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Commonwealth legislation
This is the Public Service Regulations 2023, which sets out detailed rules for how the Australian Public Service (APS) operates. Here's what it covers:
Who it affects: APS employees, Agency Heads, the Australian Public Service Commissioner, and the Merit Protection Commissioner.
Key areas:
Code of Conduct (Part 2): Rules about keeping government information confidential, including when APS employees can and cannot disclose information they obtain through their work.
Employment matters (Part 3): How Agency Heads can engage employees (including fixed-term and non-ongoing contracts), require medical examinations, suspend employees suspected of misconduct, and terminate employment.
Review of decisions (Part 4): A two-tier system where employees can challenge certain employment decisions. First to their Agency Head ("primary review"), then to the Merit Protection Commissioner ("secondary review") if unhappy with the outcome. The Merit Protection Commissioner can also review promotion and engagement decisions on their own initiative.
Commissioner functions (Part 5): Powers to investigate breaches of the Code of Conduct by Agency Heads, employees, and statutory office holders, plus handle public interest disclosures (whistleblower complaints).
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Direct links to the current provisions in Public Service Regulations 2023.
Zoe has indexed the source text for search and analysis. Use the official register for the original document and download formats.
View on official registerSourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
Merit Protection Commissioner functions (Part 6): Running Independent Selection Advisory Committees (ISACs) for senior appointments, investigating complaints from former employees, and reviewing actions by statutory office holders.
Administrative changes (Part 7): Protecting employee conditions when government departments are restructured ("machinery of government" changes).
Debt recovery (Part 8): Rules for deducting money from APS salaries to pay court-ordered debts.
Information protection (Part 9): Limits on how personal information can be used and shared.
Why it matters: These regulations give practical effect to the Public Service Act 1999, ensuring the APS operates fairly, transparently, and with proper accountability mechanisms for employees who believe they've been treated unfairly.