Risk oversight and management

We are empowering our staff to identify, engage with and manage risk in order to realise the best outcomes for the organisation and to achieve our strategic priorities.

Our risk management framework sets out the policy and governance arrangements for the identification, management and communication of risk. We regularly review the framework in the context of our operating environment and to ensure controls and treatment strategies remain effective. We identify and manage risk at the enterprise and Group level, with oversight provided by the Chief Risk Officer and governance committees.

In 2021-22 the Executive Board articulated risk appetite and tolerances for our major activities – recognising that embracing innovation and accepting risk is sometimes necessary to achieve our outcomes (particularly when delivering new initiatives and scoping of policy advice), while a more balanced or cautious approach is appropriate for matters such as the health and saf ety of our people and our compliance with legislation and government policy.

The key enterprise risks associated with the delivery of our purpose and priorities in 2022-23:

• We do not adequately engage with external expertise, relationships and services to support targeted outcomes and operations.
• We fail to understand and meet the needs of the APS. These needs are broad, varied and change over time.
• The APS Academy’s contribution to building core public sector capabilities across the Service are seen to be ineffective.
• Inadequate access to or management of resources (people, financial, IT, physical), including retention and empowerment of capability.
• The safety and wellbeing of our people is not effectively managed.

Our treatments include: renewed analysis of our stakeholders and their needs, with investment in a central engagement and communication capability; continued investment in both the foundations that enable the APS Academy to have greater reach across the Service and in APS Craft offerings and experiences; clear and disciplined prioritisation of work effort and the deliberate movement of resources to our highest priorities; and, further work to mature our enabling services toward being an exemplar of people and resource management.

In 2022-23 we will enhance supporting tools and training, alongside maintaining progress on priority treatments. These developments will further build awareness of our risk profile and priorities, better target risk conversations in our decision-making and strengthen our risk management capability.

Our Audit and Risk Management Committee continues to provide independent advice on the appropriateness of the Commission’s financial and performance reporting responsibilities, risk oversight and management and systems of internal control.