Cassandra Fernando (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to discuss the transformative power of the Public Service Amendment Bill 2023, a bold initiative set to overhaul the Public Service Act 1999. This reform is vital to ensure the Australian Public Service, or APS, continues to serve the government, the parliament and, most importantly, the Australian public effectively and efficiently into the future.

The purpose of this bill is to provide the necessary support for the APS's core principles and values. To achieve this we are introducing an APS value of stewardship that all APS employees must uphold. 'Stewardship' will be defined as:

The APS builds its capability and institutional knowledge, and supports the public interest now and into the future, by understanding the long-term impacts of what it does.

For those who have served as union delegates—shop stewards, in the past—this value is not something we are strangers to.

This crucial amendment underscores our commitment to the strengthening, and the capability and institutional knowledge, of the APS. It underlines our unwavering support for public interest now and for future generations. The essence of stewardship lies in understanding the long-term impacts of our actions and decisions. It is an affirmation from the policymakers that the interests of the public today and their children and their children's children are at the forefront of every decision made.

In line with this, the bill is stipulating that the Secretaries Board will oversee the development of a single unifying APS purpose statement, reviewed every five years. This statement will solidify the role of all agency heads, and they will be required to promote it in conjunction with the APS values and employment principles. Having a sole unifying purpose for the APS will bring together various agencies which perform different tasks under one umbrella. It will emphasise that, even though these diverse departments differ in their day-to-day tasks, their motivations and objectives are one and the same. A unifying APS purpose statement, which will be regularly reviewed, will also mean that this purpose is regularly looked at and kept up-to-date with time. We believe these changes will enhance the apolitical nature of the APS and ensure transparency in decision-making, empowering the APS to navigate the challenges of the future.

One crucial aspect of this bill is the facilitation of independent and regular capability reviews, which will be required every five years for each department of state, Services Australia and the Australian Taxation Office. These reviews will focus on organisational strengths and areas for development, with reports and action plans made publicly available in response to the findings. This not only ensures accountability but also creates a platform for continuous growth and development.

Moreover, the bill mandates the Secretaries Board to commission regular long-term insight reports to explore medium-term and long-term trends, risk and opportunities facing Australia. This is a visionary step ensuring the APS is future ready, able to build trust in its expertise and understanding crosscutting issues that matter to all Australians. In this fast-paced world, the future often arrives a lot quicker than we anticipate. A nation that is well-equipped with the foresight to understand what the future might look like is a nation that will always be forward-thinking, dynamic and progressive. Mandating the Secretaries Board to regularly explore long-term trends will mean that Australia will never be caught by surprise and is well-equipped to deal with any challenge that may arise.

Further, the Public Service Amendment Bill will aim to instil a culture of transparency, accountability and continuous improvement within agencies. It will do this by requiring a publication of agencies' APS employee census results and an action plan that responds to these results. This approach will not only keep the agencies accountable, but also create a transparent mechanism for the continuous improvement of our Public Service.

To ensure effective decision-making and empower APS employees, agency heads will also be required to implement measures to allow decisions to be made by employees at the lowest appropriate classification for those decisions. We are of the firm belief that this approach will reduce unnecessary hierarchy, empowering APS employees and allowing them to bring their diverse experiences and perspectives to the decision-making processes.

Now, you may ask where did these amendments come from? The proposed changes were primarily drawn from the recommendation of the 2019 independent review of the Australian Public Service, also known as the Thodey review. The amendments were also influenced by insights into public administration from state-level governments and from overseas. Over the past few months, we have engaged in extensive consultation with various stakeholders, including APS employees, the CPSU, agency heads, experts and interested parties, including the public. This collaborative approach has yielded valuable insights that have shaped this bill.

A public consultation process on the proposed amendments was held and over 1,500 responses regarding the stewardship value alone were received. Further consultations with the APS agencies, HR areas, academics and employee networks help shape the broader legislative reform agenda. The proposed amendments respond to various recommendations from the Thodey review. For instance, the introduction of the APS value of stewardship and the APS purpose statement respond to recommendations 5 and 6 of the review. We have also addressed recommendation 32 by encouraging decision-making at the lowest appropriate level, creating a culture of empowerment and distributing responsibility within the APS.

As we move forward with the Public Service Amendment Bill 2023, it is crucial that we continue to prioritise the welfare and development of APS employees. This involves addressing recommendation 15, which proposes a new workforce strategy to futureproof the APS. In line with this recommendation, we are seeking to enhance the capability of our APS workforce. We aim to invest in ongoing training, upskilling and continuous learning programs by ensuring that our workforce has the necessary tools, resources and skills to deliver excellent service and meet the changing needs of our citizens.

Turning to recommendation 24, we are also considering ways to better recognise and reward high performance within the APS. It is our firm belief that a culture of appreciation and recognition can motivate employees to strive for excellence, thus fostering innovation, collaboration and a commitment to service. Moreover, we are looking at ways to attract top talent to the APS by leveraging the appeal of the Public Service and by improving our recruitment and onboarding processes. We can ensure that the APS is filled with capable, passionate individuals who are committed to making a difference in our country. Furthermore, to reinforce a culture of integrity within the APS, the government proposes to empower the independent reviewer to investigate and address breaches of the APS code of conduct. We see this as an integral step to building trust and ensuring ethical conduct across the APS.

We are also taking into account other recommendations, like the introduction of the independent reviewer and the commissioning of long-term insights reports. We believe this will enhance transparency, ensure accountability and drive continuous improvement. At the heart of these amendments lies our commitment to better governance, public service innovation and improved delivery of services to the Australian public. We are invested in creating a culture of robust stewardship, evidence based decision-making and forward thinking in the APS.

Moving forward, we have proposed an independent reviewer, who will assess compliance with the new APS values, employment principles and code of conduct. This role, filled by an independent statutory officer, will ensure that the principles and code are respected and complied with, promoting a culture of integrity, accountability and trust in the APS. Lastly, but most significantly, the bill introduces a provision that would allow the Public Service minister to determine that a non-APS body or a group of employees within a non-APS body is a part of the APS. This provision seeks to provide flexibility in the coverage of the Public Service Act, allowing for a more adaptive and responsive APS.

To conclude, the Public Service Amendment Bill 2023 is not just about legislative changes; it is about investing in our people, fostering a culture of trust and accountability, and shaping the future of the Australian Public Service. We believe these proposed changes will provide a solid foundation for the APS to continue to deliver efficient and effective services to the Australian public. This bill reflects our vision for a forward-thinking, innovative and adaptive Australian Public Service committed to serving the interests of the Australian people. With these amendments, we are repositioning the APS for the challenges of the future, ensuring it remains a global leader in public service delivery.

I would lastly like to thank all the APS employees in Australia, a huge thank you, for all the hard work that you do, and I commend this bill to the House.

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