Welcome
The Australian Public Service Commission promotes good practice in managing people, supports leadership and learning and development in the Australian Public Service (APS), fosters ethical behaviour and workplaces that value diversity.
We also have an important evaluation role in working with agencies to ensure that the APS is performing effectively and consistently with the APS Values.
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. More information on these conventions can be found on our Caretaker conventions page
Implementing Machinery of Government Changes: A good practice guide
This second edition includes protocols for resolving resource transfer issues, a timeframe for key events, and additional information and case studies about setting up a new APS agency. It also updates parts dealing with financial management, industrial instruments and records management.
New arrangements for making applications for review by the Merit Protection Commissioner
From Monday 30 August 2010, the Merit Protection Commissioner’s review work will transfer to the Sydney office of the Commission. This affects applications for review of employment actions, in particular reviews of Code of Conduct decisions and reviews of general employment actions.
These changes do not affect applications for promotion reviews.
For more information go to our merit pageEvaluation of APS recruitment advertising - Find out what sources of advertising work.
The Australian Public Service Commission, in consultation with the Department of Finance and Deregulation, is conducting an evaluation of recruitment advertising. To date, two surveys have been undertaken for the evaluation. Reports for both Survey 1 and Survey 2 are now available at http://www.apsc.gov.au/advertisingsurvey/
Survey 3 will collect data on APS recruitment advertisements published by all FMA Act agencies from 16 to 25 September 2010. The closing date for Survey 3 responses is 3 December 2010. The online survey is available at: http://www.apsc.gov.au/stateoftheservice/0809/JobsEval.
If you would like further information on the evaluation or Survey 3 please email Evaluation.RecAd@apsc.gov.au or contact Gail Baker on (02) 6202 3865.Machinery of Government: Australian Government Bargaining Framework
From 1 July 2010 responsibility for Australian Government policies for public sector agreement-making, classification structures, APS pay and employment conditions, work level standards and workplace relations advice, has been transferred from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) to the Commission.
Information on the framework is available at: www.workplace.gov.au/workplace/Organisation/Government/Federal/AgreementMaking/
Secretaries Board and the APS 200
Central to APS reform is the establishment of two leadership groups:
- a Secretaries Board, accountable for achieving excellence across the APS; and
- the APS 200, a senior leadership forum to support the Secretaries Board.
The Secretaries Board is a new leadership forum that has replaced the Management Advisory Committee and the Portfolio Secretaries meeting as the preeminent forum for discussion of issues affecting the Australian Public Service.
Members of the APS200 have a standing role as a leader in the APS – this role is not restricted to within their one agency. In addition to their role as leaders in their organisations and more widely across the APS, APS200 members will also support the Secretaries Board by undertaking strategic projects and initiatives as cross-portfolio teams.
Ethics Advisory Service
The Ethics Advisory Service is available to all APS employees who want advice on ethical issues in the workplace and on how to make sound decisions around these issues. An enquiries line has been established to help employees who wish to discuss and seek advice on ethical issues that occur in the workplace and on how to make sound decisions around these issues.
Enquiries: Monday – Friday from 8.30 am to 5.00 pm AEST
Phone: 02 6202 3737
Email: ethics@apsc.gov.au
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The Gershon Review
The Commission has the lead responsibility for implementing two recommendations of the review.
The 2010–11 Commonwealth Budget
For information on the Commonwealth Budget go to the Budget website at www.budget.gov.au
APS Career Transition and Support Centre
The Government has established a Career Transition and Support Centre to assist with the redeployment of excess and potentially excess staff and to provide advice to agencies on redeployment and recruitment matters. Further information is available at the Career transition centre page.
About our Minister
Ministerial content including speeches and media releases is available here (external website).
