Personal conduct in the APS
Employees and leaders in the Australian Public Service are required to comply with the APS Values, Code of Conduct and Employment Principles. In APS workplaces, this includes treating everyone with respect and courtesy, and behaving with honesty and integrity.
The 2025 APS Employee Census reports that perceptions of bullying and harassment for the APS decreased a full percentage point to 9.5% (down from 10.5% in 2024). This is the lowest level recorded since the APS Employee Census began in 2012. More information on perceptions of bullying and harassment in individual agencies is in the APS agency benchmarking section.
In the 2025 APS Agency Survey, APS agencies reported formal investigations into 93 employees for conduct categorised as corrupt in 2024ꟷ25. Of these, 78 employees were found to have breached the APS Code of Conduct. More information on breaches is available in Appendix 2.
The Australian Public Service Commission promotes and upholds high standards of integrity in the APS through a range of programs, services and functions. This includes:
- delivering integrity training courses through the APS Academy
- providing guidance and resources for agencies and APS employees to support public servants to embody and model integrity
- providing matter-specific advice through the Ethics Advisory Service and Employment Policy Advisory Service
- exercising legislative powers to inquire into the conduct of agency heads and former agency heads, and APS employees or former employees where referred
- participating in and/or leading communities of practice to share information and resources and to build integrity capability across the service
- strengthening integrity in recruitment practices by providing rules and guidance on applying the APS Employment Principles and providing an APS Commissioner’s representative on Senior Executive Service selection panels
- providing induction and educational materials to ensure incoming secretaries and agency heads are aware of their personal integrity obligations.
Across the APS, significant initiatives are continuing to strengthen integrity at all levels and build a strong integrity culture. This includes implementing recommendations from Louder Than Words: An APS Integrity Action Plan.
See also in this report
Integrity and conduct in the APS – Supporting an APS integrity culture