MINISTER DELIVERS FIRST REPORT ON APS REFORM PROGRESS

01 November 2023

SENATOR THE HON KATY GALLAGHER
MINISTER FOR FINANCE
MINISTER FOR WOMEN
MINISTER FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE
SENATOR FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

The Minister for the Public Service, Senator Katy Gallagher, has today delivered the first annual statement on the progress of Australian Public Service Reform and announced the next stage of reform.

Over the past 12 months, the Albanese Government has been working in partnership with agencies to deliver on its ambitious APS Reform Agenda. Of the 44 APS Reform Initiatives announced last year a quarter are now complete, including:

The establishment of a National Anti-Corruption Commission.
The completion of an audit of employment.
The establishment of an in-house consulting model (now known as Australian Government Consulting).
Increased transparency of the Secretaries Board with meeting communiques and Terms of Reference now published online.
The expansion of the Survey on Trust and Transparency in Australian Public Services.
The creation of an APS Capability Reinvestment Fund, to fund projects to build organisational capability in the APS.

The Minister for the Public Service, Senator Katy Gallagher, said the Albanese Government inherited a public service that had suffered cuts to its core function and where contractors, consultants and labour hire had replaced permanent public service jobs.

“When we came to government, we began the task of rebuilding the public service to restore capacity and capability.”

“Following the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme, the need for reform is stronger than ever.”

“We need an APS that is fit to serve Australians in the 21^st century, but real and lasting change is going to take time,” Minister Gallagher said.

Over the next 18 months the Albanese Government will roll-out the next stage of reforms to bolster the integrity of the APS through:

Requiring the PM&C Secretary and APS Commissioner to conduct a merit-based appointments process for Secretary roles and publishing a Secretaries’ performance framework and process.
Better handling of sustained underperformance of Secretaries, including appropriate consequences.
New own motion powers for the APS Commissioner to initiate reviews and investigations into Code of Conduct breaches by current and former Agency Heads (including Secretaries) and APS employees.
Criteria for the next round of the Capability Reinvestment Fund.
Develop best-practice recruitment and selection options across the APS .
The application of consistent hiring practices, mandating the sharing of merit lists and strategies to maximise the use of merit lists.

The Annual Progress Report on APS Reform is available on the APS Reform website.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1 2023