Stewardship in action

Over the past 18 months, important conversations have taken place in the Australian Public Service about stewardship – what it means to people and how it is, and can be, put into action.

During an APS Reform consultation held in March and April 2023, more than 1,500 participants (97.5% of whom were APS employees) agreed that stewardship is an APS value that strongly resonates with public servants.

The Public Service Amendment Act 2024 received Royal Assent on 11 June 2024, locking in changes to the Public Service Act 1999 including the addition of a new APS Value of Stewardship.

In the Act, the new APS Value of Stewardship is defined as:

The APS builds its capability and institutional knowledge, and supports the public interest now and into the future, by understanding the long-term impacts of what it does.

In this section, insightful reflections on stewardship are contributed by individuals serving in a range of APS agencies, in a range of roles, and based in different locations around Australia.

Their responses to a common set of questions are shaped by their diverse life experience, career journeys and cultural backgrounds.

The contributors who kindly accepted an invitation to share their personal perspectives on stewardship here haven taken part in learning programs supported by the APS Academy.

The APS Academy supports APS agencies and employees to build the skills and knowledge which is unique and essential to working in the Australian public service.