The APS Purpose Statement is well underway. Forty APS staff gathered to design the first APS purpose statement.
We’ve received valuable input from hundreds of people who have shared their thoughts on what the purpose statement means to them.
Now, forty APS employees from across the APS have come together to form a Deliberative Committee (“the committee”) that is designing the first ever APS purpose statement. They are gathering input and insights from the public, APS staff, and other groups to develop a range of options for the purpose statement.
Last week, the committee gathered at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet for a panel session on the purpose statement. It began with a welcoming ceremony which included a smoking and cleansing ceremony and a Welcome to Country from local Ngunnawal Elder Serena Williams.
Grace is a member of the committee from the National Disability Insurance Agency. Grace is blind and says she is excited about creating a purpose statement that represents views from diverse people with different experiences.
‘I want to show people in the disability community who want to work in the APS that their experiences and lives will be valued,’ she said.
The event included a panel discussion that explored Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives on the role and purpose of the APS, an important part of crafting a new APS Purpose Statement.
Chris, a committee member from Services Australia, explained that he is thrilled to be part of something big and help make the APS a better place.
‘I will bring my culture and integrate this into the creation of the new APS purpose statement,’ he said.
The committee continued their listening and learning work in early June, hearing from a range of experts and interest groups across two full days of workshops.
The committee now has eight preliminary purpose statement options which contain concepts they’d like to test with the public and APS Staff.
These will be open shortly for you to rank in order of your most to least favourite as well as share information about how you’ve responded. This will support the committee to continue to improve and refine purpose statement options based on your feedback.
In July, after the committee has reviewed and considered your responses, they’ll finalise their options and we’ll commence the vote to select the new purpose statement.
All staff and the public are able to vote on their preferred option, with the winning purpose statement slated to be announced in October.
Join this important conversation today. Thank you for helping shape the future of the APS.