Built to deliver: global trends to accelerate government delivery

This article was first published in the September 2025 issue of the Public Sector Journal, thanks to Hāpai Public.

Governments around the world are grappling with a common challenge: not just executing large-scale initiatives or investing in infrastructure, but fundamentally transforming how public services are delivered. The latest Deloitte Government Trends report calls for governments to become more agile, responsive, and equipped to meet the complex demands of the modern world. 

Since 2019, the Deloitte Centre for Government Insights has published annual reports looking at global public sector trends with the aim of helping governments solve complex problems. This year’s report builds on previous themes, such as cost-efficiency and value creation, with a sharper focus on delivery. Key trends include: 

• Lower-cost, higher-value government 

• The promise of AI in public service 

• Reducing bureaucratic red tape 

• Modernising public service delivery. 

Why do these trends matter?

These challenges are not unique to any one country. While some governments are deploying new tools and methods to meet them head-on, others are still struggling to gain traction. 

For New Zealand’s public service, many of these trends will feel familiar. They align closely with current government priorities and the Public Service Commissioner’s direction. But in a sector marked by complexity and competing demands, the question remains: How can we accelerate delivery and change? 

Tools and approaches that enable delivery

One of the most compelling aspects of the report is not just the trends themselves, but the practical tools and approaches governments are using to deliver results.  

• Singapore has introduced AI-based solutions to automate routine tasks and enhance data analysis, significantly reducing administrative workload. 

• The UAE is streamlining processes through its Zero Government Bureaucracy programme, consolidating procedures and leveraging digital tools to improve efficiency. 

• Australia is embracing public-private partnerships to deliver infrastructure, positioning itself as a leader in collaborative delivery models. 

In developing AI capabilities, many governments are taking an employee-led approach in building workforce fluency, implementing agentic AI (AI that can make decisions and perform tasks without human intervention), and establishing governance frameworks to balance innovation with public sector responsibilities. 

Focus on wicked problems, not just 'solved and safe' solutions

Governments have successfully scaled certain delivery mechanisms, such as shared services, citizen portals, and consolidated procurement platforms. Deloitte refers to these as 'solved and safe', which translates to ‘technically demanding but well understood’. 

However, emerging opportunities like agentic AI, advanced automation, and AI-augmented public sector roles require more experimentation and learning. These areas demand agile approaches and a willingness to test, adapt, and iterate. 

Strategies that drive deliverability

Global experience highlights several strategies that enable governments to deliver at pace: 

• Leadership mandate: Technology is no longer the primary barrier. What’s needed is strong leadership, clear accountability, and centralised decision-making. Successful models have political sponsorship and continuity of funding to overcome inevitable hurdles. 

• Incentivising cultural change: Risk aversion can stifle innovation. Jurisdictions that succeed adopt best practices from elsewhere and tailor them to local needs. Effective public-private partnerships are built on well-designed incentives and commercial constructs – not outsourcing, but collaboration. 

• Avoiding restructuring fatigue: Constant restructuring can distract from service delivery. Successful governments focus on digital transformation at scale and staff mobility at the local level. Emerging best practices include mission-based models, devolved services, and separating funding from delivery. 

• Prioritising execution at scale: Pilots and trials are valuable but must be designed with scalability in mind. New Zealand’s size can make scaling difficult, so subscription-based and scalable platforms are key. Connecting with international 'learn and scale' centres, such as those in the UK, Singapore, and the Nordics, can help build capability. 

What does this mean for New Zealand?

International examples can sometimes feel distant or difficult to replicate, especially given New Zealand’s resource constraints. But the imperative is clear: citizens expect more, and government direction supports change. 

Cross-sector challenges, such as housing affordability and community wellbeing, require new ways of working. The report highlights tools for solving these complex problems, some of which are already being tested here: 

• The Social Investment Agency is pioneering outcome-based markets and cross-sector data sharing. 

• The City and Regional Deal process is a place-based approach that fosters public-private collaboration. 

Crucially, governments must capture success, learn from it, and adapt delivery models in real time. Agile, iterative improvement is key to scaling new methods across the public sector. 

Each delivery tool contains a method set that can be adapted across central and local government in New Zealand. If the Government Trends report tells us anything, it’s that the countries we proudly compare ourselves to are moving with pace and purpose. For the benefit of our citizens, we must do the same.