Changes to legislation have expanded the monitoring and reporting functions of the Commissioner.
The Commissioner monitors and reports to Parliament on the state of administration and management and on compliance with standards and ethical codes in the public sector. Amendments to the Public Sector Management Act 1994 passed in 2010 significantly expanded the reporting role of the Public Sector Commissioner. The PSC has implemented a program to broaden and enhance its evaluation and monitoring function to address this expanded reporting role.
The Commissioner also reports on compliance with some requirements under public interest disclosure legislation.
Reporting on the state of the sector
In accordance with the Public Sector Management Act 1994, the Public Sector Commissioner reports to Parliament annually on the state of administration and management and on compliance with standards and ethical codes. The report also covers the Commissioner’s obligations under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2003.
The first report under the amended legislation was tabled in November 2011.
The 2012 State of the Sector series includes the State of the sector report, Overview of key findings, and the Statistical Bulletin, which provides a range of data on individual agencies for 2011/12, as well as for previous years where available.
The primary sources of information applied in reporting on the state of administration and management and on compliance are as follows.
Annual agency survey
Public sector agencies are asked to complete an annual agency survey. The survey provides extensive information about a range of different management and administration issues, including the maturity of key compliance systems.
The survey also contributes to information provided to chairs of boards and responsible ministers to support their assessment of CEO performance agreements. The survey results also assists the PSC to identify agencies that may require additional assistance to improve the maturity of key administration and compliance systems or agencies where more targeted examinations or reviews may be warranted. In addition to supporting State of the Sector (SOTS) reporting, results of the Annual Agency Survey are published in a SOTS statistical bulletin.
Employee Perception Survey
The Employee Perception Survey (EPS), provides an opportunity for employees in public sector agencies to give their perspective on how well integrity and human resource management policies and practices are operating in their agency. It also allows the Commission to assess the level of employee awareness and understanding about core accountability measures and policies such as the Public Sector Code of Ethics and PID legislation.
The sampling approach is designed to achieve a representative sample by size and portfolio. The EPS also provides participating agencies with insight into the culture of their organisation. At the conclusion of the process, the Commission provides a detailed feedback report and presentation to the agency’s corporate executive group.
Demographic profile data
Public sector agencies are required to submit Human Resource Minimum Obligatory Information Requirement (HR MOIR) workforce data to the Public Sector Commission (PSC) on a quarterly basis. Data must be based on definitions issued by the PSC and submitted according to set timeframes and other specified requirements.
This information informs demographic profiling included in the State of the Sector Reporting and helps agencies to benchmark themselves against other agencies and the sector at large. This data collection also supports analysis about trends across the sector and relate these to macro tends in the community, such as an increasing population, ageing workforce or fluctuating demand for services.
Detailed demographic profile information is maintained and published with other workforce planning tools (LINK)
Breach of Standards review outcomes
While the quality of management in one specific human resource transaction is not necessarily a reliable indicator of the extent of compliance across a whole agency, patterns of non-compliance across the sector or compliance ‘hot spots’ in a single agency are considered relevant. As a proportion of transactions undertaken breaches of Standards are very low but the PSC does monitor these trends and includes key issues and risks in its State of the Sector Reporting.
Other monitoring activity
The PSC responds to thousands of enquiries and requests for information each year and engages with agencies and key professional groups in the public sector on an ongoing basis through training programs, consultancy services and in the course of reviews, investigations and reviews. Common issues, challenges and risks identified or addressed through these activities are also relevant to the monitoring and reporting function.
Monitoring sector performance and reporting
Changes to legislation have expanded the monitoring and reporting functions of the Commissioner.
The Commissioner monitors and reports to Parliament on the state of administration and management and on compliance with standards and ethical codes in the public sector. Amendments to the Public Sector Management Act 1994 passed in 2010 significantly expanded the reporting role of the Public Sector Commissioner. The PSC has implemented a program to broaden and enhance its evaluation and monitoring function to address this expanded reporting role.
The Commissioner also reports on compliance with some requirements under public interest disclosure legislation.
Reporting on the state of the sector
In accordance with the Public Sector Management Act 1994, the Public Sector Commissioner reports to Parliament annually on the state of administration and management and on compliance with standards and ethical codes. The report also covers the Commissioner’s obligations under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2003.
The first report under the amended legislation was tabled in November 2011.
The 2012 State of the Sector series includes the State of the sector report, Overview of key findings, and the Statistical Bulletin, which provides a range of data on individual agencies for 2011/12, as well as for previous years where available.
The primary sources of information applied in reporting on the state of administration and management and on compliance are as follows.
Annual agency survey
Public sector agencies are asked to complete an annual agency survey. The survey provides extensive information about a range of different management and administration issues, including the maturity of key compliance systems.
The survey also contributes to information provided to chairs of boards and responsible ministers to support their assessment of CEO performance agreements. The survey results also assists the PSC to identify agencies that may require additional assistance to improve the maturity of key administration and compliance systems or agencies where more targeted examinations or reviews may be warranted. In addition to supporting State of the Sector (SOTS) reporting, results of the Annual Agency Survey are published in a SOTS statistical bulletin.
Employee Perception Survey
The Employee Perception Survey (EPS), provides an opportunity for employees in public sector agencies to give their perspective on how well integrity and human resource management policies and practices are operating in their agency. It also allows the Commission to assess the level of employee awareness and understanding about core accountability measures and policies such as the Public Sector Code of Ethics and PID legislation.
The sampling approach is designed to achieve a representative sample by size and portfolio. The EPS also provides participating agencies with insight into the culture of their organisation. At the conclusion of the process, the Commission provides a detailed feedback report and presentation to the agency’s corporate executive group.
Demographic profile data
Public sector agencies are required to submit Human Resource Minimum Obligatory Information Requirement (HR MOIR) workforce data to the Public Sector Commission (PSC) on a quarterly basis. Data must be based on definitions issued by the PSC and submitted according to set timeframes and other specified requirements.
This information informs demographic profiling included in the State of the Sector Reporting and helps agencies to benchmark themselves against other agencies and the sector at large. This data collection also supports analysis about trends across the sector and relate these to macro tends in the community, such as an increasing population, ageing workforce or fluctuating demand for services.
Detailed demographic profile information is maintained and published with other workforce planning tools (LINK)
Breach of Standards review outcomes
While the quality of management in one specific human resource transaction is not necessarily a reliable indicator of the extent of compliance across a whole agency, patterns of non-compliance across the sector or compliance ‘hot spots’ in a single agency are considered relevant. As a proportion of transactions undertaken breaches of Standards are very low but the PSC does monitor these trends and includes key issues and risks in its State of the Sector Reporting.
Other monitoring activity
The PSC responds to thousands of enquiries and requests for information each year and engages with agencies and key professional groups in the public sector on an ongoing basis through training programs, consultancy services and in the course of reviews, investigations and reviews. Common issues, challenges and risks identified or addressed through these activities are also relevant to the monitoring and reporting function.
Page last updated 10 January 2013