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Working Internationally
The Australian Public Service Commission plays an active role in the international arena. It shares its experience with public sector reform and its expertise in good governance to assist in improving the quality and performance of public sector agencies in countries within the Asia-Pacific region.
Our responsibilities include developing and delivering programmes in the Asia-Pacific region to meet the Australian Government’s priority of supporting countries to establish professional, impartial public sector agencies. Specifically the programmes promote and support public sector reform in Papua New Guinea, the Pacific and in Indonesia. They have been developed in collaboration with the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), are dependent on AusAID funding and are consistent with AusAID country specific strategies. These programmes also form part of a whole-of-government exercise to strengthen relationships and build capacity within the Asia-Pacific region.
We also participate in international organisations, meet with overseas delegations and participate in relevant conferences that promote public sector reform.
The Pacific
The Commission has delivered support programmes in the Pacific region since August 2004, with a focus on strengthening governance and building capacity for public sector reform.
The Commission's objective is to contribute to public sector administration in the region through extending the capability of Pacific public sector officials at senior executive and middle management levels to lead and implement public sector reforms, particularly in the area of human resource management. The programmes further aim to build regional co-operation and collaboration for finding solutions to common challenges through networks linking Public Service Commissions in the Pacific with each other as well as with Australian and New Zealand jurisdictions.
The Commission's ongoing activities in the region include:
- facilitating and supporting the Pacific human resource managers network
- supporting the annual Pacific Regional Public Service Commissioners’ Conference and regional Secretariat
- organising short-term work attachments for up to 30 officials in Commonwealth, State and Territory agencies or between Pacific island countries
- co-ordinating two-month work placements for selected Pacific officials from the Australian and New Zealand School of Government Pacific Executive Programme (PACE)
For more information about the Commission’s role in the Pacific please contact the Programme Manager on (02) 6202 3826.
Indonesia
Our goal is to facilitate the strengthening of governance and public sector reform in Indonesia. To this end the Commission has undertaken to provide assistance in public sector reform and capacity building to the Indonesian public service under the Australia Indonesia Partnership for Reconstruction and Development funded by AusAID. There is strong support for this work in Indonesia.
The Commission's multi-year public sector reform and capacity building programme in Indonesia aims to:
- strengthen and maintain Australian-Indonesia institutional linkages through close collaboration between the Australian Public Service Commission and the Indonesian State Ministry for Administrative Reform, the National Civil Service Agency, the National Institute of Public Administration and the National Development Planning Agency Republic of Indonesia;
- make substantive contributions toward developing Indonesian civil service leadership skills, systems, and work culture; and
- make significant contributions toward a more productive and effective civil service capable of efficient and effective service delivery to the citizens of Indonesia.
The Commission currently has two senior officers based in Jakarta to coordinate its programme in Indonesia.
For more information about the Commission’s role in Indonesia please contact the Programme Manager on (02) 6202 3812 .
Papua New Guinea
The Australian Government has renewed its commitment to the Pacific through it’s Partnerships for Development. PNG was the first Partnership signed in August 2008, with public sector capacity building being one of the key priorities.
In collaboration with the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) the Commission is currently developing a five year engagement plan that involves working in partnership with the PNG Public Sector Workforce Development Program to build the capacity of the PNG Public Service. The proposed partnership will focus on relationship building, transfer of skills and knowledge and long-term professional institutional linkages, through assisting with the design and delivery of targeted training, workshops and events.
For more information about the Commission’s role in Papua New Guinea please contact the Programme Manager on (02) 6202 3808.
Other International activities
We are often asked to share our experience of public sector reform with delegations of international visitors. Where resources permit the Commission welcomes the opportunity to strengthen reform initiatives primarily within the Asia-Pacific region by meeting with such delegations to discuss issues of mutual interest.
The Commission is also a member of several key international public sector management organisations.
For more information about our role in advancing public sector reform through meeting international delegations and membership of international organisations please contact the Programme Manager on (02) 6202 3829.