Federal public servants have been told to brace for a hectic three years and "very clear" performance targets, after their steward Scott Morrison's thumping election victory.
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The prime minister has stressed the need for bureaucrats to work quickly, especially when their decisions effect investors, after meeting with government department bosses in the nation's capital.
"There will be very clear targets about performance levels that we'll expect ... Australians should expect to see things turned around quickly," he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.
"Congestion-busting just doesn't need to happen on our roads and around the country. Congestion-busting needs to happen in the bureaucracy."
The comments come as Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has cracked the whip for the public service in her state to end a long-running impasse over Adani's proposed Carmichael coal mine.
The project still needs state approvals for its bird and water management plans.
"I think that the community is fed up with the processes, I know I'm fed up with the processes," she said on Wednesday.
There are three areas Mr Morrison wants federal officials to focus on during his first term as elected prime minister.
Keeping the economy strong is at the top of the list, given it underpins everything else.
Also pivotal is Australia using its influence in the Indo-Pacific region, and among its global partners, to continue to be a "voice of reason and common-sense" to ensure peace and prosperity.
"The world is an increasingly uncertain place," Mr Morrison said.
"It is very important that we continue to focus on the ways that we can use our influence and our relationships and build on those relationships."
Bureaucrats should also be focused on ensuring all government services work "seamlessly and efficiently".
"Of course the public service gives us fearless and frank advice, but the thing we depend on and that you're professionally responsible for is the delivery of those services."
The government came out of caretaker mode on Monday with department officials scrambling to produce the so-called "blue books" - incoming government briefs based on coalition policies.
Their work on the "red books" detailing Labor policies won't be needed.
The department secretaries - who also met with Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack - have been asked to find savings in their budgets to help cover the cost of the Liberal-National coalition's $1.4 billion in election promises.
The efficiency dividend of two per cent will be continued for a further two years to 2020/21 before stepping down to 1.5 per cent in 2021/22 and returning to the base rate of one per cent from 2022/23.
However, exemptions will apply to a range of agencies, including the ABC, SBS, Safe Work Australia, Australian Signals Directorate, Office of National Intelligence and the National Disability Insurance Agency.
Australian Associated Press
