Summary
Responding to certain recommendations of the Independent Review of the Australian Public Service (the Thodey Review), the bill amends the Public Service Act 1999 to: include a new Australian Public Service (APS) Value of ‘Stewardship’; require the Secretaries Board to prepare an APS Purpose Statement; require agency heads to uphold and promote the APS Purpose Statement; provide that ministers must not direct agency heads on individual employment matters; require agency heads to put in place measures to enable decision-making to occur at the lowest appropriate classification; require regular capability reviews; require the Secretaries Board to request and publish regular long-term insights reports; require agencies to publish annual APS Employee Census results and respond to relevant findings through an action plan; and remove the requirement to seek the APS Commissioner’s consent to delegate powers and functions to Australian Defence Force members.