Australian Public Service Commission Explained

Agency Name:	Australian Public Service Commission
Formed:	1999
Preceding1:	Public Service Merit Protection Commission
Type:	Statutory agency
Jurisdiction:	Commonwealth of Australia
Employees:	237 (at June 2016)^[1]
Budget:	23 million (2008–2009)
Headquarters:	, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Minister1 Name:	Katy Gallagher, Minister for the Public Service
Chief1 Name:	Gordon de Brouwer
Chief1 Position:	Australian Public Service Commissioner
Chief2 Name:	Linda Waugh
Chief2 Position:	Merit Protection Commissioner
Parent Agency:	Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Footnotes:	^[2]

The Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) is a statutory agency of the Australian Government, within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, that acts to ensure the organisational and workforce capability to meet future needs and sustainability of the Australian Public Service (APS), that comprises approximately people, or 0.8% of the Australian workforce.^[3]

The Commission was established pursuant to the Public Service Act 1999 and is led by the Australian Public Service Commissioner.

Dr Gordon de Brouwer PSM was appointed Commissioner on 11 May 2023, taking over from Peter Woolcott . The Merit Protection Commissioner is Linda Waugh.

Both Commissioners work closely with the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service, currently Katy Gallagher. APSC employs around 200 staff, with offices in Canberra and Sydney.^[4]

The Commissioner reports annually to Australian Parliament on the state of the APS, including changes in the environment and infrastructure of the APS and emerging issues.

Functions

The vision of the Commission is to lead and shape a unified and high-performing Australian Public Service (APS). The Commission is responsible for providing advice to the Government on the APS; providing advice on strategic people management; supporting the implementation of Government policy; contributing to effective APS leadership and evaluating and reporting on the performance of the APS.^[5]

To this end, the Commission performs the following functions:^[6]

• evaluates the extent to which agencies incorporate and uphold the values of the APS
• evaluates the adequacy of systems and procedures in agencies for ensuring compliance with the APS Code of Conduct
• promotes the APS Values and Code of Conduct
• develops, promotes, reviews and evaluates APS employment policies and practices
• facilitates continuous improvement in people management throughout the APS
• coordinates and supports APS-wide training and career development
• contributes to and fosters leadership in the APS
• provides advice and assistance on public service matters to agencies on request
• provides independent external review of actions by the Merit Protection Commissioner.

The systems and special reviews are undertaken at the direction of the Prime Minister.

See also

• Public Sector Management Program, an accredited standardised formal nationwide management training programme

External links

• Australian Public Service Commission
• APSC Submission to the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit: Inquiry into the effects of the ongoing efficiency dividend on smaller public sector agencies

2008.

Notes and References

1. APS Statistical Bulletin 2015-2016. Australian Public Service Commission. September 2016. 3 January 2017. 8 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180508124206/http://www.apsc.gov.au/about-the-apsc/parliamentary/aps-statistical-bulletin/statisticalbulletin1516/table2total. dead.
2. Web site: Abbott Ministry . . . 18 September 2013 . 22 September 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130926165842/http://www.dpmc.gov.au/parliamentary/docs/ministry_list_20130918.pdf . 26 September 2013 .
3. The State of the Australian Public Service - An alternative report . 13 . Whelan, James . Centre for Policy Development . Occasional Paper . 1835-0135 . August 2011 . 11 November 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120916075204/http://cpd.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CPD_OP12_2011_State_of_APS_Whelan.pdf . 16 September 2012 .
4. https://www.apsc.gov.au/about-us About us | Australian Public Service Commission
5. Web site: Australian Public Service Commission . People: public servants . . 11 November 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131111090820/http://australia.gov.au/people/public-servants/australian-public-service-commission . 11 November 2013 . dmy .
6. Web site: About the Commission . Australian Public Service Commission . . 11 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131106034354/http://www.apsc.gov.au/about-the-apsc/the-commission . 6 November 2013 . dead .