APS profile

The Australian Government and Australian community expect the Australian Public Service to set the standard for equity, inclusion and diversity. The APS is building and supporting a workforce which reflects the Australian people it serves and draws on the full range of available experience.

Addressing barriers to the employment of people from diverse community groups is critical. In particular, there is a focus on improving practices for attracting, recruiting, retaining and promoting people from First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, and people with disability.

The First Nations Unit, established in May 2023, focuses on increasing the number of First Nations people in the APS to 5% by 2030. A CALD Employment Strategy is being developed through extensive consultation to provide practical ways to increase representation of people from all cultural backgrounds. The APS has a target of 7% for employment of people with disability by 2025, and was at 5.1% at 30 June 2023.

While the gender pay gap in the APS continues to narrow, and is less than half the national gender pay gap, more is being done to fully understand what drives it. Other support for gender equity includes assessing the gender impact of new policies, and the strengthening of laws protecting workers from discrimination and sexual harassment.

Equity, inclusion and diversity depend on safe and welcoming workplaces where everyone feels they belong. The APS is developing the cultural competency of its workforce and looking for ways to foster greater understanding and appreciation of difference. Agencies are implementing programs to support specific cohorts of employees and employee-led networks are working hard to ensure APS workplaces provide environments where everyone can perform at their best.

The APS is taking positive action to create and maintain a workforce culture where all employees are valued for the knowledge and experience that they bring. The goal is an APS where members of the community can see themselves and be confident their views are heard, and where many perspectives contribute to the best policy and program outcomes.