PRIME MINISTER
PRESS STATEMENT NO: J6
ROYAL COMMISSION INTO THE AUSTRALIAN
PUBLIC SERVICE
The Prime Minister, the Hon. E. G. Whitlam, M. P.,
announced today that His Excellency, the Governor-General had
appointed a Royal Commission to inquire into and report on the
Australian Public Service.
Mr. Whitlam said that the appointment of the Royal
Commission confirmed the undertaking first-given by the government
last December, when Mr. Barnard had announced that a Commission
of Inquiry into the Public Service would be appointed upon
receipt of the Post Office Inquiry Report.
Mr. Whitlam. went on to say that as the Vernon Commission
Report had been received and its major recommendations accepted,
the Government had now appointed the promised Royal Commission
into the Public Service.
In announcing the appointment of the Royal Commission
Mr. Whitlam recalled that in his policy speech, given on
29 April he had said:
' To promote further the efficiency of the Australian
Public Service, we shall establish a Royal Commission.
It will be headed by one of Australia's most distinguished
and experienced former public servants a great
servant of the Australian people Dr. H. C. Coombs".
Mr.-Whitlam said he was delighted that Dr. Coombs had agreed to
accept the Commission and that he would be so ably assisted by
the other Commissioners chosen. ./ 2
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The Prime Minister also announced that to assist
Dr Coombs in his Commission, the Governor-General had appointed
Mr P. H. Bailey, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister
and Cabinet; Professor Enid Campbell, Sir Isaac Isaacs Professor
of Law at Monash University; the Hon. J. E. Isaac, Deputy President
of the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission; and
Mr P. R. Munro, Secretary of the Council of Commonwealth Public Service
Organisations, as Commissioners. The Commission would be assisted
by Dr P. S. Wilenski, who the Prime Minister announced would be seconded
to the Commission as its Special Advisor.
' Mr Whitlam went on to say that there had not been a
comprehensive inquiry into the Australian Public Service sinc * e 1920.
He said that in recent years many countries had appointed Inquiries
into their Public Services. Amongst these were Canada in 1962 by
the Glassco Commission, and Britain in 1968 by the Fulton Committee.
As well, Ireland and Germany had conducted wide ranging Inquiries
into their Public Services. Mr Whitlam said he had been informed that
a Royal Commission would be welcomed by all the Australian Public
Service staff associations and trade unions. He had also been informed
by the Public Service Board that it would welcome a Royal Commission.
Mr Whitlam reiterated the view expressed in his Garran
Oration in November 1973, that the Australian Public Service commanded
universal respect for its professionalism and impartiality. However,
the government was committed to modernising the national public
administration. This began with the re-allocation of administrative
functions and other initiatives taken by the Australian Government
since December 1972. An important step in this process was the
appointment of the Royal Commission into the Australian Post Office
under the Chairmanship of Sir James Vernon. The government's decision
to establish a Royal Commission into the Public Service was evidence
of its desire to continue this process.
Mr Whitlam said that the Terms of Reference ( attached) were
wide ranging and comprehended all the matters which have been the
subject of debate and representation to Government over a period of
many years. He said that the Commission would examine the role,
organisation and staffing of the Australian Public Service with a view
to improving efficiency, economy, adaptability, industrial relations
and the despatch of public business.
Mr Whitlam said it was expected that the Chairman of the
Commission, Dr H. C. Coombs, would shortly announce arrangements for
the conduct of hearings and for the submission of views by individuals
and organ isations. The Prime Minister said that it was anticipated that the
Commission would report within two years of its appointment, but that
it could, if it wished, make interim reports on those matters about
which it had concluded its deliberations.
Mr Whitlam said that the appointment of such a Commission was
an historic development in Australian public administration and one
which he hoped would lead to an Australian Public Service better
equipped to meet the future needs of the Australian people and
Australian Governments.
CANBERRA. A. C. T. 66.667.74
INQUIRY INTO THE AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC SERVICE
TERMS OF REFERENCE
to inquire into and report upon the administrative
organization and services of the Australian Government, and
in particularthe purposes, functions, organization and
management of Australian Government Departments,
statutory corporations ana other authorities and
the principal instruments of co-ordination of
Australian Government administration and policy;
and the structure and management of the Australian
Public Service,
and to make reconmendations for improving efficiency,
economy, adaptability and industrial relations and the
despatch of public business:
AND, without restricting the scope of your inquiry,
We direct you, the said Commissioners, to give particular
attention to the following mattLers:-
the appropriate role of ministerial departments,
statutory corporations and other authorities;
relationship of the-Australian Public Service and
statutory corporations and other authorities with
the Parliament, Ministers and the community;
parliamentary scrutiny and control of
administration; responsibility and accountability of public
servants, and their participation in forming
policy and making decisions; / 2
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adequacy of the machinery available to assess
the relevance and economy of existing programs
in meeting government objectives;
the extent to which central management of the
Australian Public Service is necessary, and
internal control and co-ordination in that
Service, especially the functions of the Public
Service Board, the Auditor-General and the
Treasury; centralization, decentralization and delegation
of functions;
the principles applicable to staffing of
statutory corporations and other authorities:
personnel policies and practices, including
eligibility, recruitment, selection, appointment,
tenure, training ( especially management training),
promotion, classification, discipline, morale and
conditions of service of members of the Australian
Public Service, both generally and in relation to.
particular classes of persons;
the determination of salaries, wages and other
conditions of service of persons in the service
of the Australian Government, including those
serving overseas;
the rights of public servants as citizens; and
any other matters to which the attention of the
Commission is particularly directed by the Prime
Minister and in the course of the inquiry: / 3
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AND We further instruct you, the said Commissioners,
that it is not intended that you should make special inquiry
into, or special reference to, matters relating to postal and
telecommunigations services that were the subject of the
inquiry made in accordance with the Letters Patent issued by
Us on 22 February 1973, or to matters relating to
superannuation.