The instalment of reform secretary Dr Gordon de Brouwer as the next APS commissioner to replace Peter Woolcott may have been the plan all along, with the government signalling de Brouwer’s mandate to shape the evolution of public sector work will continue with him in the new role.
In a statement to The Mandarin, public service minister Katy Gallagher said Dr de Brouwer would continue to lead the work he was tasked with spearheading last June.
“Over time the government will look at how the reform function may be formally transferred to the APSC,” Gallagher said.
Dr de Brouwer’s two-year mission to ‘design and deliver recommendations to strengthen the public sector’ was barely half done before he was cast in his new role following the early retirement of Peter Woolcott last week.
But the economist, former secretary and national president of IPAA ACT may well have been an obvious replacement for the government to step in once the APS commissioner’s tenure ended. In fact, his role in PM&C alongside Gyn Davis may have always been a way to start laying the bitumen on the APS reform runway before taking the reins of the commission.
“[Dr de Brouwer’s work will] support the government’s commitment to building a stronger public service that delivers better outcomes for the community, acts as a model employer and contributes to building a fairer and more inclusive Australia,” Gallagher said at the time de Brouwer was named reform secretary.
“The APS plays a crucial role in serving the Australian community and helping to shape the future of our nation and the appointment of Dr de Brouwer to lead this important work demonstrates the government’s commitment to ensuring that the APS is fit for purpose going forward,” she said.
The mission sounded a lot like the work of an APS commissioner, with a slightly nuanced focus: the public sector as compared to the more discrete public service.
Caroline Walsh, IPAA ACT CEO and IPAA National executive director, welcomed the news of de Brouwer’s new appointment and said he was a compassionate leader who would promote accountability, effectiveness and performance.
“I know Gordon is well respected and known for his thoughtful and collaborative approach,” Walsh said.
“Gordon took to the role of IPAA National president with vigour and an abiding commitment to and respect for the people who work across the sector.
“He shone a light on what he considered to be an unacceptable rate of bullying and harassment and sought to improve civility and respect across the sector,” she said.
In Walsh’s view, de Brouwer has a track record of calling out issues as he sees them, and is adept at finding ways to lift culture and engagement. He recently underscored the importance of integrity and trust as APS values in a podcast hosted by the professional member organisation.
“We’re sure he will continue to support efforts to continually improve the public service to ensure it does the best job possible for the Australian community.
“Gordon’s long commitment to reform, large and small scale, will help build a stronger APS,” she said, adding efforts to shining a light on strengthening trust and integrity across Australia’s public services, and supporting an environment where outcomes as well as good behaviour was rewarded were priorities for IPAA.
Walsh also thanked Peter Woolcott for the forward-looking APS remarks he shared at his valedictory speech last week.
“I am especially pleased that issues around diversity — especially for CALD and neurodiverse segments of the public sector — were called out by Peter and the audience at the valedictory,” Walsh said.
“We look forward to strengthening diversity and inclusion efforts with our members.”
Also commenting on the news of de Brouwer’s commissioner role, CPSU national secretary Melissa Donnelly passed on her congratulations. She said the immediate focus of the union was service-wide bargaining to ensure conditions were improved and a “real pay rise” for public servants.
“The Australian Public Service Commission and the Community and Public Sector Union have the shared goal and task of rebuilding the APS so that it is a better place to work and better able to deliver the public services that Australians rely on every day,” Donnelly said.
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