Section Five: Future focus areas

[toc]

An intensive first phase of reform initiated service-wide action and built a strong foundation across all 4 reform pillars. The flow-on benefits of the current series of initiatives are already informing the future direction of APS Reform. For instance, the initial set of capability reviews have provided early insights to help direct continuous improvement throughout the service. They indicate that further effort is required to support agencies acting as stewards of their environments as well as ensuring the capability exists to build and maintain connections with key partners within and outside of the service. They also underscore the need to invest in core modern competencies, including in workforce planning and in supporting integrated, accessible and shareable use of data.

The need for reform is stronger than ever. In the wake of the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme, it is clear that more work is required to ensure that the public service has the capability, capacity and confidence to give clear and unfettered advice to government and to do the job that Parliament and the Australian people need and expect it to do. Importantly, there is a need to ensure that all public servants – from APS level employees to agency heads – understand their role in APS Reform, how it will affect them, and how it will assist them in doing their job.

The APS Reform implementation approach will be refined

While a significant portion of the APS Reform implementation architecture has been established since December 2022, further opportunities for improvement remain. Drawing on the original set of underlying implementation principles outlined in page 12, the APS Reform Office and the APSC are working to develop new and refine existing components to further support delivery of APS Reform.

The first focus area involves supporting increased staff engagement and collaboration across the APS. This includes engagement activities to convert staff awareness into action, through increased communications on opportunities to implement reforms in daily operating contexts. Further, it includes supporting models of collaboration between reform teams, and across agencies, so that relevant insights and best practice are shared in a timely manner to guide implementation efforts.

The second focus area for improving implementation is to strengthen agency-level accountabilities for implementation. This could include formal mechanisms, such as mandatory reporting on reform contributions as part of regular corporate documents, or through senior performance agreements. It could include adopting more customisable approaches to how agencies embed reforms, according to their own unique operating contexts and cultures. Empowering agencies to set and manage their own project delivery plans is important to ensure reforms are embedded across the service. This approach would be bolstered by central oversight mechanisms that ensure alignment to program objectives. In doing this, APS Reform will be more relevant, localised and easily accessible for all APS employees.

With the foundations now laid, impact reporting will commence

Securing enduring change to the operation of the APS will be the critical measure of success for the entire reform program. This report has not provided an assessment on progress against the overarching reform outcomes as most initiatives are in the early stages of their development and implementation. For outcomes and impact to be accurately measured, initiatives must be either in their implementation stage or at a point of sufficient maturity to allow for long-term trends to emerge.

Measurement of outcomes will draw on a variety of inputs. These include monitoring of headline indicators of success and metrics, implementation progress reporting by departments and agencies, and formal whole of program reviews and evaluations. Combined with the monitoring and reporting of individual initiative outcomes, these inputs will provide a picture of how the implementation of reforms is having an impact on the broader service.

As the reform agenda progresses into its next phase of embedding and expanding reform efforts, we anticipate the future annual reports of progress will provide an assessment of progress against reform outcomes.

The next series of initiatives will drive further improvements

Over the next 18 months, the APS will build on the strong foundations created in Phase One of APS Reform through a focussed set of initiatives. A second phase of APS Reform will target three priority areas where there is the greatest need for ongoing reform to:

1. Bolstering integrity through legislative amendments and non-legislative initiatives
2. Building an outwardly-engaged APS, and
3. Strengthening capability.

Bolstering integrity through legislative amendments and non-legislative initiatives

Across the service, there is a strong impetus and opportunity to significantly elevate the importance of integrity in all the APS does – both at the systemic and individual levels.

The Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme recommended significant reform to the way public policies are designed and implemented. A joint taskforce led by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Attorney-General’s Department and the Australian Public Service Commission is considering and leading the development of advice to Government on responding to the Commissioner’s recommendations.

In parallel, APS leaders have reflected on the integrity of the APS through the Secretaries Board and appointed an APS Integrity Taskforce. In its interim report, the Integrity Taskforce flagged improvements to integrity are needed across the themes of culture, systems and accountability. The Integrity Taskforce’s final report in September 2023 includes an action plan for Secretaries Board to strengthen pro-integrity systems and culture in the APS.

In response to this, the first priority area in Phase Two of APS Reform will be to bolster the integrity of the APS through initiatives that cover three primary themes:

• Merit-based appointments, performance framework and greater integrity functions for the position of Secretaries, Agency Heads and the APS Commissioner
• Extension of APS Values to PGPA entities to promote greater alignment across the APS and improve public trust, and
• Building greater accountability and transparency.

Building an outwardly-engaged APS

For the Government to ensure that its policy, programs and services are designed around the people they are meant to serve, meaningful engagement with non-government sectors and the public is essential.

It is important to build an outwardly-engaged people-focussed public service, with the skills and strengths to successfully engage across government, communities, academia and business. This will allow the public service to draw on ideas, expertise and resources to develop more effective policy. Quality engagement seeks to shape and nurture relationships that are open, respectful and mutually beneficial. This includes developing stronger relationships, genuine collaboration, co-design and joint decision-making.

The second priority area in Phase Two of APS Reform will build an outwardly-engaged APS by focussing on two core initiatives:

• Implementation of guidance to underpin quality engagement and service design
• Building quality external engagement.

Strengthening capability

The Government is committed to further building capability across the APS, by continuing to focus on workforce requirements and capability needs as they emerge and evolve.

Labour force insight data indicates the top two emerging critical skills areas for the APS are cyber and digital capability, and the emerging green economy.[1] These skill sets are prioritised in Phase Two of APS Reform, to ensure the APS is focused on building capability in areas of critical need; acknowledging the market is not developing capability fast enough to meet emerging needs.

The third priority area in Phase Two of APS Reform will strengthen capability where focussed whole of service consideration is required through initiatives that cover three primary themes:

• Strategic consideration of critical specialist capability such as ICT and green economy skills, to further reduce the reliance on contractors and consultants, and support delivery of government priorities
• Emerging areas of development priority considered through initiatives, such as the development of leadership at all levels and a second round of the Capability Reinvestment Fund, and
• Initiatives that promote the APS as a model employer through recruitment, retention and mobility of talent.

APS Reform remains a service and community-led agenda

The APS Reform agenda can only be at its most impactful if it benefits from insights across government and the community. As always, we welcome public contributions to parts of the reform agenda under active development.

Further information on how to have your say or to simply keep up to date on APS Reform engagement can be found at: Have your say | APS Reform.