The Home Affairs Minister has spoken frankly about tasking Stephanie Foster with transforming the department's tattered reputation, after years of poor staff feedback, and the sacking of its former boss.
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Clare O'Neil said her "first request" to Ms Foster, upon her appointment in November 2023, had been to address well-publicised cultural issues within Home Affairs, which public servants have ranked as the worst department to work for.
"Working with the men and women of Home Affairs is the honour of my life," Ms O'Neil said in a keynote address to an ANU National Security College conference.
"They are amazing people, patriots to their core, deeply committed to serving their communities, they are practical, action oriented, experienced and intelligent."
"These staff know better than anyone that when we came to government, we inherited a Home Affairs Department with some real difficulties.
"And the problems that you read about sometimes in the newspaper have been verified by a number of independent reviews that we've issued over the past 18 months."
The mega agency has dealt with cultural issues for some time.
The main public sector union has claimed this was caused by a "command-and-control" structure under former secretary Mike Pezzullo, in which the department turned away from a collaborative and consultative approach with staff.
Mr Pezullo was sacked in November after an inquiry led by the Public Service Commission found he had breached the APS Code of Conduct at least 14 times, in relation to allegations that included using his duty, power, status or authority to seek to gain a benefit or advantage for himself.
He had previously linked poor culture to dissatisfaction with pay, telling a parliamentary inquiry in February 2023 he wished he could pay his staff more.
Feedback surveys released in 2023 showed some improvement on previous years, but just 57 per cent of staff called Home Affairs "a good place to work", putting it behind every other department and major agency.
Attitudes to pay remain poor - just 34 per cent of staff said they felt fairly remunerated last year, though this was before a new service-wide pay deal, offering an 11.2 per cent increase over three years.
"That's why when Stephanie Foster was appointed as the secretary of Home Affairs five months ago, my first request to her was to help me to address these issues within the organisation," Ms O'Neil said.
"And we are working together to rebuild the department, it's a very significant task.
The Home Affairs Minister said Ms Foster's work would involve "addressing organisational issues which have been well publicised, and making Home Affairs an employer of choice".
"We want young people such as the brilliant students here at the National Security College to dream and aspire to work at the Home Affairs department," she told those attending the conference.
Home Affairs implements 'cultural refresh program'
Ms Foster also gave a wide-ranging speech on reforms taking place within the department, stressing its importance as a "national security asset and national security capability".
"And we in this community, have a collective responsibility for its health and its effectiveness."
A number of reviews into capability, procurement, and resourcing are currently underway, and "cultural refresh program" is being implemented, she said.
On integrity, which is front of mind for public service bosses, she said the issue "has particular resonance for us".
"Partly because of our functions," the Home Affairs boss explained.
"The average APS officer does not deal with drugs and guns and illegal vapes, or sex trafficking through the visa system, or the many other functions that we do, that bring us into contact with organised crime and bribery.
"We have functions that are much more susceptible to corruption than your average public servant."
Ms Foster alluded to the dismantling of the so-called "command-and-control" structure within the department as she said senior leaders were seeking to replace "processes and rules with principles and accountability".
"Our approach to conflicts of interest is a great example," she said.
"It's rich in process and rules, but lacking in a frank conversation about what's okay and what's not.
"And ways to support our staff to actively manage the risks associated with real or perceived conflicts once they're surfaced."
Her expectations for senior public servants are high too.
"I want, I need, every leader in Home Affairs to demonstrate their own version of exemplary leadership so that we attract and retain the best and the brightest."