The Taskforce has worked in partnership with agencies engaged in a high tempo of reform activity. This includes integrity as the first pillar of the Government’s ambitious APS reform agenda and the establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Commission on 1 July 2023. We have sought to avoid duplication and used our recommendations to identify gaps or strengthen and uplift existing work or good practices.

Current reforms to provide greater protections to whistle-blowers are complemented by the Taskforce’s emphasis on building a culture of psychological safety in the workplace.

There is reform underway to improve regulation and procurement in the wake of confidentiality breaches by PwC and a taskforce is currently formulating advice for the government’s response to the Robodebt Royal Commission. In addition, inquiries are currently being undertaken by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services and the Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee.

We have collaborated with stakeholders throughout the process but the landscape continues to evolve. This is a good thing. It means some of our recommendations may have already been adopted by the time this Action Plan is presented to Secretaries Board. It could also mean that recommendations have been overtaken by ongoing events, including Cabinet decisions or parliamentary inquiries. In these cases we ask Secretaries to consider the intent of our recommendations.