Cream of the corp: getting into DFAT
Few of the 1000 grads starting soon faced as much competition as those joining Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Latest Public Service news
Govt tech-wrecks blamed on underfunding
Noel Towell 12:15 AM BoM Centrelink meltdowns the result of cash-starved departments, says union.
35,000 former public servants kicked off the pension
Noel Towell 12:15 AM Former federal and state workers to see payments slashed on January 14.
New boss for Department of Communications and Arts
8:21 PM Current PM&C; Deputy Secretary has been appointed for five years, filling role left by Turnbull's new chief of staff.
The public service grads are coming
Markus Mannheim Hiring boom after last year's intake was the smallest in a decade.
Security clearance revoked after names of Chinese officials mistranslated
Michael Inman A public servant who had her security clearance revoked after the authorities mistranslated Chinese names has lost a bid to recover her legal costs.
Labor claims possible criminality in Jamie Briggs affair
David Wroe and Latika Bourke Labor says the leaking of a photo of the woman at the centre of the Jamie Briggs affair may have constituted a crime and is threatening to refer it to police unless the Turnbull government investigates.
Labor escalates Jamie Briggs affair through Public Service Commissioner complaint
Latika Bourke Labor is escalating its pursuit of dumped junior minister Jamie Briggs over the leaking of a photograph of an Australian diplomat.
ATO 'dodging' more wage talks, unions allege
Noel Towell Unions demand Tax Office stop dilly-dallying on wage talks.
Jingle bills: Centrelink wrongly hits 70,000 families for up to $726 each
Noel Towell Computer glitch blamed as welfare agency hits tens of thousands with bills for money that is not owed.
Public service casuals longing for permanent work
Noel Towell High performing 'non-ongoing' say they are being barred from permanent work.
Public service roles advertised during holiday shutdown spark complaints
Markus Mannheim Two government agencies have extended deadlines after advertising jobs when most people are on holiday.
Immigration Department criticised in damning visa compliance audit
Henry Belot A damning audit of the federal government's visa management processes shows the number of people working illegally in violation of their visa conditions is not well-known and the challenges facing the department must not be underestimated.
APS vets wild over pay offer
Noel Towell Agriculture Department's pay offer "an outrage", say insiders.
Public service pensions: it could get worse
Noel Towell Pensions of hundreds of thousands vulnerable to fresh hit, pensions expert warns.
Public service retirees set for pension shock
Noel Towell Pension cut a "bull in a China policy shop", say retirees.
Scrap the fax: Public service's new war
Phillip Thomson Archaic technology wasting time for Canberrans is in the target of new federal agency.
Unfair? Not us, says public service
Noel Towell APS is fair to its contractors, say Finance Department.
Public servants warned about voicing opinions
Phillip Thomson Not even the top public service agency can give hard and fast rules on bureaucrats airing opinions publicly.
Outrage after Briggs admits to circulating photo
Phillip Thomson Union angry at "gross breach of privacy" after image of public servant who complained about Jamie Briggs published.
Cabinet papers: Tension in cabinet over plan to build massive new building for DFAT
Ross Peake The proposal to build a massive new building close to Parliament House for the status-conscious Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade sparked tensions in Cabinet over the cost, location and strategy.
Complaints soar in Centrelink's 'woeful year'
Noel Towell 2015 was a year to forget for the welfare agency.
Public service: Oh, what a year
Noel Towell After about as wild a year as you could hope for in the Australian Public Service, let us reflect on a few highlights.
Centrelink's IT meltdown hits disability pension
Noel Towell Centrelink's tech woes disrupts Disability Pension medical crackdown.
'Cowering and weak': APS Commissioner hits back
Noel Towell APS commissioner John Lloyd hits back at claim that the public service has become 'weak' and 'lacking self-confidence'.
More APS pay offers voted down
Noel Towell Thousands more public servants vote no as ABS boss orders investigation.
Hundreds more jobs face axe at Immigration Department
Noel Towell New wage offer for Border Force and Immigration officials comes with a big catch.
Tuggeranong DHS offices sell for $75m
Matthew Raggatt A trio of buildings leased to the federal government in Tuggeranong have fetched $75 million.
Tirade against public service perks
Phillip Thomson Extra paid leave, allowances and flex time under attack.
Hundreds of ATO bosses get 3% pay rise
Noel Towell ATO's Leeper says the whole workforce could have 3 per cent - if it had just voted yes.
At work with Phil
Are our workplaces killing us?
Journalist Phillip Thomson digs into the everyday issues plaguing our workplaces. In this episode he asks whether our work stations are sending us to an early grave.
Can I get a promotion in these clothes?
Can clothes get me promoted? And a look at Bill Shorten and Tony Abbott's image.
How to do chair yoga in the office
Forget the yoga mats. Reporter Phillip Thomson finds out how to do yoga at a desk.
@work with Phil: Office of the future
Will the office of tomorrow be one of treadmill desks, or are we doomed to a future of cubicle farms? Phillip Thomson investigates.
In depth
Meet the Public Service's best-paid employee
Flamboyant and fabulously well-paid, but is he the right man?
Doomed culture wars
Even the ability to redirect funds has little effect in battles over 'bias'.
'Hidden' APS job cuts
Thousands more govt jobs are likely to be lost in coming years.
Ebbs and flows of staffing
Which parts of the bureaucracy are likely to start hiring?
ACT's slow bleed goes on
This 'good news' federal budget contains a sting for Canberra.
Intergenerational Report
The Treasury has weakened the entire public service's integrity.
SBS sacking is contestable
An industrial tribunal will care little for the broadcaster's political woes.
Discounting future lives
We can't afford to miscalculate the costs of runaway climate change.
A mockery of due process
Cormann needs to think more deeply about independence.
Are bureaucrats overpaid?
Time for a systemic review of the value of public servants' labour.
ACT's asbestos secrecy
The bizarre approach to telling people which houses may be toxic.
Ludicrous APS pay policy
Linking salaries to productivity at the agency level is bad economics.
