APS 'working to improve' culture

The APS overall rate of bullying and harassment was up from 9.7 per cent to 10.4 per cent in the annual survey, which took place across 104 agencies in May to June this year.

"Every member of the 170,332-strong Australian Public Service (APS) has a responsibility to build a workplace with a positive culture, wherever they may work," Mr Gorman said, when asked about the rates of bullying and harassment reported across agencies.

"We are working to improve workplace culture and ensure it is free from all forms of workplace bullying and harassment.

"The APS has a zero tolerance for any form of unacceptable behaviour," he said referencing the Code of Conduct's stipulation that all staff treat each other with respect and harassment.

Lagging results in Home Affairs, which included the highest rate of bullying of the departments, at 13 per cent, were not a surprise, the Community and Public Sector Union said.

"The CPSU has been aware of ongoing cultural issues within Home Affairs for many years now," the union's national president Brooke Muscat said.

"These census results reinforce what our members already know - systemic change is desperately needed."

The results were published just a day after Stephanie Foster was announced as the new secretary of the department, replacing Mike Pezzullo, who was sacked on Monday when an inquiry led by former Public Service Commissioner Lynelle Briggs found he had breached the APS Code of Conduct on 14 occasions.

Ms Foster had been acting as the department's secretary since September, when Mr Pezzullo stood aside over allegations he had sought to wield political influence through messages with a Liberal powerbroker.

"With new leadership, our union is hopeful that we will begin to see a more positive workplace culture emerge rather than the toxic command-and-control culture where workers are fearful or penalised for raising workplace issues or providing frank and fearless advice," Ms Muscat said.

Greens spokesperson for the public service Barbara Pocock called out "appalling rates" of endorsement for senior leadership in Home Affairs and Services Australia.

"Leadership ratings by staff are down across the board in this year's survey which should send a strong signal to the APS about the need for quality control in the Senior Executive Service," Senator Pocock said.

Mr Gorman noted a revised SES Performance Leadership Framework, released earlier this year, which standardises performance requirements for senior leaders across the APS.

Senator Pocock also said "actions speak louder than words" when it comes to the appropriate response to bullying in the public service.

"It's heartening to see the APS Commissioner [Gordon de Brouwer] articulate a zero tolerance response to all forms of unacceptable behaviour, however, actions speak louder than words and we need to see concrete steps taken to address this issue head-on," the Greens senator said.