CALD Employment Strategy and Action Plan
Actions to build cultural capability and increase the representation of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) people in senior leadership is an Australian Government priority. These are set out in the CALD Employment Strategy and Action Plan published on 30 April 2024.
Using a strengths-based approach, the strategy will improve the level of cultural awareness, cultural literacy and cultural capability across the Australian Public Service. This will enable cultural safety and an inclusive work environment for CALD staff.
The strategy will develop APS capability through greater cultural literacy that will ensure CALD employees can work in an inclusive environment and bring their whole selves to work. It will support equal opportunity for career development and progression, and strengthen the work of the APS by ensuring CALD employees can contribute their skills, knowledge and experience.
Key aspects of the strategy are being delivered through 5 headline actions:
- cultural safety and literacy
- cultural understanding
- leadership and management
- recruitment and progression
- senior representation.
Twenty lead agencies have been selected by the APSC to engage with on the implementation of these headline actions and the development of agency-specific plans. The strategy will be implemented over 6 years for all APS agencies. Agency-specific action plans will be integrated into business operations.
The CALD Employment Strategy and Action Plan sets out clear standards and expectations for the APS to better reflect the community it serves and ensures better policy and service delivery.
See also in this report
Capability and leadership – Capability Reinvestment Fund
Agency benchmarking – Senior Executive Service cultural and linguistic diversity
Appendix 2–State of the Service additional data
Find out more
Australian Government (2024) APS Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Employment Strategy and Action Plan, Australian Public Service Commission website, accessed 31 July 2024.
Prime Minister and Cabinet (2024) A new strategy to achieve culturally representative leadership in the APS, PM&C website, accessed 31 July 2024.