Work With Purpose

Monday March 3, 2025

On a journey of continuous reform with Dr Rachel Bacon and Professor Janine O’Flynn – part 1

Launching our new ‘APS Reform in Action’ series, we hear from Dr Rachel Bacon and Professor Janine O’Flynn about enduring APS Reform and why public trust shouldn’t be taken for granted.

The APS Reform Agenda has been a major project for the Australian Public Service over the past years – so, where is it at and where will it go in the future?

Dr Rachel Bacon, deputy commissioner, Integrity, Reform and Enabling Services at the Australian Public Service Commission, and Professor Janine O’Flynn, director of the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy, reflect on changes to the Public Service Act, the impact of capability reviews and long-term Insights Briefings, and the value of stewardship.

Together with David Pembroke, CEO of contentgroup, they also talk about protecting the APS as an ongoing institution and maintaining trust with the public, as discourse about the value of public services grows globally.

Key tips:

  1. To make change stick, you need a shift in culture, a fresh mindset, capability uplift, and patience
  2. Public trust is not a given – it takes continuous effort to maintain
  3. Stewardship sets the public service apart from the private sector – be an active steward for the service.

This series is produced in partnership with the Australian Public Service Commission.

Show notes:

APS Reform | Australian Government

Public Service Amendment Bill | Parliament of Australia

Long-term Insights Briefings | Australian Public Service Commission

Pathways to Positive Public Administration | Edward Elgar

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  • Dr Rachel Bacon image
    Dr Rachel Bacon

    IPAA ACT Councillor
    Deputy Commissioner Integrity, Reform and Enabling Services
    Australian Public Service Commission

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