Chapter 2: Statistical snapshot

Abbreviations

A list of the abbreviations used in this report is available in the Glossary

Size of the APS

The APS grew strongly during 2005–06, with a total of 146,434 employees at June 2006 compared with133,593 at June 2005, an increase of 9.6%. A significant proportion of this increase was due to Medicare Australia moving into coverage of the PS Act on 1 October 2005. This machinery of government change covered almost 5000 ongoing Medicare Australia employees, and accounted for nearly a quarter of total ongoing engagements during the year.

Other agencies affected by machinery of government changes this year were the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority which moved into coverage of the PS Act; employees from the Australian National Training Agency which moved into coverage in DEST; some employees of the Australian Film Commission which moved into coverage; the Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination which moved from DIMIA to FaCSIA; the Australian Broadcasting Authority and Australian Communications Authority which merged to form the Australian Communications and Media Authority; establishment of the Office of the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner, Australian Fair Pay Commission Secretariat, and Office of Workplace Services (previously part of DEWR); and establishment of Cancer Australia and the Future Fund Management Agency.

Excluding Medicare Australia, total employee numbers increased by 7448 or 5.6%—the largest increase for many years. Figure 2.1 shows the change in total employee numbers from 1987 to 2006. The adjusted line takes account of coverage changes in the APS over the period, by showing the number of employees in those functions that remained in the APS at June 2006. Adjusted for these coverage changes, the APS is now at its largest since 1996.

Figure 2.1: APS employees, 1987 to 2006

Source: APSED