability in the procurement process.
Read more here.
Top Eight Tips for Better Procurement Practices
Saskia, our Executive Director of Strategic Sourcing, unpacks the recent Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit Report 498 which examined the commitment issues of the Commonwealth and the non-compliance with Commonwealth Procurement rules. Saskia’s article shows why we should be focusing on ensuring better (and the best) procurement practices. Saskia also outlines eight practical tips that can help procurement specialists achieve better practices.
Read more here.
Stay up to Date
Recent developments in the Commonwealth have triggered a huge transformation within the Australian Public Service (APS), redefining its core values and objectives. Central to these changes is an unwavering focus on integrity — a principle that underscores transparency, fidelity, and the highest ethical standards. The resonance of these values has echoed throughout the public discourse in recent months.
This dialogue stems from both internal and external sources. External pressures emerge as a reaction to revelations about misconduct within major consulting firms. While the spotlight on integrity might seem daunting, it presents an opportunity for the APS, its service providers and suppliers to pause and reflect. Rather than fearing scrutiny, consultants should view this as a chance to reinforce their standards and practices, aligning them more closely with their dedication to serving the Commonwealth and its departments.
领英推荐
As Synergy Law has now grown from providing legal services to also providing procurement and strategic sourcing services, we are focused this month on all things Procurement and strategic sourcing.
Given what we have seen from procurement audits over the last two decades, the question all departments should ask themselves is: Are our procurement practices healthy? What does our procurement ecosystem look like?
The recent inquiry into Commonwealth procurement by the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) provides a number of useful recommendations, however, the theme across these recommendations appears more focused on adding regulation rather than incentivising better internal performance. This may be because over the last two decades of ANAO audits into procurement, contract management and probity, the focus has been on internal controls and processes that are not working. However, we have not yet seen any recommendations from the government seeking to understand whether a better procurement ecosystem would deliver better outcomes. More on this topic will be covered in future articles.
We observed the following key takeaways from Parliament sitting in August:
Both chambers will return for two weeks of sitting from 4 September 2023.
As a professional services firm who prides itself on being different, we continue to work to our values and reaffirm our commitment to supporting the APS to deliver for Australia.
It’s Personal
This month we had a new Synergite join our team:
Hasibah Keriwala, Senior Consultant, Strategic Sourcing
Hasibah is an experienced professional in the contract and procurement management industry with an engineering background. She has a proven track record of success in managing end-to-end procurement processes, achieving value for money by leading and managing key commercial procurement activities.
With a wealth of engineering skills like solving complex problems, design innovative solutions, create practical applications, she now uses these skills as a Synergy Senior Consultant to help our clients needing advice and experience in strategic sourcing.
In her free time, she enjoys her boutique space, styling traditional clothes for teenage girls and young mothers. Hasibah also volunteers for her community organisation supporting young families, students and immigrants.
Synergy News
At Synergy Law, we understand the community benefits from the pro bono work we provide. We also recognise the value that this work has on our company, lawyers and our workplace culture.
In 2022-23, our lawyers at Synergy Law, each dedicated an average of 45 hours of pro bono to the community. This is such an excellent achievement with each lawyer averaging 10 hours more than the national target!
Our Pro Bono efforts in the last financial year is something which we are deeply proud of and reflects Synergy Group’s culture of contributing to the communities in which we live and work.
It is in this spirit that we encourage you to get involved in the 2023 Floriade Festival that will take place in our nation’s capital from 16 September – 15 October 2023. This is the second year that Synergy is a proud partner of this fantastic event which celebrates our flourishing city and region.?
To find out more about Synergy Group’s role in Floriade 2023 please visit our website: https://synergygroup.net.au/floriade/