Teals say government needs to get serious about APS reform

article-body

Independents have called for the amendments to the Public Service Act to go further during the bill’s second reading debate.

The main amendments include adding stewardship as an APS value, the creation of an APS purpose statement, and allowing decision-making at the lowest appropriate classification level and regular capability reviews.

Teal independent MP Allegra Spender criticised the lack of ambition for APS reform in the bill.

Spender said so far there was only the October high-level speech by public service minister Katy Gallagher.

The speech set out the APS reform agenda with four components: integrity, client-centred service, government as a model employer, and capability.

“These principles and components are all fine in principle, but a vision isn’t enough,” Spender said.

“We need details about how and when the government is going to achieve this vision, what the priorities and trade-offs are, and we need to know how this bill fits into the bigger picture.

“Without those details, it’s hard to know whether this government is serious about APS reform because this bill, frankly, doesn’t go very far.”

Spender added she would be supporting the bill.

Another independent MP and former ABC journalist Zoe Daniel expressed her concerns about long-term consultants sitting alongside public servants.

“I’ve seen the consequences of similar management practices during my close to three decades at the ABC. These days, no less than 40% of those working at the national broadcaster are employed on short-term contracts,” Daniel said.

“This has had a significant impact on staff morale, and I would argue on the ABCs performance as well as the organisation.

“It seems to me that these are similar, if not identical, to the challenges facing the broader public service.”

Daniel called for the bill to be delayed after the government responded to the recommendations of the robodebt royal commission, made the results of the secretaries board integrity taskforce public, and acted on the Thodey recommendations on secretary appointments and terminations.

The integrity taskforce was set up earlier this year, in response to the robodebt royal commission and the inquiry into former prime minister Scott Morrison’s multiple ministerial appointments.

A few Labor MPs spoke (unsurprisingly) in favour of the bill, including assistant minister for foreign affairs Tim Watts.

Watts said the amendments represented an “important step forward” to building the public’s trust in government.

“Stewardship will require APS employees to uphold the public interest and build APS capability and institutional knowledge ensuring that the long term impacts of their actions are considered,” Watts said.

“The value along with existing Australian Public Service values will provide many many things to help the Australian public service and help Australians reflect the expectations of what the Australian community is.”