Department of Social Services Archives

Concerns growing over disparity in APS working arrangements

By Chris Johnson, Melissa Coade and Jackson Graham

Federal

Some government agencies are demanding their staff get back to the office while others insist they stay away.

Federal goal for cashless card welfare recipients to ‘stabilise their lives’

By Melissa Coade

Community & Social

Families and social services minister Anne Ruston has underscored self-reliance and empowerment as the basis of a new cashless debit card.

Changing of the guard: a closer look at the PM’s new secretary picks

By Melissa Coade

Community & Social

A closer look at the people the PM has chosen to guide the major commonwealth departments through one of the most challenging periods in living…

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Militarisation of the public service continues

By Stephen Bartos

Editors' Picks

If the defence forces comes to be seen merely as a stepping-stone to a senior public service appointment, the public service ethos is undermined.

Senior public servants leading advisory group to end violence against women

By Shannon Jenkins

Community & Social

Two APS deputy secretaries have been appointed to lead a new advisory group; the public can give feedback on the plan until July 31.

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Census finds public servants overworked, risk burnout

By Melissa Coade

Careers

Here's a detailed breakdown of how APS departments responded to their employee census questions on capacity and burnout.

End of federal pay equity supplements could risk 12,000 community service jobs, research finds

By Shannon Jenkins

Community & Social

The report warns that past gains will be undermined and reversed unless federal funding consistent with new pay equity norms is quickly confirmed.

Kathryn Campbell on DSS’s pandemic response and why she’s proud to be a public servant

By Shannon Jenkins

Community & Social

Kathryn Campbell tells how her department has worked tirelessly throughout the bushfires and the pandemic, and what public servants across the country should be considering…

Opinion: the cashless debit card is not a ‘financial literacy tool,’ and Big 4 involvement won’t change that

By Accountable Income Management Network

Community & Social

With the government’s recent announcement of its plan to start rolling out the Cashless Debit Card beyond its trial phase, thousands of people currently struggling…

Treasury dep sec switches to Social Services after long holiday and allegations

By Shannon Jenkins

Community & Social

Treasury deputy secretary Matt Flavel has quietly moved to the Department of Social Services following an investigation into his conduct. Flavel went on leave in…

The Facebook of government: watch the ‘vision’ of what Services Australia will deliver

By Stephen Easton

Communications & Technology

The Digital Transformation Agency has finally published a flashy promotional video showing the government's "vision" of Services Australia, a week after Minister for Government Services Stuart…

CPSU says government jobs could help drought-hit towns, panics over phantom ‘job cuts’

By Stephen Easton

Federal

The Community and Public Sector Union says the Morrison government's cuts to the Australian Public Service workforce have worsened the economic effects of the drought,…

A good plan, now for the execution: Australia’s ‘world-first’ cross-border child protection system

By Stephen Easton

Federal

A new information-sharing platform designed to aid cross-border collaboration between child protection agencies is expected to be up and running by mid-2020, following a joint…

Once more unto the socials: NDIS chief stays on Twitter, enjoys minister’s ‘absolute confidence’

By Stephen Easton

Communications & Technology

Rather than bunker down and abandon Twitter, Hoffman has quickly opened a new official account — @ndisceo — and addressed the issue in three opening…

NDIS chief deletes Twitter account, defends past activity: ‘I am not an anti-union Trump supporter’

By Stephen Easton

Federal

"I am not an anti-union Trump supporter," declared National Disability Insurance Agency chief executive Martin Hoffman last night, after his past social media use came…