Appendix 3ꟷAPS agencies

This appendix covers a range of information about Australian Public Service agencies.

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

• Policy – agencies involved in the development of public policy.
• Smaller operational – agencies with fewer 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.

Figure A 3 shows the proportion of functional clusters within the APS, by headcount (at 30 June 2024).

Figure A 3: Proportion of functional clusters within the APS, by headcount (at 30 June 2024)

Source: APSED

Figure A 4 shows the portfolio proportion of the APS, by headcount (at 30 June 2024).

Figure A 4: Portfolio proportion of the APS, by headcount (at 30 June 2024)

Source: APSED

Table A 39 lists APS agencies and employee numbers and reflects data in the APS Employment Database (APSED) as at 30 June 2024.

These are headcount numbers and include ongoing and non-ongoing employees. Note that the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service is not listed because as at 30 June 2024 they had no headcount due to the pending establishment of the agency.

The list of 101 agencies can be found at APS Agencies – size and function

Table A 39: List of APS agencies by portfolio (at 30 June 2024)

Source: APSED