The 2025 Don Dunstan Oration: Innovation, Change and Capability in Public Life

IPAA SA was pleased to host the 2025 Don Dunstan Oration on Wednesday, 10 December, featuring an address by The Hon. Susan Close MP that spoke directly to the challenges and opportunities facing today’s public sector.

The Don Dunstan Oration honours a leader known for bold reform, fresh thinking and a willingness to challenge the status quo. In that spirit, Susan Close’s oration focused on how governments and public institutions must continue to adapt, innovate and build capability to meet the changing expectations of the community.

A key theme of the address was the need for democratic systems to evolve alongside social and economic change. Susan highlighted that innovation in government is not limited to technology or new tools. It also involves rethinking how policy is designed, how decisions are made and how institutions respond to complexity and inequality.

She spoke about the growing pressure on public systems as communities become more diverse and challenges become more interconnected. In this environment, capability matters. Strong public institutions rely on skilled people, evidence-based policy and the confidence to test new approaches while remaining anchored to fairness and accountability.

Susan also addressed the role of change management in public service, noting that meaningful reform often requires sustained effort rather than quick fixes. She emphasised the importance of long-term thinking, collaboration across sectors and a willingness to learn from both success and failure. Innovation, she suggested, is as much about mindset as it is about method.

The oration reinforced the critical role of public servants in navigating change. From policy development to service delivery, Susan acknowledged the expertise required to balance competing priorities, manage risk and deliver outcomes that genuinely improve lives. Building and maintaining this capability, she argued, is essential to maintaining public trust and confidence.

The 2025 Don Dunstan Oration offered timely insights into how innovation, change and capability intersect in public life. IPAA SA thanks Susan Close for an address that spoke directly to the realities of modern public service and the ongoing work required to ensure institutions remain responsive, inclusive and fit for the future.