APS Agencies – size and function

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Australian Public Service (APS) agencies as at 30 June 2024 are listed below grouped by agency size.

APS agencies are grouped into ‘functional clusters’ to allow comparisons to be made between agencies with similar primary functions. The six functional clusters applied to APS agencies are as follows:

  • Policy: agencies involved in the development of public policy.
  • Smaller operational: agencies with less than 1,000 employees involved in the implementation of public policy.
  • Larger operational: agencies with 1,000 employees or more involved in the implementation of public policy.
  • Regulatory: agencies involved in regulation and inspection.
  • Specialist: agencies providing specialist support to government.
  • National Cultural institutions: agencies that maintain collections of material and offer public programs relevant to Australia’s cultural heritage.

Micro Agency (Less than 20 Employees)

AgencyFunction
Australian Law Reform CommissionSpecialist
Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication AgencySpecialist
High Speed Rail AuthoritySpecialist
Screen AustraliaSpecialist

 

Extra Small Agency (20-100 employees)

AgencyFunction
Australian Centre for International Agricultural ResearchSpecialist
Cancer AustraliaSpecialist
Climate Change AuthoritySpecialist
Office of the Inspector General of Intelligence and SecuritySpecialist
Inspector-General of Taxation and Taxation OmbudsmanSpecialist
Independent Parliamentary Expenses AuthoritySpecialist
Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament HouseNational Cultural Institution
National Blood AuthoritySpecialist
National Capital AuthoritySpecialist
National Health Funding BodySpecialist
National Mental Health CommissionSpecialist
National Portrait Gallery of AustraliaNational Cultural Institution
Office of the Inspector-General of Aged CareSpecialist
Organ and Tissue AuthoritySpecialist
Professional Services ReviewRegulatory
Parliamentary Workplace Support ServiceSpecialist
Workplace Gender Equality AgencySpecialist

 

Small Agency (101-250 employees)

AgencyFunction
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health CareSpecialist
Australian Fisheries Management AuthorityRegulatory
Australian Human Rights CommissionSpecialist
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander StudiesSpecialist
Australian Institute of Family StudiesSpecialist
Australian National Maritime MuseumNational Cultural Institution
Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines AuthorityRegulatory
Australian Research CouncilSpecialist
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety AgencySpecialist
Australian Skills Quality AuthorityRegulatory
Australian Transport Safety BureauSpecialist
Food Standards Australia New ZealandRegulatory
National Anti-Corruption CommissionSpecialist
National Film and Sound Archive of AustraliaNational Cultural Institution
National Health and Medical Research CouncilSpecialist
National Museum of AustraliaNational Cultural Institution
National Offshore Petroleum Safety And Environmental Management AuthorityRegulatory
Office of the Australian Information CommissionerRegulatory
Office of Parliamentary CounselSpecialist
Office of the Special InvestigatorSpecialist
Productivity CommissionSpecialist
Safe Work AustraliaPolicy
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards AgencyRegulatory
Torres Strait Regional AuthoritySpecialist

 

Medium Agency (251-1000 employees)

AgencyFunction
Administrative Appeals TribunalSmall Operational
Australian Criminal Intelligence CommissionSpecialist
Australian Communications and Media AuthorityRegulatory
Australian Electoral CommissionSmall operational
Australian Financial Security AuthorityRegulatory
Aboriginal Hostels LimitedSmall Operational
Australian Institute of Health and WelfareSpecialist
Australian National Audit OfficeSpecialist
Australian Public Service CommissionPolicy
Australian Submarine AgencySpecialist
Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis CentreRegulatory
Australian War MemorialNational Cultural Institution
Commonwealth Director of Public ProsecutionsSpecialist
Clean Energy RegulatorRegulatory
ComcareSmall Operational
Defence Housing AustraliaSmall Operational
Australian Digital Health AgencySmall Operational
Digital Transformation AgencySmall Operational
Future Fund Management AgencySpecialist
Fair Work CommissionSmall Operational
Fair Work OmbudsmanRegulatory
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park AuthoritySpecialist
Murray Darling Basin AuthorityPolicy
National Archives AustraliaNational Cultural Institution
National Emergency Management AgencySpecialist
National Library of AustraliaNational Cultural Institution
NDIS Quality and Safeguards CommissionRegulatory
Office of the Commonwealth OmbudsmanSpecialist
Office of National IntelligenceSpecialist
Sport Integrity AustraliaRegulatory

 

Large Agency (1001-10,000 employees)

AgencyFunction
Aged Care Quality and Safety CommissionRegulatory
Australian Bureau of StatisticsSpecialist
Australian Competition and Consumer CommissionRegulatory
Attorney-General's DepartmentPolicy
Australian Trade and Investment CommissionSpecialist
Bureau of MeteorologyLarger Operational
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and ForestryLarger Operational
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and WaterPolicy
Department of Employment and Workplace RelationsPolicy
Department of Foreign Affairs and TradePolicy
Department of Industry, Science and ResourcesPolicy
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the ArtsPolicy
Department of FinancePolicy
Department of Health and Aged CarePolicy
Department of Social ServicesPolicy
Department of Veterans' AffairsLarger Operational
Department of EducationPolicy
Federal Court of AustraliaSpecialist
National Disability Insurance AgencyLarger Operational
National Indigenous Australians AgencyPolicy
Department of the Prime Minister and CabinetPolicy
Department of the TreasuryPolicy

 

Extra Large Agency (More than 10,000 employees)

AgencyFunction
Australian Taxation OfficeLarger Operational
Department of DefenceLarger Operational
Department of Home AffairsLarger Operational
Services AustraliaLarger Operational

 

The following entities engage staff under the Public Service Act 1999 but are not APS agencies under the Act.

EntityFunction
Australian Office of Financial ManagementSpecialist
Commonwealth Grants CommissionSpecialist
Geoscience AustraliaSpecialist
IP AustraliaLarger Operational
Royal Australian MintNational Cultural Institution
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