Public Service Commission had no strategy to promote code of conduct, audit finds

There were also "limited arrangements in place" to assure the Public Service Commissioner or parliament that the APSC had effectively promoted the APS values and code of conduct, the audit found.

The Australian National Audit Office handed down its report on the APSC's integrity functions on Friday.

The ANAO said all members of the APS were subject to integrity, probity and ethical obligations, particularly in light of "serious failings" within the public service identified in the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme.

After reviewing the APSC's administration of integrity functions between July 2022 and December 2023, the audit office found there was no strategy, linked to outcomes, in place to promote APS values or the code of conduct.

It found there were two strategies within the APSC that related to the promotion of integrity: an APS workforce strategy and APS academy engagement and communication strategy.

"These two strategies, when read together, do not equate to a strategy for promoting the APS values and code of conduct," the report stated.

The auditor-general made four recommendations, which were all agreed to by the APSC.

The audit found the APSC did not have a sound basis for evaluating the extent to which agencies were upholding APS values or the adequacy of systems to ensure the code of conduct was being followed.

One of the APSC's mechanisms, the Ethics Advisory Service, received 684 enquiries during the audit period.

Of those, 222 related to misconduct, 103 related to conflicts of interest and 329 were labelled 'other'.

However the audit found no evidence of controls or assurance over the completeness and accuracy of the data.

"Spreadsheets lack formalised change/version control and reporting, thereby increasing the risk of error," the audit found.

Data collection and feedback on APSC training was also lacking.

"There was no record of the APSC's most senior internal committees - the executive board and executive committee - discussing issues relating to the APS values during the audit review period," the report found.

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The APSC agreed to develop a strategy relating to its statutory function to promote the APS values and code of conduct.

It also agreed to develop an evaluation strategy that would improve the level of assurance given to the Public Service Commissioner and parliament on whether agencies were upholding the APS values.