Capability Review Program

The Capability Review Program is part of the Government’s enduring plan for APS Reform. Currently in a pilot phase, the program aims to:

• embed a culture of continuous improvement across the APS
• ensure agencies can deliver government priorities and outcomes for Australians.

Capability reviews are independent, forward-looking and assess an agency's ability to meet future objectives and challenges. They aim to facilitate discussions around an organisation’s desired future state, highlight strengths and organisational capability gaps and identify opportunities to act on them.

Capability reviews are an investment in long-term capability. They are conducted in partnership with agencies, complement existing initiatives within agencies, and provide an independent evidence base for further targeted change.

Reviews are conducted in line with a Capability Review Framework that supports a structured approach assessing agencies against comparable standards. This helps share best practice between agencies and identify common themes.

Review findings are set out in a report delivered to the agency head and APS Commissioner. Agencies then develop and implement action plans to raise capability. Agency capability review reports and action plans are published on this web page.

Changes to the Public Service Act 1999 with effect from 11 December 2024 require that all departments of state, Services Australia, the Australian Taxation Office and the Australian Public Service Commission participate in a capability review every five years. Reviews that start after 11 December will be tabled in Parliament.

Reviewers

To ensure transparency, independence and accountability, each review is led by a Senior Review Team including:

• Independent Reviewers – eminent individuals with a strong understanding of the public sector operating environment and an appreciation of how organisations can build capability; and
• Senior APS Reviewers – current APS Band 2 or Band 3 SES officers from agencies other than those being reviewed.

Current reviews

• Department of Veterans' Affairs
  • Senior Review Team: Carmel McGregor PSM (Independent Reviewer); Geoff Leeper PSM (Independent Reviewer); Michael Schwager (Senior APS Reviewer); Bronwyn Field PSM (Senior APS Reviewer)
• Services Australia
  • Senior Review Team: David Thodey AO (Independent Reviewer); Cheryl-anne Moy (Independent Reviewer); Nicola Hinder PSM (Senior APS Reviewer); Ben Kelly (Senior APS Reviewer)

Upcoming reviews

• Australian Taxation Office
• Department of Education

Completed reviews

Current program

2023

• Australian Public Service Commission
• Department of Health and Aged Care
• Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
• Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

2024

• Department of Home Affairs

Previous program

Between 2011 and 2016, the Government conducted a program of periodic external reviews of organisational capability for each department and three major agencies (Australian Taxation Office, Australian Customs and Border Protection Service and Australian Bureau of Statistics).