Anne Stanley (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to make my contribution to the debate on the Public Service Amendment Bill 2023. Millions of Australians interact with the Australian Public Service every day. They are helped, advised and assisted by hardworking, loyal and knowledgeable people who care deeply about the job they do and how they can support everyday people in the best way possible, whether it's interactions with Centrelink, Medicare, the National Library for research, applying for a tax file number or assistance with the NDIS, and so many more different touchstones. They encounter professionals who make a positive difference every day. These dedicated staff who work for the Public Service are important to every Australian.

A strong, well-funded, fiercely independent Public Service is vital for good government, and it's also vital for a healthy democracy. This bill amends the Public Service Act 1999 so that the Albanese government can take the steps necessary to rebuild the Australian Public Service, which, unfortunately, has not always enjoyed the support it has deserved in the recent past.

This bill and the Albanese government's broader APS reform agenda are to restore the public's faith and trust in government and its institutions. It is unhealthy to be second-guessing decisions made, and furthermore distrust in public institutions is not healthy for the good working of our society. A Public Service that provides advice to government without fear or favour ensures that decisions made by government will always be in the best interests of the society it serves. They avoid costly missteps and keep government running smoothly and efficiently. Trust is vital for a democracy to function properly and deliver a better life for the people who live within its boundaries.

The Public Service Amendment Bill 2023 will strengthen the core purpose and values of the APS and ensure that the APS has the capabilities and expertise necessary to effectively function and deliver accountability and transparency in our institutions. It will do this in four ways: add a new APS value of stewardship that all employees must uphold; require the secretaries to oversee the development of a single unifying APS purpose statement to be renewed every five years; require all agency heads to uphold and promote the new APS purpose statement in addition to the APS Values and the APS Employment Principles; and strengthen and reaffirm the APS apolitical nature by strengthening the act to make clear that ministers cannot direct agency heads on individual APS staffing decisions. The bill will ensure that there is an apolitical merit based approach to APS management matters devoid of political interference. This is key to maintaining an impartial public service.

This bill will also build the capacity and expertise of the APS. It will do this in two ways: by making regular independent and transparent capability reviews a five-yearly requirement for each department of state, Services Australia and the Australian tax office; and require secretaries' boards to commission regular long-term insight reports to explore medium- and long-term trends, risks and opportunities for Australia. This bill will also introduce the following two amendments: it will require publication of agency APS census results and an action plan that responds to these results, and require agency heads to implement measures to enable decisions to be made by employees at the lowest possible classification for those decisions. This, in turn, will reduce unnecessary hierarchy and empower APS employees.

The new APS value of stewardship will articulate the culture operating ethos of the APS. It will reflect the expectations of the relationship between public servants, the government, the parliament and the Australian community. This value is the result of extensive consultation, with the input of over 1,500 APS staff of all levels, graduates to senior executives, across all of Australia. Informed by these consultations, the bill outlines the stewardship value meaning, which will build the APS capability and institutional knowledge and support the public interest, now and into the future, by understanding the long-term intent of what the Public Service does.

In 2019, the Thodey independent review of the Australian Public Service was given to government. It was a 384-page document detailing the challenges that the Australian Public Service was facing but also what could be done to ensure it was fit for purpose and served the Australian people. The review concluded that, whilst the APS was not broken, it lacked a unified purpose, was too internally focused and had lost capability in key areas. The APS needed substantial changes so that it could better respond and prepare Australia. The bill responds to the recommendations 2a and 2b, 5, 6 and 32 of the Thodey review.

The Albanese government will also implement policies to improve the employment of First Nations people within the Australian Public Service. For the last two decades the percentage of First Nations people employed by the APS has been around 3.5. The Albanese government intends to increase this to at least five per cent. The APS will look at culture and commit to actions to ensure that the APS is attractive to First Nations people and that it provides them with rewarding careers. Rewarding careers that will mean First Nations people will be encouraged to stay and build their careers within the Public Service, especially in leadership roles.

Since the Thodey review was given to government, Australia has faced the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing national disasters, turbulent global economic conditions and increasing geopolitical tensions. The importance of an agile and adaptive APS has become increasingly necessary for the proper functioning of government services. The importance of the values and principles of the APS—impartiality, commitment to service, accountability, and respectful and ethical commitments—have also been highlighted. Core values that underpin the APS are the values that we expect from our Public Service. We want a public service that acts with a clear purpose, with the long-term implications of decisions and the actions at the forefront, and we want it to be fearless in giving impartial and truthful advice when needed.

It is for those reasons that the Albanese government is delivering on several of the recommendations in the Thodey review for this bill, delivering on the amendments to the Public Service Act so that reform is embedded in the legislation that guides and governs our public service. I also want to take a moment to personally thank all the public services that work to support our community in Werriwa and around Australia in whatever capacity they do. I want to note how much your work is appreciated and how much it is needed to improve how we live and how we interact with each other. I commend the bill to the House.

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