Central to our capability is our people, our strong focus on integrity, and our information and communications technology (ICT). The ongoing development of PM&C’s capability ensures we can continue to achieve our purpose. Investments in capability also support the department to lead by example, and uphold public sector principles and values, while building sufficient flexibility and expertise to meet current and future needs.

People

PM&C’s success in delivering on our mission hinges on our people. In partnership with our many stakeholders, our staff work collaboratively, guided by the APS Values, to deliver on the current and emerging priorities of the Prime Minister and the government. As APS stewards, our staff believe strongly in the purpose and objectives of PM&C with an inspiring commitment and appreciation to serve our diverse Australian community.

In 2025–26, PM&C will maintain a workforce that can actively contribute to reform activities within the department and across the APS. This includes contributing to formal bodies such as the APS Consultative Committee or simply working with colleagues to grow capabilities. Now in its second year of operation, the PM&C Enterprise Agreement 2024–2027 continues to provide the framework under which our non–Senior Executive Service (SES) employees work. Our ongoing program of employment policy reviews and provision of information on workforce matters ensure employees and managers understand their responsibilities under our employment framework. This includes legislative requirements, such as Respect at Work changes and our positive obligation to manage psychosocial hazards at work.

We will continue to ensure that staff can access a range of wellbeing supports, reasonable adjustments, and channels to safely raise matters so they can thrive at work both psychologically and physically. We continue to work to improve the maturity of PM&C’s mental health capability in line with the APS Mental Health Capability Framework, with a systemic approach to investing in and building mental health and wellbeing for PM&C’s workforce.

Aligned with the APS Learning and Development Strategy, investing in and growing critical skills and capabilities through a range of learning solutions continues to be high priority. In 2025–26, the department will continue to strengthen its focus on developing our SES leaders as part of implementing the SES Performance Leadership Framework. We also continue to develop and support good leaders through ongoing management and leadership training offerings. This includes planning for a second Executive Level 2 Leadership Forum, following the successful first forum in early 2025. Effective leadership builds high levels of engagement, and productive and healthy teams, so that we can collectively deliver high-quality outcomes.

PM&C also continues to actively support a diverse and welcoming workplace for our employees. Our Reconciliation Action Plan (which complements the government’s commitment to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap) seeks to advance our vision of a future where the knowledge, perspectives and contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are integral to all we do. Alongside this, the department will continue to deliver on the PM&C Inclusion and Diversity Strategy and Action Plan 2023–26, to foster a workplace that is supportive, respectful, safe and inclusive – so everyone can thrive. In 2025–26, PM&C will also introduce new gender equality targets in line with the Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) Act 2025.

In this way, PM&C seeks to be an employer of choice for all Australians who wish to undertake public service.

Australian Government Consulting

In 2023–24, PM&C established Australian Government Consulting (AGC), an in-house consulting service for the APS. In the year ahead, AGC will continue to deliver strategy and organisational transformation projects that would otherwise have been outsourced, building and enhancing the function to enable broader use across the APS. AGC will also build on the release of the Consulting Playbook to support APS agencies to get better value when engaging external consultants.

APS Strategic Commissioning Framework

PM&C operates in line with the APS Strategic Commissioning Framework. Core work is generally undertaken in-house, with any outsourcing of core work kept to a minimum and aligned to the limited circumstances set out in the framework.

Integrity

PM&C officials occupy a unique and influential position at the centre of the APS. It is important that we lead by example, upholding the APS Values and Code of Conduct, and operating with the highest standards of integrity. We recognise integrity is fundamental to everything we do, including maintaining the confidence and trust of our ministers, staff, and the Australian public.

PM&C continues to build on work already underway to support our pro-integrity culture, committing to:

• understanding integrity risks
• continuing to maintain and identify opportunities to improve integrity policies, processes and systems to support and guide officials in ethical behaviour and decision-making
• ensuring and enhancing a safe environment where officials can openly discuss integrity concerns and feel empowered to call out behaviours that do not support the APS Values and Code of Conduct.

PM&C has mechanisms in place to escalate integrity concerns and inappropriate conduct to relevant internal areas for assessment and action, and – where required – to refer concerns to external authorities. All PM&C officials are required to complete mandatory integrity training annually.

Information and communications technology

PM&C strives to be a strategic and trusted adviser on digital and information and communications technology (ICT) services, to deliver reliable ICT services to the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, portfolio ministers and the department, as well as to agencies using our shared services and managed services.

The ICT services and systems PM&C delivers are complex and require an understanding of future challenges and solutions, to ensure we have the technology and business services needed to deliver on government priorities. Our operating environment is fast-paced and requires us to be highly flexible in responding quickly to changing demands, ensuring ICT capability remains fit for purpose and addresses information technology requirements.

The cyber threat landscape is also continuously evolving, presenting increased risk to Australian Government systems and requiring a greater demand for resources, knowledge and hardened security. Strengthening PM&C’s cybersecurity resilience capability will enable us to be more responsive to cyber threats and will maintain confidence in PM&C as a trusted provider of ICT services. PM&C will continue to work closely with and draw advice from lead agencies in this space.

By standardising core services and taking an enterprise approach to new and emerging technologies, the department can meet business needs and deliver technology and information solutions that are future-proof, flexible and secure, while continuing to maximise value. PM&C has established an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy which outlines the department’s commitment to the principles and practices set out in whole-of-government policies and best practice standards in the use of AI. PM&C will investigate a phased approach to AI adoption allowing the department to build its capabilities to use AI across the department in a mature and integrated way. This may include the ability to design and deploy AI solutions that transform the department’s ways of working, and see us fully realise the benefits of AI.