The APS Reform program is building a stronger APS that supports government to deliver better outcomes for the community and acts as a model employer. This is a journey that requires the APS and the government to work together to strengthen the culture of frank and professional advice, integrity and stewardship.
The scope and scale of the APS Reform program is significant. This is a multi-year transformation effort that requires long-term, sustainable changes to improve how the APS delivers for all Australians. Many of these changes—be they systemic changes, cultural changes, legislative changes, or changes to policy development and service delivery—will be underway long before Australians can perceive tangible changes to the service offering of the APS.
The initial phase of the APS Reform agenda set the foundations for transformation of the public sector, and cultivated a culture of continual improvement in how the APS designs and delivers for, and with, Australians. While the ambitious reform agenda is in its relative infancy, it is clear that the APS is already transforming: more departments and agencies are advocating for innovation, collaborating more often, and fostering stewardship across their diverse and far-reaching workforces.
As the current iteration of reform moves into the embedding phase, reform will transition to business as usual, but change will remain constant and enduring. In this next phase, it is essential that the APS maintains the momentum to ensure that the changes initiated transition into enduring outcomes achieved. To be future-ready, the APS must continue to act as an enabler and facilitator of best-practice public service, drawing on global research, embedding participatory practices, change management methodology, progressive policy design and human-centred service delivery.
Key government commitments, such as the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and supporting a sovereign and resilient Indo‑Pacific, among others, will require the APS to increasingly engage, collaborate and partner with external stakeholders to deliver on government objectives.
Public servants at all levels will need to work proactively with stakeholders to generate shared value, solve problems together, and develop policies and programs that reflect the aspirations of those affected by them. Public service leaders will need to model effective engagement behaviours, champion partnership, and engage appropriately with risk.
Delivering on these cross-cutting commitments also requires a more diverse and culturally capable APS that reflects the society and community it serves, including through representation at senior levels. The Public Service Act 1999 requires the APS Commissioner to foster an APS workforce that reflects the diversity of the Australian population. Australia has one of the largest overseas-born populations in the world and one of the highest relative levels of net migration. All Australians share the benefits and responsibilities arising from the cultural and linguistic diversity of our society. Improving the cultural and linguistic diversity of the APS workforce will drive increased levels of cultural competency, innovation and creativity. Bringing diverse perspectives and the potential for improved relationships with communities and stakeholders will strengthen government policies and services, including to strengthen social cohesion.
The diversity and cultural capability of the public service workforce is also a critical factor in Australia’s progress to Close the Gap, and achieve equality for First Nations people. Despite some pockets of good practice across the APS, slow progress to achieve equality for First Nations people indicates that governments have not yet fully grasped the scale of change required to their systems, operations and ways of working. The APSC’s first ever appointment of a First Nations Systems Lead has fundamentally changed the governance architecture for reforming the way the APS works with First Nations people, and is improving how the APS attracts and retains First Nations staff. Establishing the Collaboration Circle pilot, bringing together Chief Operating Officers and First Nations staff from across the service, as a permanent sub‑committee of the COO Committee embeds the voices of First Nations APS staff in the structure and systems of the APS in an enduring way. Building the cultural capability of the APS, and enhancing APS capability to effectively and genuinely engage with First Nations people, will continue to be essential in giving effect to the government’s commitment to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
The APS can support Australians through major transformations such as the transition to a net zero economy. Action to reduce carbon emissions will help to prevent the worst impacts of climate change, but can also create a boom in new jobs and new industries. Transitioning to a net zero economy requires an APS that has the capability to effectively engage with industry and communities, to coordinate effort, to broker investments that create jobs in regional Australia, and to support workers across the country through this transition.
The APS’s understanding of, and networks in, the Indo-Pacific is critical to our ability to deliver on the government’s domestic policy priorities, in addition to the international priorities that are more traditionally associated with cross-cultural capability. International experiences have long shaped and pushed the thinking on Australian domestic policies—from the impact of formal international standards to the information sharing of ideas and best practice for policy successes and challenges. Improving the APS’s capability in our local region directly correlates with improved policy, delivery and regulatory advice that integrates both domestic and international security and broad economic considerations.
At the heart of Australia’s democracy is an APS that embodies integrity in everything it does. Integrity is a core part of being a public servant. It is how we help build and maintain public trust in government. The internet has fundamentally changed the way information is produced and distributed, including through the increasing influence of social media platforms. Enduring initiatives to strengthen public service integrity will continue to be a critical safeguard against countering mistrust and misinformation, and to preserve Australia’s confidence in the public service and Australia’s democratic process.
Over the past year, APS Reform has progressed from early foundational work to a phase of reinforcement and consolidation. As the Reform program moves towards a horizon of continuous improvement it is critical that this momentum is maintained. The world is rapidly changing, and the APS is doing more than ever as its roles and responsibilities expand to keep pace with the rising needs and expectations of Australians. Continued reform progress and momentum is essential to ensure that the APS is well-placed to better support people and deliver results on the ground, now and into the future.