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Executive summary
This Progress Report outlines the APS’s approach to undertaking multi-year transformation of the APS through the Government’s APS Reform agenda. It provides an update for the Minister of Public Sector Reform, the Parliament, the public, APS staff and interested parties on progress to date. As the first Progress Report, the document provides an overview of the agenda and the implementation approach to embed enduring change. It outlines the current status and impact of reform activities, key risks to be managed, and how work to date positions further reform.
In October 2022, the Australian Government announced its APS Reform agenda to deliver enduring change to strengthen the APS for the benefit of all Australians. In addition to the 2019 Independent Review of the APS, led by Mr David Thodey AO, APS Reform draws on a broad set of source materials and past reform activities to guide a contemporary approach to reform.
The agenda is built on four priority pillars, underpinned by eight clear and practical outcomes to measure progress and impact over time. The scope and scale of change is ambitious; the agenda aims to reach every aspect of the 170,000 strong APS workforce, spread across 189 Commonwealth public sector entities. Transformation is necessarily a long-term and iterative process. The scale and breadth of impact of the Government’s APS Reform agenda will therefore continue to grow over time.
Overseen and led by Secretaries Board, the first phase of the Government’s reform program comprises 44 initiatives designed to help deliver eight reform outcomes. Responsibility for developing and implementing these initiatives is held by 12 departments and agencies, and there is an expectation that all parts of the APS will embed positive changes as time goes on.
The APS has developed a fit-for-purpose approach to implementation. This promotes an incremental, adaptive and continuous approach to reform and which builds on the activities of past and ongoing efforts to transform the APS. Delivery is structured over three phases, and activities are sequenced to ensure key foundations are put in place to enable the scaling and embedding of reforms across the APS. This will ensure the APS remains capable of responding to the ever-shifting requirements of Government and the community. It balances strategic and pragmatic imperatives, and supports careful management of delivery risks.
Progress and impact to date is promising and the APS has taken good steps to address critical challenges, as well as set the foundations for further reform efforts. While every initiative has a clear set of milestones and outcomes driving its activity, there are also ancillary benefits through implementing the program as a whole.
Overarching risk themes have emerged in the first year of reform. Maintaining a methodical approach to mitigating risk places the APS in a strong position to further target its focus on areas of greatest need for improvement.
Progress Report sections
The first two sections provide an overarching understanding of the agenda and its impact on the public service and the Australian public. The next three sections comprise a detailed account of how the agenda has been built, supported and used to drive whole-of-service improvement.
- Section One: Overview of APS Reform discusses the origin of the Government’s APS Reform agenda and its overall composition, including the commitment and investment Government has made to date. It outlines the implementation approach to support the agenda, such as the program logic of initiatives that feed into reform outcomes, which in turn ensure progress against each reform pillar. The sequencing of work across three phases is discussed, which will ensure the agenda remains flexible to the dynamic and evolving context of Government.
- Section Two: Progress of APS Reform initiatives discusses the implementation and impact of the first year of APS Reform, contextualised according to the overarching objectives for this first phase. Of the 44 Phase One initiatives, 10 are complete, 15 are in the delivery stage, 11 in the planning stage, and 8 in the design stage. Progress has been made against every reform outcome.
- Section Three: Implementation architecture discusses the key components in governance and decision-making, program delivery, reporting and engagement. This work reflects a step change in the way the APS formally co-ordinates and interacts to drive APS-wide change.
- Section Four: Program risks discusses the overarching risks that have emerged in the first year of reform, which may affect the ability of initiatives to deliver intended outcomes.
- Section Five: Future focus areas discusses the importance of securing the foundational outcomes and impacts of the first phase of reform and the need to remain vigilant in refining the approach to implementation. It provides a preview of the upcoming areas of focus for reform activity, including: bolstering integrity, building an outwardly-engaged APS, and continuing to build and strengthen capability.