Dr Nicholas Horne, Politics and Public Administration
Section
A number of reform themes are current for the Australian Public
Service (APS).
The 2010 blueprint for reform
In September 2009 then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced the
establishment of an Advisory Group to develop a ‘blueprint
for reform’ of the APS.
The Group, chaired by head of the Department of the Prime
Minister and Cabinet Terry Moran AO, completed its work in March
2010 and proposed a number of reforms including:
- restructuring and augmenting the role of the Australian Public
Service Commission (APSC)
- reviewing employment arrangements for departmental secretaries,
and
- reviewing public service efficiency mechanisms such as the
efficiency dividend.
In May 2010 the Prime Minister announced that the Government had
accepted all of the Advisory Group’s recommendations. The
2010–11 Budget provided additional money ($38.7 million) for
the APSC to undertake its expanded role including implementing half
of the blueprint and taking policy responsibility for APS
employment conditions and agreement-making.
Shortly before the 2010 federal election the Government
announced that, if it was returned to office, the APSC would still
undertake its expanded role as planned but would not receive the
additional funding specified in the Budget.
The APSC has already commenced its new role; with the return of
the Gillard Government, it remains to be seen how the APSC will
pursue the reform agenda without additional funding.
Increased regional focus
In its agreement with two of the non-aligned independents, Tony
Windsor MP and Robert Oakeshott MP, the Government has committed to
a range of governance and public administration measures in order
to provide a greater emphasis on regional policy.
These measures include a regional Australia cabinet ministry; a
dedicated Department of Regional Australia; a regional Australia
coordinating unit within the Department of the Prime Minister and
Cabinet; and an agency to provide advice to the public concerning
regional health and aged care.
The efficiency dividend
Currently the efficiency dividend, which is an annual funding
reduction, is imposed on government agencies at the rate of 1.25
per cent per annum. Prior to the 2010 election the Government
announced that it would retain the dividend at this rate if
returned to office.
Coalition policies
In its pre-election policies the Coalition indicated that, if
elected to office, it would not proceed with the blueprint reform
programme, and that it would set the efficiency dividend at 1.25
per annum with a subsequent increase to 2.0 per cent per annum from
2012.
The Coalition also indicated that it would impose a recruitment
freeze on the APS for two years to achieve a reduction of
12 000 positions through natural attrition (first announced in
May 2010).
APS employee numbers
In June 2009 the APS (i.e. staff employed under the Public
Service Act 1999) had just over 162 000 employees.
APS employees numbers 1990-2009 -
Text version
Source: APSC, State of the Service
Report 08–09, APSC, Canberra, 2009, p. 2, http://www.apsc.gov.au/stateoftheservice/0809/report.pdf
Library publications and key documents
Australian Labor Party and the Independent
Members Oakeshott and Windsor, Agreement, 7 September
2010,http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22library%2Fjrnart%2F218795%22
Advisory Group on Reform of Australian
Government Administration, Ahead of the Game: Blueprint for the
Reform of Australian Government Administration, Department of
the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Canberra, March 2010,
http://www.dpmc.gov.au/publications/aga_reform/aga_reform_blueprint/blueprint.cfm
Australian Labor Party, Updated net budget
impact of election policies, media releases, 31 July 2010 and
16 August 2010,
http://www.alp.org.au/federal-government/news/updated-net-budget-impact-of-election-policies-(4)/;
http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query%3DId%3A%22media%2Fpressrel%2FZCRX6%22
Liberal Party of Australia and the Nationals,
The Coalition’s Plan for Real Action for
Australia’s Future, Liberal Party of Australia,
Canberra, August 2010, pp. 16, 19,
http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22library%2Fpartypol%2F67572%22