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Submissions

Thank you to everyone who has made a submission to this review of Australia’s public service. Your analysis, experiences and ideas are invaluable.

About submissions

At the close of our call for public submissions on 31 July 2018, the review had received 668 contributions over 8 weeks.

We value all input and continued to accept submissions — bringing us to well over 700.

We stopped accepting submissions on 31 May 2019. And encourage you to read more of the ideas received during this review.

Of all the submissions to this review:

  • 80% came from individuals, with the largest group being employees of the Australian Public Service, as well as people using government services and others with public sector expertise
  • 18% came from organisations including small and large business, government and industry or interest groups
  • contributions came from every Australian state and territory, as well as some international jurisdictions
  • and some entities sent in more than 1 submission

What we heard

It’s clear public servants are passionate about their work but there is a sense the service is not always reaching its potential, meeting expectations or being as proactive as it would like.

Public servants and their organisations are grappling with:

  • a lack of confidence
  • divergent priorities
  • working relationships which can be fragile and distrusting
  • structures and processes that can get in the way of doing a good job
  • getting and keeping the people they need

People told us they want:

  • a clear purpose and culture shared across the public service
  • a valued and respected institution
  • skills and capabilities that are developed, maintained and renewed among employees
  • better understanding of the changing nature of leadership and expertise
  • new ways of working embedded in the system
  • an inventive and nimble public service focused on outcomes modern structures, processes and organisations
  • a focus on the needs of the people of Australia

Publishing submissions

Authors chose if they wanted their submission to be published, and were also able to be anonymous if they wished.

Of the total submissions:

  • 77% were published
  • 23% remain private

Of the published submissions:

  • 57% were named
  • 43% were anonymous

Submissions were checked carefully against legal and privacy requirements in our terms and conditions. Some were published with personal information or third party references redacted.

The views in these submissions belong to their authors. They also provided us with insights to different experiences with the public service and help to inform a public discussion.

Submissions

Title Submission Transcript Attachment
University of Melbourne University of Melbourne submission (Policy Lab) to the Independent Review of the Australian Publi Improving Outcomes for PDF icon Download (1.97 MB)
Department of Agriculture & Water Resources Please find attached submission from the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources to the Ind Submission to the Independent Review of the Australian Public Service File Download (78.01 KB)
Felicity Fahey To the panel,
Dylan O'Callaghan I’ve worked multiple jobs in my past and even undertook warehouse and truck driving through part
Partners in Performance Please find attached the Partners in Perfomance submission based on our experience driving reform PDF icon Download (139.59 KB)
Dean Marden The dearth of trained cyber security professionals in Australia and represents a strategic risk t Cyber Security Staff – Attraction and Retention PDF icon Download (427.22 KB)
AGLIN Please find attached an earlier Review of Government Libraries and their staff conducted by Dr Ha Commonwealth Government Agency Libraries Review Research Report PDF icon Download (1.87 MB)
John Christian
Grant Nicholson Classification Structure
Australasian Evaluation Society Submission abstract Australasian Evaluation Society Ltd (AES) ACN 606 044 624 Submission to the File Download (208.27 KB)
Fiona Stanley document attached REVIEW OF AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC SERVICE. July 2018 Submitted by: File Download (189.75 KB)
Ms Patricia Kelly Document uploaded Submission to the APS Review Background PDF icon Download (91.44 KB)
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman 9 August 2018 Mr David Thodey AO Chair PDF icon Download (128.2 KB)
John Gale Problematic external factors with negative impact
Gwilym Croucher Submission attached on independent scientific and technical advice and government support for sci Submission to the APS Review – Independent scientific and technical advice and government support File Download (48.04 KB)
Open Contracting Partnership Open Contracting Partnership Open Contracting Partnership Submission Australian Public Service Review 2018 File Download (33.82 KB)
APS Indigenous SES Steering Committee Please see submission attached from Wendy Ah Chin and Kevin Brahim, on behalf of the APS Indigeno APS Review Submission by APS Indigenous SES Steering Committee July 2018 File Download (135.88 KB)
Chris Malcher Questions for consideration in reviewing public service motivations and pressures File Download (50.98 KB)
Sabina Curatolo Australia’s world class public service provides strong foundations upon which to build the APS fo Transforming the APS to unlock social innovation PDF icon Download (1.43 MB)
Melbourne School of Government Please see the attached submission. Submission to Independent Review of the Australian Public Service File Download (158.07 KB)
ARPI The Australian Risk Policy Institute is pleased to lodge a submission to the Independent Review o PO Box 295 Mawson ACT 2607 PDF icon Download (110.63 KB)
Tim Vines Please see attached submission. Dear Review Panel File Download (26.78 KB)
Interaction Consulting Group Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission. Review of the Australian Public Service: Submission from Interaction Consulting PDF icon Download (383.53 KB)
BCCM The BCCM strongly believes that a fit for purpose public service is one that engages meaningfully Submission to the Independent Review of the Australian Public Service PDF icon Download (604.93 KB)
ASU Tax Officers' Branch See attached submission Australian Services Union PDF icon Download (234.66 KB)

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