Contents

Part 1--Preliminary                                                                                                                                        1

1............ Name............................................................................................................................. 1

2............ Commencement............................................................................................................. 1

3............ Authority....................................................................................................................... 1

4............ Schedules...................................................................................................................... 1

5............ Definitions..................................................................................................................... 1

6............ Meaning of higher classification................................................................................... 4

Part 2--The Code of Conduct                                                                                                                 5

7............ Duty not to disclose information................................................................................... 5

8............ Statutory office holders bound by Code of Conduct..................................................... 5

9............ Limitation on sanctions for breaches of Code of Conduct............................................. 7

Part 3--APS employees                                                                                                                                8

Division 1--Employer powers etc. of Agency Heads                                                            8

10.......... Condition of engagement--health clearance.................................................................. 8

11.......... Direction to attend medical examination........................................................................ 8

12.......... Engagement of SES employees for a specified term...................................................... 9

13.......... Engagement of non-ongoing non-SES employees........................................................ 9

14.......... Suspension from duties............................................................................................... 11

15.......... Termination of employment......................................................................................... 12

Division 2--Miscellaneous                                                                                                                  13

16.......... Knowledge of Act, regulations and Commissioner's Directions................................. 13

Part 4--Review of actions                                                                                                                         14

Division 1--Statement of intent and outline                                                                              14

17.......... General policy about review........................................................................................ 14

18.......... Review of APS actions--certain promotion decisions and engagement decisions...... 14

19.......... Review of other APS actions...................................................................................... 14

Division 2--Review of certain APS promotion decisions and engagement decisions (including decisions involving Parliamentary Service employees)                                                 15

20.......... Application of this Division........................................................................................ 15

21.......... Entitlement to review--promotion decisions............................................................... 15

22.......... Entitlement to review--engagement decisions involving Parliamentary Service employees     16

23.......... Grounds for review..................................................................................................... 16

24.......... Application for review................................................................................................. 17

25.......... Appointment of PRC................................................................................................... 17

26.......... Constitution of PRC.................................................................................................... 17

27.......... Statements by parties................................................................................................... 18

28.......... Frivolous or vexatious applications............................................................................. 19

29.......... PRC procedures--minimum requirements.................................................................. 19

30.......... PRC procedures--Merit Protection Commissioner's instructions.............................. 19

31.......... Assistance to PRC....................................................................................................... 19

32.......... Requirement to provide information or documents...................................................... 19

33.......... Conduct of review by PRC......................................................................................... 19

34.......... Non-agreement on decision or recommendation by PRC............................................ 20

35.......... Effect of PRC decision or PRC recommendation........................................................ 21

Division 3--Review of other APS actions                                                                                  23

Subdivision A--Reviewable actions                                                                                               23

36.......... Entitlement to review................................................................................................... 23

37.......... What APS actions are reviewable actions.................................................................... 23

Subdivision B--Primary review                                                                                                     26

38.......... Application for primary review................................................................................... 26

39.......... Referral to Merit Protection Commissioner................................................................. 26

40.......... Notice that APS action is not a reviewable action........................................................ 27

41.......... Conduct of review by relevant Agency Head.............................................................. 27

42.......... Conduct of review by Merit Protection Commissioner............................................... 28

Subdivision C--Secondary review                                                                                                 28

43.......... Application for secondary review................................................................................ 28

44.......... Agency Head to give documents to Merit Protection Commissioner.......................... 28

45.......... Conduct of review by Merit Protection Commissioner............................................... 29

Subdivision D--Action following recommendation to Agency Head                                    29

46.......... Action by Agency Head.............................................................................................. 29

Subdivision E--Other provisions about review                                                                          30

47.......... Review procedures--minimum requirements.............................................................. 30

48.......... Requirement to provide information or documents...................................................... 30

49.......... Making of application does not operate as stay........................................................... 31

Part 5--The Australian Public Service Commissioner--functions                                 32

Division 1--Inquiries into alleged breach of Code of Conduct by Agency Head 32

50.......... Report on result of inquiry--prescribed Statutory Agencies....................................... 32

51.......... Circumstances in which Australian Public Service Commissioner may decline to conduct, or discontinue, inquiry.................................................................................................................................... 32

Division 2--Inquiries into alleged breach of Code of Conduct by APS employee or former APS employee                                                                                                                                                33

52.......... Basic requirements for procedures for determining alleged breach of Code of Conduct by APS employee or former APS employee..................................................................................................................... 33

53.......... Circumstances in which Australian Public Service Commissioner may discontinue inquiry    33

Division 3--Inquiries into public interest disclosures relating to alleged breaches of Code of Conduct                                                                                                                                                34

54.......... Inquiries into public interest disclosures relating to alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct 34

Division 4--Other functions                                                                                                              36

55.......... Inquiries into Merit Protection Commissioner's behaviour......................................... 36

56.......... Inquiries into alleged breaches of Code of Conduct by statutory office holders.......... 36

