On 1 November 2023, the Government announced its commitment to continue to strengthen the public service through a second phase of targeted APS Reform initiatives.
Minister Gallagher identified 3 priority areas for ongoing reform:
- bolster integrity
- build an outwardly-engaged APS
- continue to strengthen capability.
These priority areas take further steps to create an APS that is unwavering in its integrity and capability, focuses on communities and supports staff to build skills and experience for the future.
The 3 priorities are supported by 15 initiatives.
Priority one
Bolster integrity through legislative amendments and non-legislative initiatives
- Merit-based appointments and performance framework for secretaries of Commonwealth Government departments, agency heads and the APS Commissioner.
- Introduce own motion powers and expanded inquiry powers for the APS Commissioner to initiate reviews and investigate alleged Code of Conduct breaches by current and former APS employees and Agency Heads.
- Extend the APS Values to other Government entities, statutory and non-statutory offices covered by the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability (2013) Act.
- Develop an APS Integrity Data Dashboard that maps pressures and assesses integrity maturity levels by building on existing indicators and metrics.
- Modernise the review of workplace decisions provision in the Public Service Regulations 2023, to strengthen regulation of agency compliance with the merit principle for promotion reviews.
- Strengthen transparency of agency customer feedback.
- Implement a balanced approach to managing post-employment conflicts of interest for Agency Heads, SES and designated APS positions.
- Deepen integrity capability through continuous professional development for SES staff.
Priority two
Build an outwardly-engaged APS
- Implement guidance to underpin quality engagement and service excellence and published the Charter of Partnerships and Engagement guidance.
- Build quality external engagement through developing an approach to better integrate business perspectives and a market stewardship approach into the working of government, and strengthening partnerships with the Australian research system.
Priority three
Strengthen capability
- Attract and retain talent through innovative hiring practices.
- Strengthen leadership at all levels and at scale, commencing with an EL2 continuous professional development framework.
- Enable mobility across the service.
- Develop and implement an APS Digital Workforce Plan.
- Released second round of the Capability Reinvestment Fund.