Managing Conflict of Interest - Organisation for Economic Co ...

156 Managing Conflict of Interesthad their salary reduced. These are termed “high-impact” sanctions,as they obviously have a significant effect on the people involved.ConclusionThe Australian Public Service’s Values and Code of Conduct arenot mere rhetoric and are legally enforceable. An element of theCode stipulates that all APS employees must uphold the APS Values,and sanctions can be, and are, imposed for breaches of the Code ofConduct. Agency heads and the Senior Executive Service (SES) arerequired to promote, as well as adhere to, the Values, and all APSmanagers are accountable for their management decisions and theextent to which they abide by the Values and the Code of Conduct.In addition to APS managers, all APS employees are expectedto reflect these values in their decisions and be accountable forthem in their behavior and overall performance. The Values are theprinciples that guide decision making in the APS. They guide thebehavior and actions of APS employees, and embody the enduringprinciples of good public administration.In effect, the APS Values and Code of Conduct provide the testby which to judge whether APS employees are making decisionsthat are consistent with a common values framework and are otherwiseappropriate and fair. In the light of the fact that the overallgoal is establishing a public service that is responsive, efficient, andguided by values, rather than regimented by centralized prescription,leaders at all levels must exemplify the APS Values. Moreover,agencies should nurture cultures that are consistent with the APSValues and Code of Conduct.Last but not least, it is also necessary to establish mechanismsfor monitoring and ensuring compliance with the Values and theCode. If these elements are in place, then, it is hoped that the applicationof, and compliance with, the APS Values and Code of Conductwill become second nature, embedded in the way in whichAPS agencies and individual employees go about their business.The Values and related Code give the Government the confidencethat it is served by professional employees who will beresponsive to its needs but also provide it with robust and balancedadvice. The Values and Code also give the community the confidencethat the APS as a whole and individual APS agencies operatewith integrity.ADB/OECD Anti-Corruption Initiative for Asia and the Pacific