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Chapter 7: Personal behaviour
One of the APS Values provides that the APS should have the highest ethical standards. This Value reflects the public’s proper expectation that the authority vested in the public service will be exercised in the most ethical way. Such standards are fundamental to maintaining public confidence in the integrity of the APS as an institution. The APS Code of Conduct, established in s. 13 of the PS Act, sets out standards of behaviour that employees are required to meet, and is also a measure against which an employee’s behaviour can be tested.
This chapter examines aspects of personal behaviour in the APS. It presents information provided by agencies about investigations into suspected breaches of the Code of Conduct commenced during 2002–03, including those commenced as a result of a whistleblowing report. It examines data from the Merit Protection Commissioner on reviews of decisions in relation to breaches of the Code of Conduct, and on whistleblowing reports received by the Merit Protection and Public Service Commissioners. It also examines two important aspects of the personal behaviour of employees—conflict of interest obligations, and the requirement, when acting in the course of APS employment, to treat everyone with respect and courtesy, and without harassment.