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APS Code of Conduct
APS employees are required, under the Code of Conduct, to behave at all times in a way which upholds the APS Values
The Code
The Code of Conduct requires that an employee must:
- behave honestly and with integrity in the course of APS employment;
- act with care and diligence in the course of APS employment;
- when acting in the course of APS employment, treat everyone with respect and courtesy, and without harassment;
- when acting in the course of APS employment, comply with all applicable Australian laws;
- comply with any lawful and reasonable direction given by someone in the employee's Agency who has authority to give the direction;
- maintain appropriate confidentiality about dealings that the employee has with any Minister or Minister's member of staff;
- disclose, and take reasonable steps to avoid, any conflict of interest (real or apparent) in connection with APS employment;
- use Commonwealth resources in a proper manner;
- not provide false or misleading information in response to a request for information that is made for official purposes in connection with the employee's APS employment;
- not make improper use of:
- inside information, or
- the employee's duties, status, power or authority,
in order to gain, or seek to gain, a benefit or advantage for the employee or for any other person;
- at all times behave in a way that upholds the APS Values and the integrity and good reputation of the APS;
- while on duty overseas, at all times behave in a way that upholds the good reputation of Australia; and
- comply with any other conduct requirement that is prescribed by the regulations (regulations available here)
Ethics Advisory Service
The Ethics Advisory Service is available to all Australian Public Service (APS) employees who want advice on ethical issues in the workplace and on how to make sound decisions around these issues. We provide guidance on how to apply the APS Values and Code of Conduct and strategies and techniques for ethical decision-making in the APS.
Program endorsement
The Commission is committed to supporting agencies to raise the quality of Code of Conduct investigations across the APS. Ensuring that investigators are adequately trained to perform their role is an important aspect of quality assurance. To assist APS agencies to assess suitable training programs, the APS Commission is offering training providers, who offer training programs for Code of Conduct investigators, a service to assess their program against an agreed set of criteria. Following assessment the APS Commission will create a list of providers who meet the identified criteria.
This service will provide quality assurance of the aims and content (but not the learning experience or quality of facilitator) of the training program.
If you are a provider of a program designed to train Code of Conduct investigations and would like further information, or would like to arrange for an assessment to be conducted, please contact the Ethics Advisory Service on 02 62023737 or via email ethics@apsc.gov.au.
Publications
The following books help APS employees to understand the practical application of the Values and Code. They can also help Agency Heads to establish policies and procedures that promote the Values and ensure compliance with the Code.
To order a hard copy version of any of the following publications please go to the Commission’s publications page.
Handling Misconduct - A human resources practitioner’s guide to the reporting and handling of suspected and determined breaches of the APS Code of Conduct
- A summary guide is also available in PDF.
In whose interest?: Preventing and managing conflicts of interest in the APS
Extract from Public Service Commissioner's Directions 1999
Embedding APS Values: Framework and checklist
The Merit Protection Commissioner and Ethical Decision Making
How to use the APS Values and Code to make ethical decisions in the APS.
Respect: Promoting a Culture Free from Harassment and Bullying in the APS (2009)
Being Professional in the APS—Values Resources for Facilitators
The Being Professional in the APS—Values Resources for Facilitators kit is the first comprehensive package of materials to address situations specific to the APS.
Circulars and advices
Circular No 2008/3: Providing information on Code of Conduct investigation outcomes to complainants
Circular No 2007/5: Involvement of public servants in public information and awareness initiatives
Circular No 2007/2: The Privacy Act and employee information concerning Code of Conduct matters
Circular No 2007/1: Declarations of personal interest: revised policy guidelines
Circular No 2002/5: Breaches of the Code of Conduct - reduction in salary for a specified period
Circular No 2001/3: Supplementary information for APS employees contesting elections
