The Public Service is the administrative arm of the Executive Government, accountable to the relevant ministers and the Parliament.
The array of government departments and authorities is charged with the responsibility of advising the government of the day and implementing government and parliamentary decisions.
The Public Service is also known as the “bureaucracy”. In Britain, it is commonly called the “civil service”. It comprises the government departments, either federally or in the States, and also includes the members of Government Business Enterprises, Statutory Authorities and other Agencies.
The role of the Public Service is two-fold:
- to advise the government of the day on policy matters.
- to implement government decisions and parliamentary legislation.
The Public Service has traditionally operated under a system of permanent tenure designed to ensure its independence and impartiality. This has been broken down in recent years with senior public servants being placed on fixed-term contracts.
- A more detailed explanation of the Public Service, including statistics
- Federal Government Departments, Agencies and Authorities
- Listen to the theme from the classic TV series Yes, Minister.
Archived Posts
- August 11, 2016: Census Back Online; Contrite ABS Staff Apologise And Say They’re Back On Track
- July 19, 2016: Administrative Arrangements For The Second Turnbull Government
- March 8, 2016: Immigration Detention And Children: Statement From Immigration And Border Protection Department
- February 18, 2016: Administrative Arrangements Order – Amendments
- September 18, 2013: Abbott Government: Administrative Arrangements Order
- December 4, 2012: John Faulkner Calls For Better Governance Of Parliament, Public Service And The ALP
- November 12, 2008: Ken Henry’s Address To The National Press Club
- December 6, 2007: Rudd Government Strengthens Independence Of The Reserve Bank
- December 3, 2007: The Rudd Ministry: Who Does What
- March 14, 2007: Ken Henry Speech To Treasury Staff
- July 27, 2003: Young Workers Drawn To Queensland Public Service
- September 25, 2002: Simon Crean Queries John Anderson On Sacking Of Allan Hawke
- August 2, 2002: The ‘Truth Factory’: Robert Stewart Parker And The Public Service
- May 19, 2002: Supply And The Budget
- February 6, 2002: Abbott, Public Service Basher, Repents
- June 19, 2001: John Howard: The Australian Public Service
- December 8, 1999: New Secretary Appointed To Attorney-General’s Department
- October 24, 1999: New Head of Defence Department Appointed
- November 1, 1997: The Axemen Cometh