APS Commissioner Gordon de Brouwer has fronted up to Senate Estimates for the last time before his retirement. Photo: APSC.
Retiring Australian Public Service Commissioner Gordon de Brouwer found himself uncomfortably at the centre of attention during a Senate Estimates hearing on Tuesday (10 February) – but in a good way for a change.
Appearing at a committee hearing for the last time before he leaves his 35-year public sector career at the end of the week, Dr de Brouwer was thanked and praised from both sides of politics.
He also choked up while delivering his final statement to Estimates, thanking the committee for its thorough scrutiny of his responsibilities.
“I sincerely thank you for your patience, perspectives and engagement during my tenure as Secretary for Public Sector Reform and Australian Public Service Commissioner, ” he said through watery eyes and while pausing to apologise for being somewhat emotional.
“It’s been an honour to serve the government, parliament and the Australian people and to work alongside so many committed public servants and inspiring public servants.”
He also thanked Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher, who was sitting next to him.
The commissioner said he was leaving the service early (two years into his five-year contract) on his own terms, as he had more he wanted to do with his life and family.
“I think it’s good to leave when people are sorry to see you leave,” the 64-year-old said.
Senator Gallagher also offered a statement, saying she would personally miss Dr de Brouwer, whom she described as humble and highly effective.
“I feel as minister we were very fortunate to have Dr de Brouwer return to public service as Secretary of Public Service Reform when we came into government,” Senator Gallagher said.
“He was a driving force behind helping us to build a more capable, ethical and community-focused public service.
“Much of this work has laid the foundation for what he has achieved since 2023 in his tenure as Public Service Commissioner.
“Dr de Brouwer leaves the public service with a legacy defined by integrity, intellectual rigour, and an unwavering commitment to the public good.
“His leadership has strengthened the public service in lasting ways.”
No one has yet been invited to apply to fill the vacancy created by his departure, with Senator Gallagher suggesting the government will likely soon advertise externally.
Liberal Senator James Paterson also thanked Dr de Brouwer on behalf of the Opposition for his service and congratulated him on his imminent retirement.
It was a far better experience for the commissioner than was his last appearance before the committee in December.
Under questioning from Senator Paterson and ACT independent Senator David Pocock during that hearing, Dr de Brouwer had to quickly backtrack on his comments about senior public servants advising ministers through yellow sticky notes.
While the commissioner told that hearing he believed it was a “lousy way to run advice to ministers” and was “being selective” in what was written down, Senator Pocock chimed in a number of times to point out that the practice was actually illegal.
The commissioner said it wasn’t, only to be pulled up by Senator Paterson.
“I’d be very concerned if the public servants watching this, thinking the head of the APSC is sanctifying writing what you really want to say on a sticky note and losing that sticky note rather than putting in a proper briefing and keeping records,” Senator Paterson said at the time.
The commissioner then moved to clarify his remarks.
“It’s not a practice I’ve done, or I accept, or I would, or I think is right,” Dr de Brouwer said.
“But I am just observing that public servants, in my experience, I do know public servants who have done that in the past.”
In other Senate Estimates exchanges on Tuesday, it was confirmed that Natalie James was terminated as Secretary of the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations by the Governor-General on advice from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet officials told Estimates that Ms James was let go in December with 18 months remaining on her contract, not because of misconduct or misbehaviour, but because of a scathing Auditor-General report into her department’s handling of automated welfare payment cancellations.
The audit found them to be unlawful, unfair and unreasonable.
She still gets a $900,000 payout, though, similar to that Adam Fennessy received when he was terminated three months earlier as the Agriculture Department’s secretary.
Original Article published by Chris Johnson on Region Canberra.
