Secretaries Board communique: 19 November 2025
The Secretaries Board met today at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to discuss the following matters.
Strategic Outlook
The Board discussed government priorities, strategic issues and emerging risks.
The Board received an update on geostrategic issues from Mr Craig Maclachlan, Deputy Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Ms Justine Greig, Deputy Secretary, Department of Defence.
PM&C APS Employee Census Results 2025
Overview
In 2025, employee participation in the Census was 90%, providing the department with a comprehensive view of employee sentiment. PM&C’s results have been broadly consistent with previous years, reflecting our engaged workforce.
The Census results include 6 key indices that draw together responses to multiple questions into single themed measures. PM&C’s index scores remain stable and continue to track above both the whole of APS and APS policy agency averages, achieving the following results:
State Funeral Service for the Honourable Graham Richardson AO
A State Funeral Service for the Honourable Graham Richardson AO will take place at 11.00 am on Tuesday 9 December in Sydney, NSW.
Prompting for a better deal
Many consumers are missing out on better deals on their financial products. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found low engagement in the retail deposit (e.g. savings accounts) and home loan market (ACCC 2019; 2023).
The Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government (BETA) partnered with the Department of the Treasury to:
Freebairn Public Lecture
Acknowledgements1
I would like to thank the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Business and Economics for inviting me to speak today.
I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we are meeting, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Bunurong peoples.
I pay my respects to their Elders – past and present – and extend my respect to any First Nations people who are with us today.
Response to Senate Order 16: Departmental and agency grants - October 2025
Prime Minister and Cabinet Portfolio1
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
| Grant recipient | Program | Value (GST excl.) |
|---|---|---|
| The National Australia Day Council | National Australia Day Council | $16,079,000.00 |
G20 empowering women globally
In October 2025, Australia attended the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group’s (EWWG) final meeting for the year in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Working Group aims to promote gender equality, women's empowerment and inclusive economic growth. This year, the group discussed three key priority issues: