An "expeditious" investigation will determine the fate of Home Affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo, as former public servants say a deeper look at APS culture is needed.
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Anthony Albanese confirmed Mr Pezzullo would stand aside for the course of the Australian Public Service Commission investigation, to be led by former commissioner Lynelle Briggs, while Home Affairs associate secretary Stephanie Foster will act as secretary.
"I think this requires a full and proper disclosure," Mr Albanese said.
"That needs to be done in an expeditious way. And I'm sure it will be."
The investigation was announced following reports in the Nine newspapers that Mr Pezzullo allegedly sent messages to former vice-president of the NSW Liberals Scott Briggs over the course of five years, to influence political matters.
Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil on Monday morning said she had referred the matter to the APS Commission, and by lunchtime an investigation had been announced.
The Australian Public Service Commission has declined to comment on the nature of the investigation.
Nine newspapers have not suggested the messages show corrupt or illegal conduct but have argued they show Mr Pezzullo overstepping the APS value of impartiality.
Ms Briggs will consider whether Mr Pezzullo breached the APS Code of Conduct.
'There are systemic problems here'
Former senior public servants have welcomed the investigation but cautioned the government and senior APS officials against viewing the matter as "just one individual misbehaving".
"There are systemic problems here that need to be addressed," former Public Service Commissioner Andrew Podger said.
"In particular, this incentive for excessive responsiveness to the government of the day, getting involved in activities, that should not be the preserve of public servants at all," Professor Podger said.
"But there is an incentive to please in order to position yourself for future appointments, and that's what worries me most."
He has been agitating for changes to secretaries' appointments to be included in legislation, and has criticised a proposed amendment to the Public Service Bill for lacking such provisions.
Professor Podger, who served as commissioner between 2002 and 2004, has called for the Public Service Commissioner to play the lead role in advising the prime minister on secretaries' appointments and terminations.
Where the prime minister deviates from this advice, they should be required to report this to Parliament, he argues, while the Opposition Leader should also be consulted in appointing the APS Commissioner.
Former officials urge examination of APS culture
Former Department of Finance deputy secretary Stephen Bartos said the Albanese government, in responding to the matter, "should not be naive about the extent of change required".
"There is a much bigger question that is, 'Is this one isolated case, or is this reflective of broader cultural attitudes at senior levels?'"
"And that's, I think, the more important question but it's got to be addressed ... by the government as a whole in speaking about public sector reform."
Mr Bartos said the government must respond through its reforms to capability of the public service, which should not just focus on skills, but also on attitudes.
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While the government has embarked on a capability reform program, it has not "gone the extent of taking the appointment powers out of the hands of ministers and making them independent", Mr Bartos said.
"Bigger institutional changes to make appointments much more independent and merit-based would be a way of overcoming this problem without just doing a tick for tack, 'We'll replace your people with our people,'" he said, referring to the practice of new governments sacking senior officials.
A spokesperson for the Australian Public Service Commission on Monday said "it takes referrals seriously".
"At this early stage it would be inappropriate to provide commentary that pre-empts any processes."
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