Public Sector Ethics and Integrity
Stewardship and Reform
The Newest APS Value
In 2024, the Australian Public Service (APS) officially adopted a new core value: Stewardship. This wasn't just a symbolic gesture. It was codified through amendments to the Public Service Act 1999 and the Australian Public Service Commissioner's Directions 2022. This change signals a shift in how public servants are expected to view their role, moving beyond immediate tasks to embrace a much longer-term responsibility.
More Than a Caretaker
Stewardship in the APS has a dual focus. Firstly, it's about protecting the long-term public interest. This means considering the needs of future generations, a concept known as intergenerational equity, not just the demands of the current political cycle. It requires looking ahead to challenges like climate change, technological disruption, and demographic shifts, ensuring the nation is well-prepared.
Secondly, stewardship is about actively building the capability of the APS itself. This involves more than just managing resources efficiently. It means fostering deep institutional knowledge, learning from past successes and failures, and ensuring that skills and expertise are developed and retained within the service. The goal is to leave the institution stronger and more capable for those who come after.
Stewardship is an active duty. It compels public servants to not only maintain the institution but to improve it for the future.
Frank and Fearless Advice
A crucial part of stewardship is the responsibility to provide 'frank and fearless' advice to the government. Within the of government, the public service is meant to be apolitical and serve the government of the day. However, stewardship reinforces the duty to provide advice that is honest, evidence-based, and impartial, even if it is unwelcome or challenges the government's preferred position.
This isn't about obstruction; it's about good governance. By offering unvarnished insights based on deep expertise and a long-term perspective, the APS helps the government make better-informed decisions. This function is vital for holding power to account and ensuring policies are robust, effective, and truly in the public interest.
A practical stewardship mindset means keeping governing documents current, reviewing conflicts at every meeting, making IPS and spending policies usable in real life, monitoring risk as closely as returns, and documenting decisions so future board members can follow the logic.
This focus on long-term good isn't unique to the federal level. Many states have similar principles embedded in their own integrity frameworks. For example, the Queensland Public Sector Ethics Act 1994 includes the principle of 'promoting the public good', which shares a philosophical foundation with the APS value of stewardship.
| Principle | Jurisdiction | Core Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Stewardship | Federal (APS) | Long-term public interest and building institutional capability. |
| Promoting the Public Good | Queensland | Ensuring public resources are used for community benefit and enhancing the common good. |
| Public Interest | Victoria | Acting in the public interest and placing it above personal or private interests. |
By formally embedding stewardship as a value, the APS is making a clear statement. The role of a public servant extends beyond the present, carrying a responsibility to strengthen the foundations of government for the benefit of all Australians, now and in the future.