About the Public Sector Commission
The Queensland Public Sector Commission (PSC) is a small and dynamic central agency in the Queensland Government. We are dedicated to supporting Queensland’s diverse public sector workforce.
Our job is to support the sector to deliver even better outcomes for Queensland.
As a systems-leader, steward and enabler of the Queensland Public Sector, we have led the development of a future focused 5-year public sector strategy to create an Even better public sector for Queensland which started in early 2024. We will also play a key role in the strategy’s implementation.
Our role under the Public Sector Act 2022
The Public Sector Act 2022 (the Act) commenced in March 2023. The Act outlines our integral role—and the role of our Public Sector Commissioner—in bringing the Act’s vision for the public sector to life. That vision is for a public sector that is responsive to the community, active in reframing the relationship with Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples, treats its employees fairly, and is high-performing and apolitical.
As the Queensland public sector’s central human resource agency, our functions are wide-ranging and include:
- providing system leadership and stewardship
- building the capability and capacity of the public sector
- promoting equity, diversity, respect and inclusion
- promoting a culture of integrity and ethical behaviour and decision-making
- promoting a culture of continuous improvement
- building leadership capability and developing a highly skilled cohort of senior leaders
- supporting the development of the capabilities the public sector needs to serve the people of Queensland and the government efficiently and effectively
- promoting the Act’s public sector principles
- enhancing the public sector’s leadership and management capability relating to disciplinary matters
- supporting the Public Sector Governance Council, including reporting to the Council about the public sector’s workforce profile.
Our Commissioner
Our Public Sector Commissioner, David Mackie, is a well-respected senior executive with over 30 years’ experience in the Queensland public sector.
As Public Sector Commissioner, David is leading the PSC to deliver the Even better public sector for Queensland strategy 2024-2028 and build the capability of Queensland’s largest workforce.
He is the chair of the Integrity Reform Steering Committee, established to implement recommendations of the Coaldrake review into culture and accountability in the Queensland public sector.
Prior to being appointed as Public Sector Commissioner in mid 2023, David was the Director-General of the Department of Justice and Attorney-General.
He has previously held senior executive positions in the Department of Justice and Attorney-General and with the Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland, the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian, and the Commission of Inquiry into the implementation of the Queensland Health Payroll System.
David has also provided stewardship of the portfolio entities within the Department of Justice and Attorney-General including the Crime and Corruption Commission, Office of the Information Commissioner, the Electoral Commission of Queensland, the Queensland Human Rights Commission and the Queensland Family and Child Commission.
He holds a Bachelor of Commerce with majors in Economics and Public Policy.
Our business areas, services and responsibilities
We are responsible for workforce policy, strategy, leadership and organisational performance across the Queensland public sector. Three areas of the PSC provide advice and support to agencies.
Public Sector Employment Practice
Our Policy, conduct and performance, and Executive policy and employment teams:
- Manage the Queensland public sector employment framework including legislation, directives, policies, circulars and guidelines, and the Code of Conduct for the Queensland public service
- Develop resources to build capability and understanding of the employment framework
- Manage the Conduct and Performance Excellence (CaPE) service and HR Assist service to build capability and support agencies to better manage conduct and performance matters
- Collect and report on data from agencies relating to conduct and performance and employment conversions
- Work with the Crime and Corruption Commission to ensure matters are handled by the appropriate organisation
- Promote the public sector principles set out in the Public Sector Act 2022
- Enhance and promote an ethical culture and ethical decision-making across the sector.
- Enhance the sector’s leadership and management capabilities in relation to disciplinary matters.
- Support chief executives and senior executives by providing strategic advisory and operational services for the full employment life cycle of executives
- Support structural changes to government (machinery-of-government) changes through the preparation of departmental arrangements notices
- Guide the sector-wide approach to supporting employees affected by workplace change
- Support chief executives and senior executives by providing strategic advisory and operational services by bringing together our whole-of-government expertise and experience on recruitment, remuneration, contract management, appointment and induction, performance management and machinery-of-government.
Leadership and Capability
Our Leadership and learning, and Design, learning and capability teams:
- Enable the development of mobile, highly skilled senior executives and leaders.
- Support the development of the sectors human resources management and capability
- Build leadership capability across the public sector by brokering leadership development programs and events focused on current and future leadership challenges
- Manage and develop initiatives and resources to create a pipeline of future leaders
- Support managers in the sector to develop and build high-performing teams
- Support capability development in diverse approaches to addressing problems and building public value
- Support government to better understand the needs and experiences of stakeholders through effective research, engagement and collaboration processes
- Promote culturally safe and inclusive workplaces
- Support career progression and pathways for First Nations employees
- Advance the capability, integrity and professionalism of the public sector by supporting the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) Queensland.
Strategic Workforce Futures
Our Strategic Workforce Futures team:
- Partners with agencies to research, co-design and embed sector-wide workforce strategies and initiatives
- Plays a critical role in leading the Queensland public sector’s approach to strategic workforce planning
- Partners with agencies to support organisational performance improvement across the public sector
- Manages the annual Working for Queensland survey, including assisting agencies to understand and convert data into actionable insights for improvement
- Coordinates sector-wide initiatives relating to inclusion and diversity, employee health and wellbeing, and flexible work
- Leads workplace initiatives to support employees affected by domestic and family violence
- Leads the public sector’s approach to strategic talent acquisition, including through contemporary mobility platforms and graduate recruitment portal
- Collates, validates and reports key HR workforce metrics and conduct and performance metrics
- Monitors and reports on FTE performance and conduct and performance metrics to the Public Sector Governance Council and Chief Executive Leadership Board
- Produces the Queensland Public Sector Workforce Profile, and Work performance matters reports.
