Three years since it began, the Australian Public Service (APS) reform program has built on previous reform efforts and is now in its third and final phase ‘Continuous improvement’. At present 54 of 59 APS reform initiatives are either complete or in delivery, with agencies across the APS actively adopting and embedding changes.

The APS reform program was established to strengthen the public service, under four pillars of public service transformation. The report outlines the key achievements under each of these pillars:

1. an APS that embodies integrity in everything it does
2. an APS that puts people and business at the centre of policy and services
3. an APS that is a model employer
4. an APS that has the capability to do its job well.

The report demonstrates that the APS is making systemic changes. Embedding new practices, ways of working and cultural norms is now in the hands of the service, and it is through collective stewardship that the public service will sustain momentum and translate reform into lasting change. The transformation so far has also positioned the public service to navigate emerging technologies with agility, integrity and purpose.

The completion of initiatives marks a shift in momentum from central delivery to distributed ownership, where the work is embedded, evolving and influencing the system it was designed to serve.