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Last updated: 12 June 2008

Management Advisory Committee (MAC)

About the Committee

The Management Advisory Committee (MAC) is a forum of Secretaries and Agency Heads established under the Public Service Act 1999 to advise the Australian Government on matters relating to the management of the Australian Public Service (APS). In addressing its broad advisory function the Committee considers a number of management issues where analysis, discussion, and the identification of better practice approaches would inform and promote improvements in public administration.

MAC was established under section 64 of the Public Service Act 1999 and is chaired by the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, with the Public Service Commissioner as executive officer. The Committee is charged with advising the Government on matters relating to the management of the APS. While it has no statutory powers or executive functions, it provides a forum for Secretaries and heads of major agencies to discuss significant issues of topical and long-term interest to the APS.

MAC met for the first time in December 2000 and agreed on a work program that focused on areas of strategic importance to the APS. Sub-committees of interested MAC members were established to set the terms of reference for each of these projects. The Australian Public Service Commission currently provides Secretariat support to the Committee and its subcommittee/s. The Secretariat can be contacted through the Evaluation Group of the Commission (phone Deborah Knight on (02) 6202 3576 or email macsecretariat@apsc.gov.au).

MAC members

Permanent Members

Mr Terry Moran AO (Chair)
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Ms Lynelle Briggs (Executive Officer)
Australian Public Service Commission

Mr David Borthwick PSM
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts

Dr Peter Boxall AO
Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism

Mr Robert Cornall AO
Attorney-General’s Department

Ms Jane Halton PSM
Department of Health and Ageing

Dr Jeff Harmer
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

Dr Ken Henry
Department of the Treasury

Mr Michael L’Estrange AO
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Mr Andrew Metcalfe
Department of Immigration and Citizenship

Dr Conall O’Connell
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Dr Martin Parkinson
Department of Climate Change

Mr Mark Paterson
Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research

Ms Lisa Paul PSM
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

Ms Patricia Scott
Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy

Mr Mark Sullivan
Department of Veteran’s Affairs

Mr Michael Taylor
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government

Mr Nick Warner PSM
Department of Defence

Dr Ian Watt
Department of Finance and Deregulation

Ms Helen Williams AO
Department of Human Services

Additional Members

Mr Michael D’Ascenzo
Australian Taxation Office

Mr Brian Pink
Australian Bureau of Statistics

Mr Michael Carmody AO
Australian Customs Service

Mr Jeff Whalan
Centrelink

Observer

Mr Ian McPhee PSM
Australian National Audit Office

MAC publications

Where possible publications are available in hard copy from our online orders website https://apsc.infoservices.com.au/collections/mac-publications.

Report	Download	Hard copy
MAC report 1. Performance management in the APS: A strategic framework (2001) examines what is happening with performance management and the reforms needed		Online order
MAC report 2. Australian Government use of information and communication technology (2002) outlines a framework to guide departments and agencies through the transformation to e-government and into the next stage of delivering better government.		Online order
MAC report 3. Organisational renewal (2003) / Media release examines in detail the challenges of building organisational capability by APS agencies against the background of changing workforce trends.		Online order
MAC report 4. Connecting Government: Whole of Government responses to Australia's priority challenges (2004) describes whole of government approaches for the APS emphasising coordination and collaboration across departments and agencies. There is also a Good Practice Guide, Summary of Findings and Abstracts.		Online order
Working together: Principles and practices to guide the Australian Public Service (2005) For some years now, public servants have been exhorted to work in a 'whole of government' fashion. They have been told that policy development needs to be ‘joined up’; policy delivery should be ‘seamless’; and ‘departmentalism’ should be eschewed. Working together is designed to provide practical guidance on ways to achieve the best results.		Online order
MAC report 5. Managing and sustaining the APS workforce (2005) In the APS we are already experiencing shortages for some skills and will face increasing competition for others. We need to be well positioned to succeed in the 'war for talent'. This report sets out the issues. Importantly it suggests a range of actions that will help public service agencies to respond. Includes One APS — One SES an accompanying expectations document issued by MAC		Online order Online order (1 APS-1SES)
MAC report 6. Employment of people with disability in the APS (2006) Employment of People with Disability in the APS provides a framework to increase employment of people with disability in the APS. Employment of people with disability in the APS: A framework is also available. This document is an extract from the report		Online order
MAC report 7. Reducing red tape in the APS (2007) This MAC report sets out a framework to help drive that change in the APS’s thinking and approach to administrative process. It includes basic principles for scrutinising proposed and existing regulatory and administrative measures, how they can be designed to impose least cost and how they can be managed effectively once they are in place. It suggests approaches to ensuring that processes do not become redundant, ineffective or inappropriate over time.		Online order
MAC report 8. Note for file: A report on recordkeeping in the Australian Public Service (2007) Recordkeeping has always been important to the APS, as one of the keys to good government. However, the Management Advisory Committee believes that a sharper focus on effective recordkeeping is timely. Also available Summary document (PDF) Case studies of effective recordkeeping systems in small, medium and large agencies Launch speech: Ross Gibbs, PSM, Director-General, National Archives of Australia Media release		Online order

Management Advisory Board publications

The Management Advisory Board performed a similar function to the Management Advisory Committee before it ceased. A listing of publications can be found in our publications archive. They are no longer considered current but may be of use as reference material.

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