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Overview : Public Service Commissioner's review : Commission overview
Performance review
The Australian Public Service Commission (the Commission) is a central agency within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio. The Commission supports two statutory office holders, the Public Service Commissioner—who is also agency head—and the Merit Protection Commissioner.
Our mission is to promote a high performing Australian Public Service (APS). The statutory responsibilities that support our mission are outlined in the Public Service Act 1999 (the Act) and include:
- evaluating the extent to which agencies incorporate and uphold the APS Values
- evaluating the adequacy of systems and procedures in agencies for ensuring compliance with the Code of Conduct
- promoting the APS Values and the Code of Conduct
- developing, promoting, reviewing and evaluating APS employment policies and practices
- facilitating continuous improvement in people management throughout the APS
- coordinating and support APS-wide training and career development
- contributing to and fostering, leadership in the APS
- providing advice and assistance on public service matters to agencies on request
- providing external review of actions by the Merit Protection Commissioner.
The Commission works to achieve the outcomes specified by the Government to support a confident, high quality, values based and sustainable Australian Public Service through three output groups:
- Output 1: APS policy and employment services
- Output 2: Development programmes
- Output 3: Better practice and evaluation.
The Commission’s activities are funded through a combination of budget appropriation and revenue generated through the sale of leadership, learning and development services with much of this revenue earned in an open market where agencies have choices about where they source the depth and breadth of services required. In 2006–07 the Commission received $20.6 million in appropriation funding, with the balance of its income ($19.2 million) coming from non‑appropriated sources.
As outlined in the Act the Public Service Commissioner provides the necessary staff to assist the Merit Protection Commissioner perform his prescribed functions. The arrangements for providing staff to the Merit Protection Commissioner have been established through a memorandum of understanding.
Commission structure
The Commission is led by a three-person executive consisting of the Public Service Commissioner, the Deputy Public Service Commissioner and the Merit Protection Commissioner. The functions of the Commission and the Commission’s Executive are supported by six groups, each led by a Group Manager. The Commission’s organisational chart, with the names of senior staff as at 30 June 2007, is at Figure 1.
Evaluation
The Evaluation Group evaluates and provides information on APS performance through the annual State of the Service Report to Parliament and through more specific evaluation and research projects. It maintains the APS employment database, monitors trends and publishes key workforce statistics.
Key pages
Contact (email)
Brisbane office
The Brisbane office represents the Commission in Queensland, helping agencies with people management, including learning and development, promoting better practice, staff selection and review of employment-related actions.
Key pages
Contact (email)
Sydney office
The Sydney office represents the Commission in New South Wales, helping agencies with people management, including learning and development, promoting better practice, staff selection and review of employment-related actions.
Key pages
Contact (email)
Canberra office
The ervice Commissioner in November 2004. The Commissioner is a statutory position responsible for promoting and evaluating the implementation of the Australian Public Service Values and Code of Conduct, and for reporting on the health of the APS. She also has policy responsibilities relating to public administration and people management, particularly the promotion of leadership skills.
Key pages
Melbourne office
The Melbourne office represents the Commission in Victoria and Tasmania, helping agencies with people management, including learning and development, promoting better practice, staff selection and review of employment-related actions.
Key pages
Contact (email)
Adelaide office
The Adelaide office represents the Commission in South Australia and the Northern Territory, helping agencies with people management, including learning and development, promoting better practice, staff selection and review of employment-related actions.
Key pages
Contact (email)
Perth office
The Perth office represents the Commission in Western Australia, helping agencies with people management, including learning and development, promoting better practice, staff selection and review of employment-related actions.
Key pages
Contact (email)
Regional services
The Regional Services Group represents the Commission throughout Australia, helping agencies with people management, including learning and development, promoting better practice, staff selection and review of employment-related actions.
Key pages
Policy
The Policy Group provides advice to government and agencies on the policy and legislative aspects of public administration, people management and employment frameworks within the APS Values and Code of Conduct. It is also responsible for international matters.
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Corporate
The Corporate Group provides strategic management, information, communications, financial, library, legal and parliamentary support services to assist the Commission in achieving its mission of supporting a high-performing APS. It also manages production of the Public Service Gazette.
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Programmes
The Programmes Group builds the capability of the APS by providing a wide range of leadership, learning and development activities for all levels of APS staff including senior executives.
Key pages
Merit Protection Commissioner
Boris Budak has been Acting as Merit Protection Commissioner since May 2007
Key pages
Deputy Public Service Commissioner
Ms Lynne Tacy became Deputy Public Service Commissioner October 2000.
Key pages
Public Service Commissioner
Lynelle Briggs assumed the role of Public Service Commissioner in November 2004. The Commissioner is a statutory position responsible for promoting and evaluating the implementation of the Australian Public Service Values and Code of Conduct, and for reporting on the health of the APS. She also has policy responsibilities relating to public administration and people management, particularly the promotion of leadership skills.
Key pages
Better Practice
The Better Practice Group contributes to improved APS performance through consideration of the challenges facing the APS both within Australia and the wider international public service sectors. The group builds the sustainability and capability of the APS by showcasing innovative and effective best practice and strategic people management with top priorities in 2006-07 including: progressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment in the APS; promoting techniques for fostering employment of people with disability; and development of a range of practical and relevant tools for SES managers to assist broader business and workforce planning responsibilities.
Key pages
Contact
- APSED 02 6202
- State of the Service
About Figure 1
For more information on the Executive, Groups and Offices within the Commission use your mouse to explore the interactive chart.
Commission reports and publications
The Commission issues a wide range of APS leadership, learning and development information in a variety of formats each year. Commission publications and circulars, as well as selected speeches given by the Public Service Commissioner and the Merit Protection Commissioner, are available on the Commission’s web site.
Commission locations
The Commission’s national office is in Canberra and it has regional offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. APS agencies in the Northern Territory and Tasmania are served from the Adelaide and Melbourne offices respectively.
Office locations and contact details are:
Australian Capital Territory
Levels 5 and 6
16 Furzer Street
PHILLIP ACT 2606
T: 02 6202 3500
F: 02 6202 3566
New South Wales
Level 16
447 Kent Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000
T: 02 9286 2400
F: 02 9264 8379
Victoria
Level 6
303 Collins Street
MELBOURNE VIC 3000
T: 03 8610 1522
F: 03 8610 1594
Queensland
Level 11
300 Anne Street
BRISBANE QLD 4000
T: 07 3004 0777
F: 07 3004 0700
Western Australia
Level 1
St Georges Square
225 St Georges Terrace
PERTH WA 6000
T: 08 9226 1977
F: 08 9226 5977
South Australia
Level 4
Blackburn House
199 Grenfell Street
ADELAIDE SA 5000
T: 08 8224 0955
F: 08 8223 5866
