Appendix 6  APS Values and Code of Conduct

Introduction

The Public Service Act and its subordinate legislation contains the APS values and Code of Conduct. All Defence APS employees must adhere to the values and the code and model the behaviours.

APS values

The Australian Public Service:

§ is apolitical, performing its functions in an impartial and professional manner;

§ is a public service in which employment decisions are based on merit;

§ provides a workplace that is free from discrimination and recognises and utilises the diversity of the Australian community it serves;

§ has the highest ethical standards;

§ is openly accountable for its actions, within the framework of Ministerial responsibility to the Government, the Parliament and the Australian public;

§ is responsive to the Government in providing frank, honest, comprehensive, accurate and timely advice and in implementing the Government's policies and programs;

§ delivers services fairly, effectively, impartially and courteously to the Australian public and is sensitive to the diversity of the Australian public;

§ has leadership of the highest quality;

§ establishes workplace relations that value communication, consultation, co-operation and input from employees on matters that affect their workplace;

§ provides a fair, flexible, safe and rewarding workplace;

§ focuses on achieving results and managing performance;

§ promotes equity in employment;

§ provides a reasonable opportunity to all eligible members of the community to apply for APS employment;

§ is a career-based service to enhance the effectiveness and cohesion of Australia's democratic system of government;

§ provides a fair system of review of decisions taken in respect of employees.

Code of Conduct

APS employees are required, under the Code of Conduct, to behave at all times in a way which upholds the APS Values.

The Code of Conduct requires that an employee must:

§ behave honestly and with integrity in the course of APS employment;

§ act with care and diligence in the course of APS employment;

§ when acting in the course of APS employment, treat everyone with respect and courtesy, and without harassment;

§ when acting in the course of APS employment, comply with all applicable Australian laws;

§ comply with any lawful and reasonable direction given by someone in the employee's Agency who has authority to give the direction;

§ maintain appropriate confidentiality about dealings that the employee has with any Minister or Minister's member of staff;

§ disclose, and take reasonable steps to avoid, any conflict of interest (real or apparent) in connection with APS employment;

§ use Commonwealth resources in a proper manner;

§ not provide false or misleading information in response to a request for information that is made for official purposes in connection with the employee's APS employment;

§ not make improper use of:
(a) inside information, or
(b) the employee's duties, status, power or authority,
in order to gain, or seek to gain, a benefit or advantage for the employee or for any other person;

§ at all times behave in a way that upholds the APS Values and the integrity and good reputation of the APS;

§ while on duty overseas, at all times behave in a way that upholds the good reputation of Australia; and

comply with any other conduct requirement that is prescribed by the (Public Service) regulations.

Agency heads are bound by the Code of Conduct in the same way as APS employees and have an additional duty to promote the APS Values.

PACMATE                                                             AL13 (August 2006)                                               Annex 5.A Appendix 6 – 1