57.......... Delivery of learning and development programs on request to Commonwealth entities and State or Territory authorities or bodies...................................................................................................................... 38

Part 6--The Merit Protection Commissioner--functions                                                     39

Division 1--Inquiry functions under the Act                                                                            39

58.......... Inquiries into public interest disclosures that relate to alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct              39

Division 2--Other functions                                                                                                              41

Subdivision A--Purpose of this Division                                                                                      41

59.......... Purpose of this Division.............................................................................................. 41

Subdivision B--Independent Selection Advisory Committees                                                41

60.......... Establishment of ISAC................................................................................................ 41

61.......... Function of ISAC........................................................................................................ 41

62.......... Constitution of ISAC.................................................................................................. 41

63.......... ISAC procedures--minimum requirements................................................................ 42

64.......... ISAC procedures--Merit Protection Commissioner's instructions............................. 42

65.......... Assistance to ISAC..................................................................................................... 43

66.......... Assessment and recommendation by ISAC................................................................ 43

67.......... Non-agreement on recommendation by ISAC............................................................. 43

68.......... ISAC recommendation not binding............................................................................. 44

69.......... Effect of acting in accordance with ISAC recommendation......................................... 44

70.......... Effect of not acting in accordance with ISAC recommendation................................... 44

71.......... Merit Protection Commissioner authorised to charge fees........................................... 44

Subdivision C--Investigation of complaints by former employees                                      45

72.......... Investigation of complaints by former employees....................................................... 45

Subdivision D--Review of determination of breach of Code of Conduct by former APS employee        45

73.......... Review by Merit Protection Commissioner if former APS employee is entitled to review      45

74.......... Application for review................................................................................................. 46

75.......... Notice that action not reviewable................................................................................. 46

76.......... Conduct of review....................................................................................................... 46

77.......... Action by Agency Head.............................................................................................. 47

78.......... Review procedures--minimum requirements.............................................................. 47

79.......... Requirement to provide information or documents...................................................... 48

80.......... Making application does not operate as stay................................................................ 48

Subdivision E--Review of actions of statutory office holders                                                48

81.......... Review of actions of statutory office holders other than Agency Heads..................... 48

Subdivision F--Functions on request by relevant employer                                                   49

82.......... Functions of Merit Protection Commissioner on request by relevant employer.......... 49

Division 3--Basic requirements for procedures for determining alleged breach of Code of Conduct by APS employee or former APS employee                                                          50

83.......... Basic requirements for procedures for determining breach of Code of Conduct by APS employee or former APS employee..................................................................................................................... 50

Division 4--Other provisions                                                                                                           51

84.......... Independence of Merit Protection Commissioner........................................................ 51

Part 7--Administrative arrangements and re-organisations                                               52

85.......... Employment conditions after machinery of government changes--movement of APS employees          52

86.......... Employment conditions after machinery of government changes--engagement of non-APS employees                53

87.......... Prescribed circumstances in relation to employment in former Agency....................... 54

Part 8--Attachment of salaries to satisfy judgment debts                                                    55

88.......... Application of this Part................................................................................................ 55

89.......... Application of State and Territory law......................................................................... 55

90.......... Paying officer.............................................................................................................. 55

91.......... Authority to make deductions...................................................................................... 56

92.......... Administration fee....................................................................................................... 57

93.......... More than one judgment debt...................................................................................... 57

94.......... Effect of deductions..................................................................................................... 57

95.......... Rate of deductions....................................................................................................... 57

96.......... Move to another Agency............................................................................................. 58

97.......... Administration of deductions...................................................................................... 59

98.......... Recovery of overpayment............................................................................................ 59

Part 9--Protection of information                                                                                                       60

99.......... Australian Public Service Commissioner's functions etc............................................ 60

100........ Merit Protection Commissioner's functions etc........................................................... 60

101........ Giving information or producing documents to Australian Public Service Commissioner not admissible in evidence etc..................................................................................................................................... 60

102........ Giving information or producing documents to Merit Protection Commissioner not admissible in evidence etc.    61

103........ Use and disclosure of personal information................................................................ 61

Part 10--Miscellaneous                                                                                                                               63

104........ Maximum amount of payments in special circumstances............................................ 63

105........ Delegations.................................................................................................................. 63

106........ Immunity from civil proceedings in relation to Australian Public Service Commissioner's functions     64

Part 11--Transitional arrangements                                                                                                  65

Division 1--Transitional arrangements in relation to the commencement of this instrument  65

107........ Definitions................................................................................................................... 65

108........ Conduct, event, circumstances occurring before commencement................................ 65

109........ Review of actions where application for review made before commencement day...... 65

110........ Inquiry in progress into alleged breach of Code of Conduct by Merit Protection Commissioner             65

111........ Conduct of ISAC and recommendation by ISAC....................................................... 66

112........ Review of promotion notified before commencement day........................................... 66

Schedule 1--Repeals                                                                                                                                     67

Public Service Regulations 1999                                                                                                     67

 

  

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