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The Hon Kevin Andrews MP

Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service

United Nations to award Australian Public Service as world leader

May 4, 2004 KA1024/2004

MEDIA RELEASE

The Australian Public Service will be awarded by the United Nations as a world leader in public sector reform.

Minister Andrews said the award reflects very positively on the major reform strategy Australia has pursued over a considerable period, most notably in the recent period of intensive public sector reform under the Howard Government culminating in the passage of the Public Service Act 1999.

"All members of the Australian Public Service have a share in this award and the Australian Government congratulates the whole APS for the contribution it has made in helping to significantly improve the service the Australian community deserves.

"Reforms in recent years have provided the flexibility and agility needed for a more responsive public service with a stronger ethos of accountability and professionalism.

"These reforms will make it easier to tackle the challenges that lay ahead of Australia in these uncertain times."

"In particular, the Australian Public Service Commission has helped by its continuing role to help build both the APS's capability and the integrity to serve the Australian people's elected representatives and its interest in general."

In notifying the awards UN representative, Guido Bertucci, said that the outstanding achievement demonstrated excellence in serving the public interest and the improvement of public administration in Australia.

The APS will be only the second winner of the United Nation's annual Public Service Awards for the Asia Pacific region.

At a ceremony at the United Nations in New York on 23 June 2004, the award will be accepted by the APS through the Australian Public Service Commission.