Corporate functions
Our business areas are supported by our Governance and Business Services, and Communication and Engagement teams to deliver finance, information technology, digital engagement and systems management, human resources, organisational performance management, communications, media and engagement.
Contact us
Street address
Level 27, 1 William Street, Brisbane QLD 4000
Postal address
PO Box 15190, City East, Brisbane 4002
General enquiries
Business hours: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday
- Phone: (07) 3003 2800
- Fax: (07) 3224 2635
- Email: commission.psc@psc.qld.gov.au
Media enquiries
Email media@psc.qld.gov.au for all media enquiries, including your preferred deadline.
Social media
Visit our LinkedIn page to learn more about our agency, people and culture.
HR Assist service
Our HR Assist service supports human resources practitioners and managers to help them deliver positive workplace outcomes for Queensland public sector employees.
Compliments and complaints
We encourage feedback about our staff, information or service. Visit our compliments and complaints page for further information.
Right to information
We are making it easier for you to access information about our agency.
Before applying for information, you should check to see if it is available online. You can search our About us section, or our registers and logs.
The Department of the Premier and Cabinet (DPC) manages our RTI and Information Privacy access applications. DPC will determine if the information is accessible through an administrative release process or will advise if you need to make a RTI request to access it.
Read about your right to access information and how to make an access application.
Our decisions
The Commissioner may delegate many of their functions and decision-making powers to appropriately qualified persons, including PSC staff.
Decisions on executive employment conditions, including executive capability development and management matters are made in consultation with chief executives and Queensland public sector agencies as appropriate.
Our governance
Public Sector Governance Council
Under the Act, the Public Sector Governance Council (PSGC), is to provide system leadership and stewardship of the public sector and to oversee public sector governance.
Council’s functions
Monitoring/promoting:
- foster and recognise excellence, innovation and high performance of public sector employees and work teams
- foster a culture of integrity within the public sector
- oversee the implementation of policies and programs across the public sector
- promote seamless and integrated policy advice and policy implementation, including, for example, establishing ways for public sector entities to collaborate
- oversee the implementation of changes to the machinery of government and resourcing decisions related to the changes
Reporting and advisory:
- monitor, and report to the Minister about, the workforce profile of the public sector
- monitor, and advise the Minister on, the performance of the public sector and matters relating to public sector administration and workforce management
Council membership
| Member and agency | Council role |
|---|---|
| David Mackie, Acting Director-General, Department of the Premier and Cabinet | Ex-officio member and acting chairperson |
| Rachel Crossland , Acting Under Treasurer, Queensland Treasury | Ex-officio member |
| Jenny Lang, Acting Commissioner, Public Sector Commission | Ex-officio member |
| Dr AJ Brown, Professor of Public Policy and Law, Griffith University | Community representative member |
| Angela Leitch, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Indigenous Australians), Queensland University of Technology | Community representative member |
| Sally Stannard, Director-General, Department of Transport and Main Roads | Member appointed under s246(3) |
Public sector reviews
Under the Act, the Premier or the PSGC may request reviews of the effectiveness, efficiency or activities of public sector entities. Certain integrity bodies are excluded from this function, preserving their independence. Reviews may be conducted by the Commissioner, a special commissioner, or another appropriately qualified person.
Collaborative governance model
Under the Act, the PSGC, the Commissioner and chief executives of department have a shared responsibility for the effective stewardship of the public sector. Chief executives of departments are responsible for providing stewardship of the public sector by actively participating in collective and collaborative leadership and implementing sector-wide policies decided by the Premier and the PSGC.
Governance documents
Annual report
Our annual report 2023–24 provides information on the agency's performance against its objectives as outlined in the strategic plan 2023–2027. It also demonstrates our achievements, our corporate governance, financial performance, organisational development and future direction.
Full report
- 2023–24 annual report | MS Word version
- Open data: overseas travel, consultancy spending and Queensland language services reporting policy.
Report by sections
Annual report disclaimer
The materials presented on this site and in the listed pdf files are provided by the Queensland Government for information purposes only. Users should note that the electronic versions of the annual report on this site are not recognised as the official or authorised version.
The official copy of the Annual report, as tabled in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland can be accessed from Queensland Parliament's Tabled papers.
Previous reports
Feedback
Contact us to provide feedback on our annual report.
Strategic plans
Read our Strategic Plan 2024-2028 to learn how we will achieve our vision over the next four years, which is also supported by our Strategic Workforce Plan 2022-2025.
Previous Strategic plans
Queensland Multicultural Action Plan annual reporting for 2023-24
Discover the Public Sector Commission’s priorities and outcomes | in promoting an inclusive, harmonious and united community for Queensland.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Capability Action Plan 2023–2024
This foundation document underpins our actions to ensure that policies, programs and services meet the needs of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Policies and plans
- PSC process for managing Public Interest Disclosures (PIDs)
- PSC Customer complaints management policy
- PSC customer complaints management procedure
- PSC Corrupt Conduct Complaints Policy
- Complaints about corrupt conduct against the Commission Chief Executive
- Waste reduction and recycling plan 2021-2024