Responsibility: Australian, state and territory governments
Joint Response: Accept in principle
Status: In progress
What has been achieved to date
The Australian Public Service (APS) and state and territory jurisdictions have established an ‘Inter-jurisdictional Disability Royal Commission Working Group’ to share their approaches and information to address the public sector employment recommendations. The Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) will use this body as a mechanism for developing common workplace adjustment principles in partnership with state and territory jurisdictions.
The APSC is currently engaging across the APS with employees with lived experience, managers and business areas about challenges and best practice for providing and managing workplace adjustments. The information from research and this consultation process will inform a final report to the Australian Government with recommendations on developing an APS-wide adjustment passport.
On 25 November 2024, the New South Wales (NSW) Public Service Commissioner issued a Direction requiring all NSW Government Sector agencies to implement a workplace adjustments policy that meets specified minimum standards by 1 November 2025. To support agencies, the Office of the Public Service Commissioner published a model policy, conversion guide and fact sheets. The NSW Department of Customer Service is currently developing a sector-wide digital adjustment passport.
The Australian Capital Territory Public Service (ACTPS) Workplace Adjustments for People with Disability Policy was launched in 2023. This has a suite of guidance information to support ACTPS workplaces to implement effective approaches to support people with disability to participate in and be productive at work. The policy is also supported by ACTPS wide programs to apply an early intervention approach to identify and implement workplace adjustments.
The Victorian Public Sector Commission has developed a Victorian Public Service (VPS) workplace adjustment and other arrangements passport (passport) that will be launched in 2025. Key features of the passport include expanding the usage to all VPS employees regardless of disability or carer status to capture self-diagnosed, the aging population and people who do not use the term disability. The passport will also be expanded to document all workplace arrangements such as return to work and flexible work arrangements to acknowledge each employee has different needs and circumstances and requires a personalised approach. This expansion will support mass adoption across the VPS and affect cultural change that destigmatises adjustments for employees with disability and carers.
In 2024, the Western Australian Public Sector Commission published guidance about Workplace Adjustments for People with Disability. It supports employers to implement workplace adjustments and connect with services and supports, including information about making adjustments, legal responsibilities and engaging with employment services.
What the Disability Royal Commission said in the final report
The Australian Public Service Commission should:
a) lead the development of common principles to underpin adjustment policies for providing and managing adjustments in the public sector. This should occur in partnership with state and territory public service commissions. The principles should be used to inform Australian Government and state and territory government department policies and procedures on adjustments.
The principles should include:
- clear and accessible processes for staff to request adjustments
- timeframes for implementing adjustments and a process for review and seeking feedback on adjustments
- clear and accessible processes for making and responding to complaints relating to adjustments (including complaints about refusal to provide an adjustment)
- clear policies on handling and sharing information about a person’s disability or adjustments
- referrals to internal and external supports in relation to requesting and managing adjustments
- requirements to collect data on applications for, and the implementation of, adjustments.
b) develop an Australian Public Service-wide adjustment passport to improve the ease with which people with disability can maintain and transfer their adjustments when moving within the Australian Public Service.
Joint Government response July 2024
The Australian Government and state and territory governments support continued action to increase opportunities for people with disability in public sector employment across Australia.
All governments recognise that people with disability have a right to work, and that employment supports an individual’s social and economic participation and independence in society.
As large employers, public services have a crucial national role as leaders in modelling best practice inclusion that can positively influence other employers and workplaces.
Governments agree that specific employment targets can have a positive impact on the number of people with disability employed in the public sector, noting that some jurisdictions may need to further consider data limitations and privacy considerations before committing to disaggregated targets.
The Australian Government and state and territory governments also support continued and increased focus on ensuring public sector workplaces are accessible and inclusive for people with disability, including through workplace adjustments. Public service commissioners will work together to share best practice on improving public sector employment outcomes for people with disability.
Governments also support in principle adopting procurement policies that encourage inclusive employment practices in the private sector, noting governments will individually consider opportunities and approaches that most appropriately work with respective government procurement frameworks.
More recommendations
View progress on other recommendations made by the Royal Commission.