HR professionals across the APS have a key role in promoting integrity and transparency. To support this, the Australian Public Service Commission, Department of Finance, and National Anti-Corruption Commission have jointly released the APS Conflict of Interest Management Framework and supporting resources.
These resources form part of a whole-of-APS approach to strengthening how conflicts of interest are declared, managed and monitored.
At the core of this initiative is the APS Conflict of Interest Management Better Practice Model, published by the Australian Public Service Commission. It offers practical guidance for agencies to tailor conflict of interest policies based on their risk appetite and responsibilities. It outlines 3 maturity tiers of expected practice, including minimum requirements, and provides adaptable policy settings to help agencies embed effective conflict management.
The Department of Finance’s new Resource Management Guide (RMG) supports agencies in preventing, detecting, and responding to breaches of conflict of interest and confidentiality obligations. It introduces a common definition, applies risk-based principles, and includes case studies to illustrate good practice in engagements with the non-government sector. It also offers tailored guidance for managing confidentiality risks.
Most corrupt conduct arises from a conflict between an official’s public duty and their private interest. The National Anti-Corruption Commission’s new guide, Conflicts of interest and corrupt conduct, gives Commonwealth public officials clear, practical advice on how to recognise, disclose, declare, monitor and manage conflicts of interest to prevent them from becoming corruption risks.
Together, these resources provide HR professionals with a strong foundation to support agency-wide integrity, build staff awareness, and maintain public trust.
You can access the full framework and resources via the Australian Public Service Commission, Department of Finance, or National Anti-Corruption Commission websites. Additional guidance and resources to help teams mature their conflict of interest framework can also be found on the APS COO Resource Hub via APSLearn.