The APS commissioner has been questioned about diversity in the public sector. 

Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi questioned APS commissioner Peter Woolcott about the diversity this week.

Mr Woolcott told her that several strategies were in place for First Nations people, people with disability, and gender, but; “we don’t have formal strategies around mature-age workers or cultural and linguistic diversity”.

“Obviously, we want a public service that respects the Australia that is out there and that can best reflect that Australia and best work with that Australia. So cultural and linguistic diversity is an issue,” he added. 

Mr Woolcott said that given the APSC’s resourcing, it had to prioritise some forms of diversity over others. 

“At the moment [priorities] have been very much on First Nations people. That’s a particular priority at the moment, and there is a lot of work to be done around that but also people with disabilities - a big question. Gender’s very much on track, but there’s still work to do on that, including the gender pay gap,” he said. 

“It’s just a question of resources.”

Senator Faruqi later said she found it alarming that the APSC is not prioritising fixing the lack of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) staff.

“What it says to ethnic and non-European background people living here is that their inclusion will always be a second- or third-order issue,” the senator said.

“We know that where government policy harms people, it often disproportionately impacts migrant and ethnically diverse communities. Without appropriate representation, including in leadership, this will continue to happen.

“If the APSC doesn’t currently have the resourcing to properly deliver such a strategy, the new government should provide the resources to do this important work. Underrepresentation has real consequences and it is unacceptable

“I’ll be following this up.”