Public servants must do more to manage conflicts of interest, APS commissioner tells top bureaucrats

Exclusive: Letter to department heads does not cite specific incidents but comes after scandals involving government grants and consulting firms

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The public service must do more to eliminate conflicts of interest and ensure personal relationships in the workforce are not leading to power imbalances, the sector’s chief has told senior bureaucrats.

The Australian Public Service commissioner, Gordon de Brouwer, outlined his concerns in a letter to the leaders of all government departments, and sought their assistance to identify, disclose and manage all conflicts.

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