Welcome to Foundations of Governance in the Australian Public Service

Foundations of Governance has been created to assist agency heads in the Australian Public Service. It includes links to relevant policies, legislation and agency websites. The emphasis is primarily on the legislative and related Government policy obligations of agency heads that apply in the context of agency head responsibility for managing the agency.

From 1 January 2005 all new primary and subordinate legislation that is made will be published on ComLaw, not to SCALEplus. However, SCALEplus will continue to be available to users until all relevant material, including historical material, is migrated to ComLaw. Until this process is complete, you may need to visit SCALEplus in order to access the contents of: all historical databases; Statutory Rules that are not in force; and the legislation of the non-self-governing Territories.

August 2008 changes
Foundations is updated approximately twice a year. The latest update was August 2008.

The following pages have been amended to reflect recent administrative and legal changes:

• Agency head employment related obligations...
• Authorisation and delegation
• Copyright Act
• The Constitution
• Agency head responsibilities in relation to the Workplace Relations Act
• Copyright Act 1968
• Legislative framework
• Freedom of Information Act
• Other agency head employment-related responsibilities
• Preparing legislation and legislative instruments
• Privacy Act
• Rule of law
• Security