The Australian Public Service Commission conducts an annual APS Employee Census – it isn’t meant to be used for political purposes. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
It’s official – the Australian Public Service Employee Census is now a political tool.
Results of the overall findings from this year’s survey of APS staff have been released and, broadly speaking, they paint a decent picture of where the service is at.
Most indicators of staff attitudes towards their work, supervisors and job satisfaction are trending in the right direction.
As reported in Region on Monday (22 September), some results are exceptionally positive.
A whopping 91 per cent of the survey’s respondents say they are happy to go the “extra mile” at work when required.
Eighty-eight per cent say they feel committed to their agency’s goals, and 88 per cent again agreed that their supervisors ensure their workgroups deliver on what they are responsible for.
Good results indeed, but all of those examples have remained unchanged from last year’s employee census.
Other indicators, however, have had a significant jump since the 2024 census.
The “I would recommend my agency as a good place to work” bumped up five percentage points this year to come in at 77 per cent.
“My agency really inspires me to do my best work every day” jumped six points to 67 per cent.
Wellbeing indicators are going great guns too, with 73 per cent (up five points since last year) ticking the “I am satisfied with the policies/practices in place to help me manage my health and wellbeing” box.
Satisfaction over flexible working arrangements is generally up, as is confidence in the integrity of the APS and clarity over responsibilities.
Discrimination, bullying and harassment have all slightly trended in the right direction (down), as have observations of corrupt conduct.
The 2025 APS Employee Census results make for interesting reading and, at face value at least, are so good that the Federal Government can’t help but brag about them.
That’s understandable. There’s a lot to feel good about.
But the blatant party-political promotion in releasing this year’s results shows Labor is more than happy to weaponise the public service to its advantage.
“The Albanese Labor Government has made rebuilding and strengthening the Australian Public Service (APS) a priority,” screamed the first line of the media release accompanying the census results.
It goes on to say the results “reflect the government’s determination to restore capability to the APS and to value the contribution of public servants after years of underinvestment and outsourcing”.
Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher is herself quoted as saying: “These results show what happens when a government values the public service and invests in its people.”
These are all true and are good points to make – but they shouldn’t be made when releasing the results of the APS Employee Census.
Participation in the census is voluntary, but there is a great deal of persuasive pressure put on employees to take part and respond to the survey.
Some agencies have internal competitions to see which of their teams has the highest percentage of respondents to the survey.
The employee census is an important tool, but it shouldn’t be a political one.
Employees don’t take part with the hope that their answers will allow the government of the day to beat its own chest and take the credit for the hard work of its apolitical workforce.
It seems it is too tempting, however, for Labor not to brag about the good results.
It is certainly the case that the APS is a happier animal since the ALP came to office, and this government has greatly invested in a positive reform agenda.
And why wouldn’t the government boast every opportunity it gets about how it is treating its workforce better than the last mob did?
In most instances, such political chest-beating over the APS is fine – amusing even.
When talking about the APS reform agenda, when highlighting changes in policies around the use of external consultants, and when expressing confidence in the APS, all present perfectly good opportunities for the government to sing its own praises.
But data voluntarily offered up from public servants for an important annual survey isn’t meant to be politicised. It loses its impact and value when it is.
