AGY-6973 | Public Works Advisory (2016-2021) / NSW Public Works [II] (2021- )

Full description

On 1 July 2015 the Office of Finance and Services became the Department of Finance, Services and Innovation (1) and, during 2015-16, a process to transform NSW Public Works was commenced with the aim of moving its “core focus away from project management, design and delivery of infrastructure services into providing expert strategic advice and commissioning services”. (2)

As part of this transformation, the Government Architect was transferred to the Department of Planning (3) and, from 1 July 2016, Public Works Advisory, consisting of units that were part of the former NSW Public Works, joined with Property NSW to form a new Property and Advisory Group (4) supporting the Government's decision to have the public sector withdraw from areas where services could be sourced from the private sector. (5)

Operating as a distinct entity within this group, Public Works Advisory, with its state-wide network of 18 offices, provided a broad range of advisory, project management and engineering services assisting state and local government clients to deliver, manage, operate and maintain the State's critical infrastructure. (6)

These specialised services included:
- program and project management
- engineering emergency management
- heritage asset management advice
- precinct development advice and assurance
- infrastructure delivery and life-cycle management support for regional clients
- water and environmental infrastructure advice and support
- procurement advice for public construction works and related services. (7)

From the 1 July 2019, at the dissolution of the Department of Finance, Services and Innovation (DFSI), Property and Advisory Group including the Public Works Advisory was transferred to Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. (8) The Public Works Advisory was placed into a branch within the department called Regions, Industry, Agriculture and Resources and was linked with the Regional Development teams. (9)

From 2 April 2020, the Regions, Industry, Agriculture and Resources branch of DFSI including the Public Works Advisory was transferred to the Department of Regional NSW. (10) Within Regional NSW, Public Works Advisory and Regional Development became the PWARD group. (11)

In 2020, Public Works Advisory and Regional Development (PWARD) worked with local and state government agencies to deliver critical infrastructure initiatives by providing expert advisory, planning and delivery support services that drive regional priorities to deliver better outcomes for the people living and working in regional NSW. (12)

Between July 2021 and June 2022 the Department of Regional NSW restructured its business support functions resulting in the Public Works Advisory being renamed to NSW Public Works. NSW Public Works [II] was divided from the Regional Development team and was placed into the Commercial Services branch of the Department of Regional NSW. (13)

by 2023 Public Works Advisory was undertaking: project and program management of the planning, design, procurement and construction of civil, water and building infrastructure assets across state and local government bodies; sustainable infrastructure advice across the entire asset lifecycle; whole-of-government construction procurement category management and expertise on construction procurement and contracts; digital engineering and infrastructure advice and solutions; infrastructure sector capacity building; Disaster recovery reconstruction works across NSW; and, safe, secure and sustainable water supply planning and delivery for NSW Councils.

Endnotes
1. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes - Public Service Agencies) Order (No 2) 2015 (2015 No 250), cls. 5, 12 (1); notified on NSW Legislation Website, 29 May 2015.
2. Department of Finance, Services and Innovation, Annual Report 2015-2016, p.36.
3. Ibid., pp.36-7.
4. Ibid., p.13.
5. Ibid., p.36.
6. The Property and Advisory Group, Annual Review 2016-17, p.23.
7. Loc. cit.
8. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Public Service Agencies) Amendment Order 2019 (2019 No 180), cl.11; notified on NSW Legislation website, 1 May 2019.
9. Department of Finance, Services and Innovation, Annual Report 2019-2020, p.51.
10. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Regional NSW and Independent Planning Commission) Order 2020 (2020 No 121), cl.8; notified on NSW Legislation website, 2 April 2020.
11. Department of Regional NSW, Annual Report 2019-2020, p.22.
12. Department of Regional NSW, Annual Report 2020-2021, p.24.
13. Department of Regional NSW, Annual Report 2021-2022, p.33.
14. Department of Regional NSW, Annual Report 2022-2023, p.24.