Recommendation: 2

Recommendation: 2a

Undertake regular capability reviews to build organisational capacity and accountability

Overall status: Complete

Thodey guidance	Status	Delivery on Thodey
Secretaries Board to agree by end-2019 a framework for future-focused capability reviews of all departmentsand priority agencies.	Continuing	A pilot framework and methodology for capability reviews has been developed by the APSC. It will continue to berefined ahead of a decision on the ongoing capability review program at thepilot’s conclusion in 2025. The framework supports both APSC-led andself-initiated reviews. Subject to the passage of legislation, changes to the Public Service Act 1999 are underway that include an amendment requiring that capability reviews be conducted for each Department, Services Australia, the Australian Taxation Office and the Australian Public Service Commission at least every five years.
Transformation leader and APS Commissioner to schedule reviews; all reviews to be completed by mid-2021.	Complete	A pilot of future-focussed capability reviews of departments and large agencies commenced to identify urgent and emerging capability needs in areas including leadership, people, whole-of-government collaboration, culture and behaviours. In 2022-23, four reviews commenced with a further seven reviews due to be completed by the end of 2024-25. The pilot is scheduled to run until June 2025. The program for future reviews will be a matter for government consideration, noting the Bill before parliament would require a review of nominated agencies at least every five years.
APS Commissioner to publish all reviews and agency responses.	Continuing	When they are completed, capability review reports and the agency’s action plan responding to the review report will be published on the APSC website. Subject to the passage of legislation, changes to the Public Service Act 1999 are underway that include an amendment requiring that capability review reports be published with an agency’s action plan to respond to findings.

Thodey guidance

Status

Delivery on Thodey

Secretaries Board to agree by end-2019 a framework for future-focused capability reviews of all departmentsand priority agencies.

Continuing

A pilot framework and methodology for capability reviews has been developed by the APSC. It will continue to berefined ahead of a decision on the ongoing capability review program at thepilot’s conclusion in 2025. The framework supports both APSC-led andself-initiated reviews.

Subject to the passage of legislation, changes to the Public Service Act 1999 are underway that include an amendment requiring that capability reviews be conducted for each Department, Services Australia, the Australian Taxation Office and the Australian Public Service Commission at least every five years.

Transformation leader and APS Commissioner to schedule reviews; all reviews to be completed by mid-2021.

Complete

A pilot of future-focussed capability reviews of departments and large agencies commenced to identify urgent and emerging capability needs in areas including leadership, people, whole-of-government collaboration, culture and behaviours. In 2022-23, four reviews commenced with a further seven reviews due to be completed by the end of 2024-25.

The pilot is scheduled to run until June 2025. The program for future reviews will be a matter for government consideration, noting the Bill before parliament would require a review of nominated agencies at least every five years.

APS Commissioner to publish all reviews and agency responses.

Continuing

When they are completed, capability review reports and the agency’s action plan responding to the review report will be published on the APSC website.

Subject to the passage of legislation, changes to the Public Service Act 1999 are underway that include an amendment requiring that capability review reports be published with an agency’s action plan to respond to findings.

Recommendation: 2b

Promote continuous improvement through the PM&C Citizen Experience Survey, APS census, external advice and better performance reporting

Overall status: Underway

Thodey guidance	Status	Delivery on Thodey
PM&C to continue the Citizen Experience Survey for measuring trust, satisfaction and experience in Australian public services, and publish results.	Complete	The Trust in Australian public services survey (previously Citizen Experience Survey) annual reports for 2022 and 2023 have been published, with monthly statistics available on the APS Reform website.
APS Commissioner to publish APS Employee Census results for each agency, with agency responses, from 2019-20.	Continuing	From 2019, APS agencies participated in a voluntary public release of the APS Employee Census Results. In 2022, 94 of the 98 eligible agencies reported their results. Subject to the passage of legislation, changes to the Public Service Act 1999 are underway that include an amendment requiring that, unless exempt, agencies will publish the aggregate results from their annual APS Employee Census, along with an action plan responding to findings.
All agency heads to obtain regular external advice on performance and organisational health.	Complete	Agencies are supported in seeking regular external advice on their performance and organisational health, noting that each agency can pursue the most effective and efficient way of doing so.
APS to improve performance reporting as recommended in the 2018 Independent Review into the operation of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 and Rule.	Underway	Work is underway to use the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act) to uplift performance reporting capability.