Circular 2019/3: Amendments to the Australian Public Service Commissioner’s Directions 2016

1. This Circular is to inform all Commonwealth entities with employees engaged under the Public Service Act 1999 of changes to the Australian Public Service Commissioner’s Directions 2016 (the Directions).
2. The Australian Public Service Commissioner made the Australian Public Service Commissioner’s Amendment (2019 Measures No. 1) Direction 2019 (Amendment Direction) with effect 25 July 2019.
3. The amendments to the Directions outlined in this Circular have the support of Secretaries and were agreed at the meeting of the Secretaries Board on 3 April 2019.
4. The amendments seek to achieve optimal performance management across the Australian Public Service (APS) through extending the responsibility for achieving effective performance to supervisors and employees and requiring agencies to proactively engage in performance management practices. 
5. Agencies should review existing performance management frameworks to assess whether the amendments impact on current performance management practices.

Further information and advice

6. Guidance to support the implementation of the amendments is available at Performance Management in the Australian Public Service. For further enquiries, please contact the APSC Integrity Team on (02) 6202 3737 or ethics@apsc.gov.au.