Australian Public Service Commissioner
Jacqui Curtis PSM, Australian Public Service Commissioner
Jacqui Curtis PSM commenced as Commissioner of the Australian Public Service Commission in June 2026.
Jacqui was previously the Chief Operating Officer at the Australian Taxation Office where she was responsible for leading the Enterprise Strategy and Corporate Operations group, responsible for the ATO’s key corporate strategy and services functions. Prior to her role as Chief Operating Officer, Jacqui was the Deputy Commissioner of ATO People from 2013 through to 2016.
Jacqui’s public service career has spanned nearly 30 years, where she has held senior roles in a series of organisations. These include Medicare, Department of Human Services and the Australian Public Service Commission, which was Jacqui’s first role in the Australian Public Service.
In 2022, Jacqui was awarded the ‘Award for Excellence in Public Service’ Medal as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours in recognition for her outstanding contribution to the public service.
Jacqui holds an Executive master’s in public administration from the Australian National University. She is a Fellow Certified HR Professional, and was Adjunct Professor, at the University of Canberra from 2018 - 2022.
Role of the Australian Public Service Commissioner
The Australian Public Service Commissioner takes a leading role in ensuring that the Australian Public Service has the organisational and workforce capability to meet future needs, working collectively with Secretaries in stewardship of the APS.
The Commissioner has both statutory functions (under the Public Service Act 1999) and policy responsibilities.
The Commissioner's overarching functions, as set out in section 41 of the Public Service Act, are:
- to strengthen the professionalism of the APS and facilitate continuous improvement in workforce management in the APS;
- to uphold high standards of integrity and conduct in the APS;
- to monitor, review and report on APS capabilities within and between Agencies to promote high standards of accountability, effectiveness and performance.
The Commissioner's functions also include promoting the APS Values, Employment Principles, and Code of Conduct.
The Commissioner reports annually to Parliament on the state of the service, including changes in the environment and infrastructure of the APS and emerging issues.
The Commissioner also has a number of inquiry and review functions including:
- inquiries into allegations of misconduct by agency heads, and, in certain circumstances, APS employees and former employees;
- systems reviews into management and structural issues within an agency, or the relationship between agencies;
- special reviews into any matter relating to an agency or the relationship between agencies.
The systems and special reviews are undertaken at the direction of the Prime Minister.
The full list of the Commissioner's functions is set out in the Public Service Act 1999.