Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Assistant Minister for the Public Service, Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General
Today's event is about the audience, all of you. Today, we are joining from around Australia.
From some 583 public service worksites across this country - and even some who serve our country overseas. Every day you bring dedication, commitment and service to the Australian Public Service.
To you, I say a heartfelt thank you. You are there when people need you most. This is what builds Australians trust in their public service.
Together, you have cut wait times, improved support for vulnerable Australians, and delivered better services in your communities.
A week ago, all of Australia witnessed our public service at its best. Responding to a natural disaster that threatened widespread damage. But the public service doesn't just deliver for Australians when everyone's watching.
It does it day after day. Every day for every Australian. Sometimes it makes the news. Usually it doesn't. As our hard working public servants keep Australians safe across the world.
From routine consular cases with considerable risks, to answering the phones and clearing the backlogs. I have had the privilege of visiting public servants in their workplaces in every state and territory. I always walk away impressed.
In my electorate of Perth, I visited the ATO in Northbridge. Their skill in rolling out new software ensured the smooth implementation of the Albanese Government's tax cuts to low and middle income earners.
I have travelled across Australia meeting with staff working for the Australian Financial Security Authority. Compassionate people, supporting their fellow Australians as they confront some of the most stressful times in their lives.
I have been to Services Australia in Tuggeranong, observing the pride and professionalism with which public servants conduct themselves as they help vulnerable Australians access the support they need.
Across our continent, you have worked tirelessly.
You have worked together to implement APS Reform. This has been one of the biggest reform agendas in a generation. This success belongs to each and every one of you and I couldn't be prouder.
Public service is something that runs in my family. My parents, Wendy and Ron, were schoolteachers. My grandmother, Pat, worked in state health administration. And my great-grandmother, Lucy, was among those who helped Australia get back on its feet after World War II, supporting war widows in accessing vital assistance.
That is what the APS is all about, serving the people of Australia.
120 years of the State of the Service
Today, we're here to talk about the State of the Service. Can you believe the 2024 State of the Service report marks 120 years of reporting on the public service? In 1904, Duncan McLachlin, the original Public Service Commissioner, submitted the very first State of the Service Report to the Minister for Home Affairs.
McLachlin had the idea of public goods running in his veins. He led the "Free Libraries" movement in Redfern which Australians benefit from to this very day.
His first Annual Report on the Public Service makes for fascinating reading. He said, "A strong and reliable public service benefits both the people who work in it and the public who depend on it. For this to happen, every officer, no matter their rank, must strive for high standards in their work, conduct, and commitment to public duty."
These early principles helped shape the APS and continue to influence its evolution today.
The most recent State of the Service Report was released in November 2024. It is filled with insights about the public service. Insights that come from the annual APS Census, from the world around us, and from your own stories of service and achievement. You will get to hear some of those stories during today's event.
The State of the Service Report
The State of the Service Report tells us that as of July 2024, 185,343 of you were working across the APS.
You can be found in 583 locations across Australia. From Broome to Bendigo, from Penrith to my hometown of Perth. Much of this growth has been in frontline service delivery.
In fact, an extra 7,703 staff are now in agencies like Services Australia, the Department of Veterans' Affairs and the National Disability Insurance Agency. Across Australia, public servants are in service delivery roles, making up a key part of the workforce. More staff have been added in key areas like defence, health and home affairs.
We have seen a shift towards more permanent roles. Over the past year, reliance on contractors and labour hire has decreased. We have seen a 12.7 per cent increase in permanent employees.
At the same time we have seen a 20.5 per cent drop in non-ongoing staff. These changes reflect the APS's focus on delivering services and building a capable public service.
Working in the APS
Today's event is all about working in the APS. The State of the Service report highlights where the APS is making real improvements for employees. Better conditions, more flexibility and a stronger focus on workplace culture.
The changes through APS Reform are making that even stronger. The APS Employee Value Proposition captures what you value most about being a public servant. Purpose, growth, community and belonging. Helping attract, retain and develop the workforce needed in a competitive labour market.
The new APS Value of Stewardship reinforces the responsibility to serve government and the public into the future. It means we now have an APS that: 'builds its capability and institutional knowledge and serves the public interest now and into the future by understanding the long-term impacts of its actions'.
Service-wide bargaining, concluded in March 2024, and has reduced the fragmentation of pay and conditions. It resulted in 59 common conditions, wage increases over three years, and substantial improvements to parental leave entitlements and flexible working arrangements.
The 2024 APS Employee Census shows employee engagement is at its highest recorded level:
- 91% of you said you are 'happy to go the extra mile at work when required'.
- 93% of you understand how your role contributes to achieving an outcome for the Australian public.
Employee programs and guidance have been updated to help prevent and respond to workplace sexual harassment, sex discrimination, victimisation, and related unlawful behaviours.
This year's State of the Service report also tells us that 88% of APS agencies are reporting critical skills shortages. These shortages include areas like digital and data, project management, people management and legal skills. One way agencies are addressing these gaps is through the APS Location Framework, released in October 2024, to help agencies address how they employ staff in more locations.
Reflecting the community
Another way the APS is changing is your ongoing efforts to better reflect all of Australia. The Service should reflect the community which it serves.
That is what the 1999 Act demands.
That is why in April 2024, we launched the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Employment Strategy and Action Plan.
Following the Royal Commission into Disability, the APS is working on improving employment for people with disabilities.
The APS is also seeing growth in its LGBTIQA+ community. 9.2 per cent of employees identify as LGBTIQA+ in the 2024 Employee Census.
The APS aims to have 5% of employees from First Nations backgrounds by 2030. There is more that needs to be done as First Nations Australians are currently just 3.4% of the APS workforce.
Through the SES100 program, the number of First Nations SES leaders increased to 85, up from 54 the year before.
Put simply: there is more to do, but we are heading in the right direction.
You have made significant strides
In the last two years, you have made significant strides to implement APS Reform.
Nine in ten employees would now report corruption.
Australia is now ranked tenth on the global government transparency scale.
Australia is now seven points higher than the OECD average in government trust.
MyGov is number one of 102 government websites worldwide.
And you have contributed to a $624 million reduction in spending on consultants in 2023-24.
Trust in government
So where does this all lead?
It builds trust and confidence in the APS. Confidence the APS can deliver the services people need. That we can manage crises and make decisions that benefit the country.
Trust in government and the APS is crucial. The service you provide every day builds that trust. We are talking about the everyday moments that matter in every stage of people's lives.
A new mum submitting a paid parental leave application.
Families relying on the Child Care Subsidy to help with day care costs.
University students getting a passport before their gap year.
War veterans receiving the support they deserve.
Older Australians accessing their pension.
Disaster-affected communities receiving relief support.
The next generation reaping the benefits of a clean energy future, thanks to the APS's work supporting the clean energy transition and energy grid stability.
The APS is truly there for Australians from their first years to their last.
Conclusion
Like our own life journeys, the APS is on a journey too.
Growing, changing, and adapting to fulfil its full potential. As Commissioner Duncan McLaughlin envisioned in 1904: "A strong and reliable public service benefits both the people who work in it and the public who depend on it. If everyone works with integrity and diligence, the future of the Service will be something to take pride in."
Working in the APS means working towards something bigger than yourself.
And that is something you all show each and every day.
Thank you.
