Bullying and harassment
The Australian Public Service Employee Census measures employee perceptions of bullying and harassment. Responses to the question ‘During the last 12 months, have you been subjected to bullying or harassment in your current workplace?’ are summarised here.
For the purposes of the APS Employee Census, these definitions were used:
- Bullying: A worker is bullied at work if, while at work, an individual or group of individuals repeatedly behaves unreasonably towards the worker, or group of workers of which the worker is a member, and that behaviour creates a risk to health and safety. To avoid doubt, this does not apply to reasonable management action carried out in a reasonable way.
- Harassment: Workplace harassment entails offensive, belittling or threatening behaviour directed at an individual or group. The behaviour is unwelcome, unsolicited, usually unreciprocated and usually, but not always, repeated. Reasonable management action carried out in a reasonable way is not workplace harassment.
Figures AB 34 to AB 39 and tables AB 34 to AB 39 present Census results, by agency size, for APS respondents.
This data represents the percentage of respondents who perceived bullying or harassment in their current workplace.
Figure AB 34: Perceptions of bullying and harassment, by agency size
Source: APS Employee Census
Table AB 34: Perceptions of bullying and harassment, by agency size
| Agency | % of respondents who perceived bullying or harassment in their current workplace | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2025 | |
| Overall APS | 10.5 | 9.5 |
| Extra-large (10,000+ employees) | 11.1 | 10.0 |
| Large (1,001 to 10,000 employees) | 9.9 | 8.7 |
| Medium (251 to 1,000 employees) | 10.3 | 9.4 |
| Small (101 to 250 employees) | 9.9 | 10.3 |
| Extra-small (20 to 100 employees) | 10.1 | 9.1 |
Source: APS Employee Census
Figure AB 35: Perceptions of bullying and harassment, for extra-large agencies (10,000+ employees)
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The National Disability Insurance Agency was a large agency in 2024.
Table AB 35: Perceptions of bullying and harassment, for extra-large agencies (10,000+ employees)
| Agency | % of respondents who perceived bullying or harassment in their current workplace | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2025 | |
| Extra-large agencies | 11.1 | 10.0 |
| Australian Taxation Office | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| Services Australia | 11.0 | 9.7 |
| National Disability Insurance Agency | 10.6 | 10.1 |
| Defence | 11.4 | 11.3 |
| Home Affairs | 15.0 | 12.7 |
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The National Disability Insurance Agency was a large agency in 2024.
Figure AB 36: Perceptions of bullying and harassment, for large agencies (1,001 to 10,000 employees)
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: Health and Aged Care is now Health, Disability and Ageing. Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts is now Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission was a medium agency in 2024.
Table AB 36: Perceptions of bullying and harassment, for large agencies (1,001 to 10,000 employees)
| Agency | % of respondents who perceived bullying or harassment in their current workplace | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2025 | |
| Large agencies | 9.9 | 8.7 |
| Australian Bureau of Statistics | 4.8 | 4.4 |
| Australian Competition and Consumer Commission | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Treasury | 8.1 | 5.7 |
| IP Australia | 5.5 | 5.8 |
| Federal Court of Australia | 9.6 | 6.6 |
| Bureau of Meteorology | 7.6 | 6.7 |
| Australian Trade and Investment Commission | 8.6 | 6.8 |
| Attorney-General's | 9.2 | 7.1 |
| Employment and Workplace Relations | 9.2 | 7.9 |
| Education | 10.4 | 8.1 |
| Prime Minister and Cabinet | 8.5 | 8.2 |
| Health and Aged Care | 8.9 | 8.3 |
| Finance | 10.2 | 8.4 |
| Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry | 12.2 | 9.0 |
| Industry, Science and Resources | 10.3 | 9.1 |
| Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts | 10.4 | 9.5 |
| Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water | 9.9 | 9.6 |
| Foreign Affairs and Trade | 12.9 | 10.5 |
| Veterans' Affairs | 12.2 | 11.2 |
| National Indigenous Australians Agency | 15.0 | 12.3 |
| Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission | 15.7 | 12.6 |
| Social Services | 11.5 | 12.6 |
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: Health and Aged Care is now Health, Disability and Ageing. Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts is now Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission was a medium agency in 2024.
Figure AB 37: Perceptions of bullying and harassment, for medium agencies (251 to 1,000 employees)
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The National Health and Medical Research Council, the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia and the National Museum of Australia were small agencies in 2024. The Administrative Review Tribunal was called the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in 2024.
