Australian Public Service Code of Conduct

The Australian Public Service (APS) Code of Conduct is set out in section 13 of the Public Service Act 1999 and applies to all staff of the Tribunal.

The Code of Conduct requires that an employee must:

  • behave honestly and with integrity in the course of APS employment;

  • act with care and diligence in the course of APS employment;

  • when acting in the course of APS employment, treat everyone with respect and courtesy, and without harassment;

  • when acting in the course of APS employment, comply with all applicable Australian laws;

  • comply with any lawful and reasonable direction given by someone in the employee's Agency who has authority to give the direction;

  • maintain appropriate confidentiality about dealings that the employee has with any Minister or Minister's member of staff;

  • disclose, and take reasonable steps to avoid, any conflict of interest (real or apparent) in connection with APS employment;

  • use Commonwealth resources in a proper manner;

  • not provide false or misleading information in response to a request for information that is made for official purposes in connection with the employee's APS employment;

  • not make improper use of:
    (a) inside information, or
    (b) the employee's duties, status, power or authority,
    in order to gain, or seek to gain, a benefit or advantage for the employee or for any other person;

  • at all times behave in a way that upholds the APS Values and the integrity and good reputation of the APS;

  • while on duty overseas, at all times behave in a way that upholds the good reputation of Australia; and

  • except in the course of his or her duties as an APS employee or with the Agency Head's express authority, not give or disclose, directly or indirectly, any information about public business or anything of which the employee has official knowledge.