Australia Post Group chief executive Paul Graham has announced he will retire at the end of the financial year. Graham was appointed to the role in September 2021 after a career in logistics and supply chain. Communications Minister Anika Wells thanked him for his service during a period of significant change at the national institution. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also named Derek Bopping as Australia's next Ambassador for Cyber Affairs, Artificial Intelligence and Critical Technology, and Rachel Moseley as Ambassador for Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation. Several senior public service roles were also filled.
Australia Post Group chief executive Paul Graham has announced he will retire at the end of the financial year. Graham was appointed to the role in September 2021 after a career in logistics and supply chain. Communications Minister Anika Wells thanked him for his service during a period of significant change at the national institution. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also named Derek Bopping as Australia's next Ambassador for Cyber Affairs, Artificial Intelligence and Critical Technology, and Rachel Moseley as Ambassador for Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation. Several senior public service roles were also filled.
A series of public sector events is scheduled between November and December. They include a First Nations women's leadership masterclass in Darwin on 4 and 5 November and the NT Governance Forum on 6 November. Leadership and policy courses for APS and NSW public servants run in November. The Regulatory Reform in Practice Summit will be held in Canberra and virtually from 1 to 3 December, with Kelly Wood of the Department of Finance among the speakers.
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Many West Australians may be leaving accounts open to hackers by using easily guessed passwords such as 123456 and password. A State Government audit found weaknesses in how seven government entities managed their Microsoft 365 systems, raising the risk of cyber attacks and data breaches. A separate warning from the Department of Education said names, email addresses and employee numbers may have been affected by a May 2026 incident involving the Canvas learning system. Experts advise using strong, unique passwords or passphrases and enabling multi-factor authentication where possible.
More than 100 women told Four Corners they experienced discrimination at work after becoming pregnant or having children. Former Department of Home Affairs executive Alisha Warner says her request to return on compressed hours was rejected. The department said it could not approve the arrangement because the role now needed full-time senior oversight. Warner took a voluntary redundancy and refused to sign a confidentiality agreement. Former Border Force official Kylie Rendina said losing experienced staff can cost more than retaining them.
Multiple layers of decision-making are the biggest barrier to staff performing well, according to the 2026 Employee Census. About 32 percent of nearly 150,000 respondents named it, ahead of administrative processes at 29 percent and technology at 28 percent. Nearly a third of respondents said they felt burnt out, and 79 percent said work sometimes, often or always felt stressful. Still, 74 percent said they were satisfied with their jobs, and 89 percent were willing to go the extra mile when required.
The Australian government has advertised multiple public sector job vacancies across various agencies. Roles include a Human Resources Officer at the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority, a Director of Vehicle Standards at the Department of Infrastructure, and a Director of Strategy at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Positions are available in cities including Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney, and Perth, with salaries ranging from $81,338 to $178,980. Applications close between 9 and 13 October 2026.
Economist Mariana Mazzucato argues governments should actively shape how markets are run, rather than simply fixing failures. In her new book, The Common Good Economy, she says the public sector often carries the risks of innovation while private companies keep the rewards. She proposes sharing profits through taxes and government equity stakes. She also calls for clear public missions and a wellbeing measure that goes beyond gross domestic product. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has previously praised her analysis.
The Community and Public Sector Union/Civil Service Association of WA has secured a grant to develop a mental health program for public sector workplaces. The initiative will engage with up to ten government agencies to identify and manage psychosocial hazards. Union branch secretary Melanie Bray said the program aims to improve staff retention, reduce workers' compensation costs, and enhance public service delivery in Western Australia.
Conflicts of interest and declarable associations were the most common corruption red flags identified by Victoria's Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) in a new report. Of 260 recommendations made between 2014 and 2025, 77 related to managing conflicts between public duties and private interests. Local government and corrections sectors received the most recommendations, with 40 and 34 respectively. IBAC Deputy Commissioner Stephen Farrow said making recommendations public increases accountability and allows other agencies to learn from them.
