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The APS Values and Code of Conduct provide the statutory underpinning for the high behavioural standards properly expected of all APS employees. The Value requiring the APS to have the highest ethical standards goes beyond what might be expected elsewhere in the community; it reflects the fact that APS employees are paid by taxpayers and can exercise authority delegated by Parliament.

This chapter details the extent to which APS employees understand the levels of behaviour expected of them, what agencies are doing to promote this and, where necessary, what agencies are doing to manage those instances where APS employees do not meet the high behavioural standards expected of them.

The chapter describes the way in which suspected breaches of the Code of Conduct have been dealt with by agencies during 2003—04, and notes some changes since last year’s State of the Service report. The statistical information contained within this chapter, unless otherwise stated, has been drawn from the 2004 agency survey or the corresponding survey of APS employees.

In last year’s report it was noted that the survey data indicated that there were significant differences between agencies in the way in which they managed Code of Conduct matters. It was stated at the time that these outcomes may reflect, at least in part, the importance of particular APS Values and elements of the Code of Conduct to the work of particular agencies. It was also noted that a rigorous and systematic approach is important to ensuring APS employees take seriously the Values and Code of Conduct, and that agencies need to ensure a reasonable degree of internal consistency if their approach is to gain the respect of employees.

In that context it was foreshadowed that the APS Commission would conduct an evaluation of management of suspected breaches of the Code of Conduct in 2003—04 with a view to developing good practice advice for agencies. This chapter also sets out, at key points, the findings of that evaluation. A detailed summary of the evaluation is set out at the end of the chapter.