Welcome to the Ethics Advisory Service
The Ethics Advisory Service is available to all Australian Public Service (APS) employees who want advice on ethical issues in the workplace and on how to make sound decisions around these issues.
We provide guidance on how to apply the APS Values and Code of Conduct and strategies and techniques for ethical decision-making in the APS.
Introducing the Ethics Advisory Service
The Ethics Advisory Service assists all APS employees by providing advice on public sector ethical issues.
Our client service charter sets out the services we will provide, the standard of those services and what clients can expect from the Service.
Caretaker conventions
On Saturday morning the Prime Minister announced her intention to hold an election on August 21 and the Governor-General dissolved the House of Representatives on the evening of Monday 19 July.
The current Gillard Government now assumes a ‘caretaker’ role and a number of important constraints or conventions come into operation.
Guidance material relating to the roles and responsibilities of public servants during caretaker periods is available:
- Guidance on Caretaker Conventions, available on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet website
- APS Values and Code of Conduct in Practice - A Guide to Official Conduct for APS employees and Agency Heads, section 4 ‘Personal Behaviour’, includes guidance on issues such as:
- participating in political activities
- political campaigning and fund raising
- standing for Parliament
- Charter of Budget Honesty outlines arrangements under which the Secretaries to the Treasury and of the Department of Finance and Administration may be requested to cost Government and Opposition election commitments
- Guidelines for Ministerial and Departmental Websites It is important that departments consider carefully the content of their websites and those they maintain on behalf of their ministers.
- Agreement making protocols
Contact us
02 6202 3737
The Ethics Advisory Service provides an avenue to seek guidance on how to apply the APS Values and Code of Conduct and strategies and techniques for ethical decision-making in the APS.
Information on the services we provide is available from Introducing the Ethics Advisory Service
If you would like us to contact you please call or email us with your contact details.
Enquiries: Monday – Friday from 8.30 am to 5.00 pm AEST
Email: ethics@apsc.gov.au
