Performance measure 1

Promote the APS Values, APS Employment Principles and the Code of Conduct through identified promotion activities.

Targets and measurement

Rationale

The Commission supports the APS to be aware of and understand its obligations, to achieve better outcomes across the whole of the service. The Commission upholds the Public Service Act 1999 through an integrated program of engagement, education and communication that promotes the APS Values of commitment to service, ethics, respect, accountability, impartiality and stewardship, as well as APS Employment Principles such as fairness, merit, effective performance, safety and diversity. This performance measure provides a measure of the Commission’s performance against key activity 1.

Type of measure

Output and effectiveness

Methodology

At the commencement of each reporting period promotional activities will be selected and documented in performance audit trails for the forward reporting year. We will define the promotional activity, delivery target, data sources and the promotional activity owner.

Promotional activities may:

• include engagement, education and communication activities that promote one or more of the APS Values, APS Employment Principles and the Code of Conduct
• be activities covering one or more reporting periods
• be undertaken by the Commission or in conjunction with other entities
• include a mix of specific campaigns and responsive promotional activities.

To achieve this measure, all promotional activities must be delivered. Where the promotional activity has benchmark metrics, they must be met for the activity to be ‘delivered’. Benchmark metrics provide us with information about the access to and quality of our promotion activities, reach and engagement, content effectiveness, user experience and business impact.

Case studies will be used to provide narrative to support reported results for promotional activities. Promotional activities that will be supported with a case study will be identified at the commencement of the reporting period.

Identified promotional activities for 2025–26:

• Promotion of the APS Values Code of Conduct and Employment Principles (case study)
• Strengthening Integrity in the APS: Horizon 1 - Capability and promotion of:
  • APSC.gov.au website update
  • APSC Flagship Product Suite
  • Integrity Communications Strategy
• Integrity Communications and Engagement Strategy 2025–26, with areas of focus being:
  • Conflicts of Interest (case study)
  • Gifts and Benefits
  • Record keeping
  • Integrity in recruitment

Data sources

Integrity Communications and Engagement Strategy 2025–26 and referenced benchmark data sources, Australian Public Service Commission website update project tracking documents, flagship product records and executive decision papers, internal communications strategies and individual campaign strategies. Benchmark data will vary depending on the promotional activity. It is provided through a range of platform including Google Analytics, Vision6, Sprinklr and Streem, and accessed and analysed by the Engagement and Communication branch. An APS-wide benchmark survey will be undertaken using a statistically valid sample and modern research techniques.

Caveats and disclosures

Nil.

Owner

Engagement and Communications branch.

Changes from previous year

New measure in 2025–26. This measure replaces the 2024–25 Corporate Plan performance measure 1.2.1 and corresponding 2025–26 PBS performance measure.

Provide integrity and employment policy advice and assistance

Targets and measurement

For the purpose of determining the overall results for this performance measure each target is equally weighted.

Rationale

The Commission’s statutory functions include a requirement to provide advice and assistance to agencies on public service matters and to promote the APS Values, Employment Principles and Code of Conduct. In support of this, and the Commissioner’s overarching function to uphold high standards of integrity and conduct in the APS, the Public Service Directions (s64) require APS agencies to consult with the Commissioner on Code of Conduct matters involving SES employees.

The Commission’s advice lines, combined with Code of Conduct consultation processes managed by our Integrity Investigations and Conduct team, support these functions. Providing advice that is timely and according to stated processes assists in ensuring agencies and APS employees have trust and confidence in the advice and assistance the Commission provides.

Type of measure

Proxy for effectiveness.

Methodology

1.2.1 & 1.2.2 – To determine the performance results, databases for each advice line will be used to determine the percentage of the total queries received for the reporting period that were responded to within the timeframes as outlined in the applicable service charter. 

The assessment scale for target 1.2.1 and 1.2.2 is:

• Achieved – >80% enquiries were responded to in accordance with the timeframes of the relevant service charter.
• Substantially achieved – 75% to 79% enquiries were responded to in accordance with the timeframes of the relevant service charter.
• Partially achieved – 70% to 74% enquiries were responded to in accordance with the timeframes of the relevant service charter.
• Not achieved – <70% enquiries were responded to in accordance with the timeframes of the relevant service charter.

1.2.3 – To determine the performance results, the database for the advice line will be used to determine the percentage of queries received for the reporting period that were within the timeframes set out for this target.

The assessment scale for this target is:

• Achieved –>80% enquiries were responded to in accordance with the target timeframe.
• Substantially achieved – 75% to 79% enquiries were responded to in accordance with the target timeframe.
• Partially achieved – 70% to 74% enquiries were responded to in accordance with the target timeframe.

• Not achieved – <70% enquiries were responded to in accordance with the target timeframe.

Data sources

Advisory lines have standard operating procedures that outline the requirements for recording the data in databases. These procedures are available to all members of each team and are used to support training of new team members. The procedures include data verification processes, including periodic random sampling to verify the accuracy of data and ensure exclusion bias and operational bias are minimised or eliminated.

1.2.1 & 1.2.2 – Ethics Advisory Service database and Employment Policy database advisory line data.

1.2.3 – SES Code Consultations database spreadsheets that capture advisory line data.

Caveats and disclosures

This measure could be impacted by instances of security breaches or system outages. Risks are managed by the Commission and relevant information security protocols are followed.

Owner

Integrity, Performance & Employment Policy Branch and General Counsel Branch.

Changes from previous year

This performance measure is similar to the 2024–25 Corporate Plan performance measure 1.2.2 and corresponding 2025–26 PBS performance measure. We have established a separate performance sub-measure focused on our integrity and employment policy advice and assistance. Each sub-measure reflects our core streams of integrity and employment advice services providing a better reflection of the Commission’s role in upholding high standards of integrity and conduct in the APS. Performance sub-measure 1.2.3 is a new measure and reflects guidance we provide in SES Code of Conduct matters.