The Secretaries Board met today at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to discuss the following matters.
Closing the Gap
The Board held a strategic discussion with Ms Catherine Liddle, acting convenor of the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community-Controlled Peak Organisations (the Coalition of Peaks) on delivery of Closing the Gap targets.
Developing and delivering legislative priorities
Secretaries discussed processes to ensure efficient use of legislative drafting resources for bills on the Government’s legislative program.
Economic and Budget Update
Ms Jenny Wilkinson PSM, Secretary of the Department of Finance, and Dr Steven Kennedy PSM, Secretary of the Treasury, provided an economic and budget update.
Foreign Interference Threats and Mitigation
Ms Stephanie Foster PSM, Acting Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs provided an update on activities to raise awareness of the espionage and foreign interference threat to Australia.
APS Integrity Taskforce Report Implementation
The Board agreed to publish the report of the APS Integrity Taskforce and noted implementation of the recommendations will be led by relevant agencies.
APS Hiring and Centralised Recruitment Practices
The Board noted the next steps for improving hiring and centralised recruitment practices, including the use of merit lists in the APS, to strengthen diversity, skills and talent across the APS and promote mobility opportunities for APS employees.
Next Meetings
The next Secretaries Board meeting is scheduled for 6 December 2023.
The Strategic Leadership Group (SLG) met today at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to discuss the following matters.
Strategic Leadership Group Communique
Automated decision-making
SLG considered initial findings from work by the AI in Government Taskforce on the use of automated decision-making across government.
Robodebt Royal Commission Government Response
SLG noted the release of the Government Response to the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme and implementation arrangements.
Dr Gordon de Brouwer PSM, Australian Public Service Commissioner, provided an update on the centralised process established to inquire into alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct by APS employees, former APS employees and Agency Heads arising from the Royal Commission.