Public Service Act amendment

The Public Service Australian Public Service Amendment Bill 2012 (the Bill) was passed by Parliament on 7 February 2013.
The Bill gives effect to recommendations of the Advisory Group on the Reform of Australian Government Administration, in its report Ahead of the Game: Blueprint for the Reform of Australian Government Administration. The main features are:

revised governance arrangements for APS leadership, including reforms that will strengthen the independence of Secretaries and provide a clear statement of their role
a clearer, shorter statement of the APS Values, blending contemporary approaches with enduring principles of public administration that go to the heart of the Westminster model
reforms that set out more clearly the role of the Australian Public Service Commissioner as a central authority for the development and stewardship of the Australian Public Service
amendments to the Merit Protection Commissioner's review functions, the APS Code of Conduct and the handling of misconduct, and
a range of practical improvements to the Public Service Act that address a number of operational matters that have arisen since the last major changes in 1999.

The new legislation will be implemented on a date to be announced shortly. In the meantime, the current provisions of the Public Service Act 1999 (the Act) continue in effect.
Further information for agencies is available in Circular 2013/2: Public Service Amendment Bill 2012 on the APS circulars page.