Improving cultural diversity in the public service: understand different leadership styles and be prepared to push back on resistance

The leadership of Australia’s public services really stands out for its lack of cultural diversity.

At last count in 2018, government departments across the country had a higher proportion of chief executives from an Anglo-Celtic background than the ASX200, the university sector, or even the federal government ministry.

The Australian Human Rights Commission’s Leading for change report found 84.5% of secretaries had an Anglo-Celtic background, 14.5% other European, and only 1% a non-European background. There was no-one with an Indigenous background.