Constantly reflecting on whether to be in the tent or outside is healthy. The commissioner might not always come to the right answer, but keeping the balance at the front of one’s mind is no bad thing.
Not shirking an issue is an important element of this. If there is an active debate in the APS about any values issue, the commissioner cannot afford to duck it. The commissioner’s answer might include a discussion of ‘on the one hand’ and ‘on the other’, without an unequivocal judgment in a particular case, but should give genuine guidance on the factors involved and, preferably, a personal weighing up of the arguments, and a view.
The APS Commission’s credibility requires it to strengthen its evidence base constantly and to ensure it has top expertise in key areas such as human resource management. The commissioner’s own credibility is also vital and relies on past experience and continuing personal learning and development, including through monitoring and discussing developments in and throughout APS agencies.
Clearly, I would like to see some further strengthening of the role of the Public Service Commissioner, who needs to be an experienced CEO with the clout among secretaries to exercise the role. In particular, the commissioner should play a stronger role in succession management.
Table 12.8 Possible further reform agenda for the Australian Public Service Commission
The Public Service Act 1999 represents the culmination of more than a decade of public sector reform in Australia and remains a good model for a modern public service with a well-embedded culture of professionalism, impartiality and non-partisan responsiveness to elected governments.
There is a need now, however, to reflect on our experience and to make a number of modifications.
The commissioner as well as the Secretary of the Department of PM&C should be required to advise (not just provide a report to) the Prime Minister on secretary appointments and on equivalent-level agency head appointments.
There should be room to appoint part-time or temporary assistant commissioners along the lines of the Victorian or the Productivity Commission arrangements, to help in agency heads’ performance assessments, mentoring and succession management and to undertake specific management reviews from time to time at the request of the minister or the commissioner.
The commission should have responsibility for public service pay and conditions and classification management.
The coverage of the act should be widened to include most if not all non-commercial and non-military/police agencies.
Complementary legislation for the Parliamentary Service and staff of Members of Parliament should be reviewed and updated to include corresponding provisions on values and codes of conduct (reflecting the different roles and responsibilities involved).
Policies for those employed by Australian Government agencies outside these laws should include the need to specify values and codes of conduct consistent with the public interest.