The Australian Public Service Commission has released a revision to its rules surrounding public servant’s commenting and participation on social media sites and other participatory online mediums.

 

While the guidelines' specification of the expected conduct of public servants in an official capacity remains unchanged, with employees obliged to act ‘honestly, professionally and with respect,’ while not disclosing any sensitive information and avoiding taking a partisan stance over public issues, they also aim to control how public servants conduct themselves in an unofficial capacity. 

 

The guidelines stipulate the moderate the behaviour of public servants in an unofficial manner by seeking to forbid ‘harsh or extreme criticism’ of the Government that would compromise a public servant’s impartiality. The guidelines state that such a comment does not have to relate to the employee’s particular field of work to be considered a breach of conduct.

 

The general principles that seek to police the behaviour of public servants in an unofficial capacity are:

 

  • being made on behalf of their agency or the Government, rather than an expression of a personal view
  • compromising the  APS employee’s capacity to fulfil their duties in an unbiased manner. This applies particularly where comment is made about policies and programmes of the employee’s agency
  • so harsh or extreme in its criticism of the Government, a member of parliament from another political party, or their respective policies, that it raises questions about the APS employee’s capacity to work professionally, efficiently or impartially. Such comment does not have to relate to the employee’s area of work
  • so strong in its criticism of an agency’s administration that it could seriously disrupt the workplace. APS employees are encouraged instead to resolve concerns by informal discussion with a manager or by using internal dispute resolution mechanisms, including the APS whistleblowing scheme if appropriate
  • a gratuitous personal attack that might reasonably be perceived to be connected with their employment
  • unreasonable criticism of an agency’s clients and other stakeholders
  • compromising public confidence in the agency or the APS.

 

Outspoken former public servant Greg Jericho was quick to criticise the new guidelines, describing them as ‘laughable’ and a ‘retrograde step’.

 

"If a public servant tweets that the government's asylum policy is terrible, it's not the same as someone who works for Westpac criticising Westpac for not lowering interest rates," Mr Jericho told the ABC.

 

"But in terms of policies that I had nothing to do with, that my input one way or the other was irrelevant, I'm just a voter."

 

The full set of guidelines can be found here