Table AB 37: Perceptions of bullying and harassment, for medium agencies (251 to 1,000 employees)
| Agency | % of respondents who perceived bullying or harassment in their current workplace | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2025 | |
| Medium agencies | 10.3 | 9.4 |
| Future Fund Management Agency | 5.8 | 1.8 |
| Fair Work Ombudsman | 3.9 | 4.6 |
| Fair Work Commission | 5.1 | 5.0 |
| Australian Communications and Media Authority | 7.0 | 5.3 |
| Australian Financial Security Authority | 8.1 | 6.0 |
| National Health and Medical Research Council | 8.2 | 6.4 |
| National Archives of Australia | 9.0 | 6.5 |
| Australian Institute of Health and Welfare | 5.3 | 6.5 |
| Australian National Audit Office | 6.1 | 6.7 |
| Clean Energy Regulator | 7.0 | 6.9 |
| Comcare | 6.6 | 7.7 |
| Australian Public Service Commission | 8.4 | 7.8 |
| Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre | 6.2 | 8.2 |
| Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman | 7.1 | 8.9 |
| Murray-Darling Basin Authority | 6.6 | 8.9 |
| Administrative Review Tribunal | 11.7 | 9.3 |
| Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission | 10.1 | 9.3 |
| Australian Digital Health Agency | 11.0 | 9.3 |
| Australian Submarine Agency | 12.0 | 9.7 |
| Office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions | 9.4 | 9.8 |
| Geoscience Australia | 7.6 | 10.1 |
| National Film and Sound Archive of Australia | 11.8 | 10.3 |
| National Library of Australia | 10.1 | 10.4 |
| Sport Integrity Australia | 10.5 | 10.5 |
| Australian War Memorial | 17.9 | 11.4 |
| Defence Housing Australia | 10.2 | 11.5 |
| Digital Transformation Agency | 10.6 | 11.5 |
| Australian Electoral Commission | 12.2 | 14.3 |
| National Museum of Australia | 12.6 | 15.1 |
| National Emergency Management Agency | 24.2 | 15.3 |
| National Disability Insurance Scheme Quality and Safeguards Commission | 18.9 | 16.3 |
| Aboriginal Hostels Limited | 21.0 | 18.5 |
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The National Health and Medical Research Council, the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia and the National Museum of Australia were small agencies in 2024. The Administrative Review Tribunal was called the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in 2024.
Figure AB 38: Perceptions of bullying and harassment, for small agencies (101 to 250 employees)
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The Net Zero Economy Authority was not an APS agency in 2024.The Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care were extra-small agencies in 2024. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority was a medium agency in 2024.
Table AB 38: Perceptions of bullying and harassment, for small agencies (101 to 250 employees)
| Agency | % of respondents who perceived bullying or harassment in their current workplace | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2025 | |
| Small agencies | 9.9 | 10.3 |
| Food Standards Australia New Zealand | 7.3 | 2.6 |
| Productivity Commission | 10.4 | 4.7 |
| Australian National Maritime Museum | 11.5 | 5.6 |
| Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority | 6.8 | 5.9 |
| Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency | 8.6 | 6.3 |
| Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency | 7.7 | 6.4 |
| Australian Transport Safety Bureau | 5.1 | 6.9 |
| National Anti-Corruption Commission | 10.4 | 7.5 |
| Office of the Australian Information Commissioner | 6.0 | 7.7 |
| Australian Fisheries Management Authority | 7.3 | 7.9 |
| Net Zero Economy Authority | - | 8.9 |
| Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House | 13.5 | 9.0 |
| Australian Human Rights Commission | 10.4 | 9.3 |
| Office of Parliamentary Counsel | 5.4 | 9.3 |
| Australian Research Council | 11.8 | 10.2 |
| Safe Work Australia | 10.0 | 10.2 |
| Australian Skills Quality Authority | 9.3 | 10.9 |
| Torres Strait Regional Authority | 18.5 | 11.3 |
| Australian Institute of Family Studies | 5.2 | 12.1 |
| National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority | 18.2 | 13.9 |
| Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care | 17.9 | 16.1 |
| Royal Australian Mint | 12.1 | 17.4 |
| Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies | 16.3 | 18.7 |
| Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority | 15.8 | 20.0 |
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The Net Zero Economy Authority was not an APS agency in 2024.The Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care were extra-small agencies in 2024. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority was a medium agency in 2024.
Figure AB 39: Perceptions of bullying and harassment, for extra-small agencies (20 to 100 employees)
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The Office of the Special Investigator was a small agency in 2024.The High Speed Rail Authority did not participate in the APS Employee Census in 2024. Screen Australia and the Australian Law Reform Commission did not have reportable results in 2024.
Table AB 39: Perceptions of bullying and harassment, for extra-small agencies (20 to 100 employees)
| Agency | % of respondents who perceived bullying or harassment in their current workplace | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2025 | |
| Extra-small agencies | 10.1 | 9.1 |
| Organ and Tissue Authority | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Office of the Special Investigator | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Parliamentary Workplace Support Service | 4.3 | 1.8 |
| Office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security | 0.0 | 2.3 |
| Commonwealth Grants Commission | 9.1 | 3.2 |
| Climate Change Authority | 2.1 | 4.3 |
| National Portrait Gallery | 10.2 | 5.0 |
| Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority | 7.0 | 5.5 |
| Australian Office of Financial Management | 19.6 | 6.8 |
| Workplace Gender Equality Agency | 14.3 | 7.1 |
| National Blood Authority | 6.7 | 7.5 |
| Inspector-General of Taxation and Taxation Ombudsman | 12.0 | 7.7 |
| Screen Australia | - | 7.7 |
| National Health Funding Body | 10.0 | 9.4 |
| Cancer Australia | 5.2 | 10.1 |
| Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency | 15.4 | 10.5 |
| High Speed Rail Authority | - | 10.5 |
| Office of the Inspector-General of Aged Care | 11.1 | 11.1 |
| National Capital Authority | 11.1 | 15.2 |
| Australian Law Reform Commission | - | 15.4 |
| Professional Services Review | 0.0 | 17.5 |
| Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research | 16.1 | 33.9 |
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The Office of the Special Investigator was a small agency in 2024. The High Speed Rail Authority did not participate in the APS Employee Census in 2024. Screen Australia and the Australian Law Reform Commission did not have reportable results in 2024.