Information Publication Scheme
Our Information Publication Scheme
This page operates from 26 August 2022. Prior to that date the MPC’s Information Publication Scheme was incorporated within the APSC’s Information Publication Scheme.
An Australian Government agency (includes the MPC as a prescribed authority) subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) must publish a range of information on its website as part of its Information Publication Scheme (IPS). This includes the agency’s structure, functions, appointments, annual reports, consultation arrangements, and details of the agency’s freedom of information (FOI) officer. Information routinely released through FOI requests and routinely provided to parliament must also be published online.
The MPC is committed to taking a proactive approach to publishing information. Our IPS Agency Plan outlines our approach to the scheme and what we will include in our IPS entry.
You can find the categories of information we publish in our IPS entry below, along with links to the information or documents. If you have any difficulty accessing any information please contact us.
Background
The MPC is an independent statutory officer appointed by the Governor-General under s 49 of the Public Service Act 1999. The MPC’s functions are detailed in sections 33, 50 and 50A of the Public Service Act 1999 and Parts 2, 4, 5 and 7 of the Public Service Regulations 1999 (Regulations) and are aimed at ensuring accountability and integrity in APS employment decision-making.
The Office of the MPC is located within but is independent of the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) and is staffed by Australian Public Service (APS) employees who assist with the MPC’s functions (MPC Staff).
MPC staff are provided by the Australian Public Service Commissioner. The MPC comprises 13 ongoing staff including the MPC plus a number of casuals who undertake other functions such as Promotion Review Committees as well as fee for service work such as Code of Conduct investigations and Independent Selection Advisory Committees.
The MPC Delegates a number of functions to MPC staff. MPC staff are located in Canberra and Sydney. The MPC’s corporate functions including financial and document and information management systems are also provided by the Australian Public Service Commissioner.
The MPC is also appointed as the Parliamentary Service Merit Protection Commissioner under s 47 of the Parliamentary Service Act 1999. The Office of the Parliamentary Service Merit Protection Commissioner is not a prescribed authority subject to the FOI Act, being excluded under s 68A(b) of the Parliamentary Service Act 1999.
This IPS entry therefore relates only to MPC’s obligations under the FOI Act as regards functions and powers under the Public Service Act 1999 and Regulations. As corporate functions are provided by the APSC to the MPC please refer to the APSC's IPS page, Parliamentary Reporting page or Accountability and Reporting page.
Required information
Agency IPS plan
The MPC is required under section 8(2)(a) of the FOI Act to publish the MPC IPS Agency Plan.
Who we are
The MPC is required under sections 8(2)(b) and 8(2)(d) of the FOI Act to publish information about the Office and its structure, the location of offices and statutory appointments. This information is available on the following pages:
What we do
The MPC functions and powers includes making decisions or recommendations affecting APS employees and members of the public who are former APS employees.
The MPC is required under ss 8(2)(c) and 8(2)(j) of the FOI Act to publish a description of the functions and powers of the MPC, and the rules, guidelines, practices and precedents relating to those functions and powers (that is, operational information) that affect members of the public. This information is available on the following pages:
- functions and powers of the MPC
- MPC Operational Information accessible from the MPC Homepage
- Information about promotion-reviews
- Tip Sheets for employees and agencies
- Review of Actions information for employees and agencies
- Policy and procedural information
- Legislation and reference materials that we refer to in our work
- Administrative Review Council Best practice guides and other publications
- Case studies.
Operational information of the MPC does not extend to information by way of manuals and rules held by the MPC relating to the review of decisions about APS employees because the information relates employees in their employment capacity and not as members of the public (see the FOI Guidelines issued by the Australian Information Commissioner under s 93A of the FOI Act at [13.100]).
Our reports and responses to Parliament
Section 51 of the Public Service Act 1999 provides that the MPC must provide a report each year to the Minister for presentation to the Parliament detailing the administrative arrangements to support the performance of the MPC’s functions. The report must be included in the Australian Public Service Commissioner’s annual report.
The MPC is required under ss 8(2)(e) and 8(2)(h) of the FOI Act to publish Annual reports laid before the Parliament, and other information routinely provided to the Parliament. The MPC’s annual reports to parliament are found through our Annual reports page. The MPC is not routinely requested to provide responses to Parliament arising from requests and orders from the Parliament (s 8(2)(h)). In this regard, please refer to the APSC's IPS page and Parliamentary Reporting page.
For information that is not available on our Annual reports page, or it is in a format you can’t access, you can contact us and ask for the document(s). Copies of earlier MPC annual reports are available by contacting us.
Routinely requested information and FOI disclosure log
The MPC is required under ss 8(2)(g) and 11C of the FOI Act to publish information to which the MPC routinely gives access in response to FOI requests and the disclosure log of information that has been released under the FOI Act. Information that can be published resulting from freedom of information requests and any routinely released information from such requests is found in our FOI disclosure log.
For information that is not available on our disclosure log, or it is in a format you can’t access, you can contact us and ask for the document(s). For information the MPC routinely gave access to prior to August 2021 in response to FOI requests and the disclosure log of information that was released under the FOI Act prior to that date please refer to the APSC's FOI disclosure log.
Contact us
The MPC is required under s 8(2)(i) of the FOI Act to publish contact details of an officer (or officers) who can be contacted about access to the agency’s information under the FOI Act.
FOI requests can be sent directly to the FOI contact officer by emailing info@mpc.gov.au or telephone the MPC on 02 8239 5330 and request to speak to the FOI Contact Officer. Information we've released under FOI requests is available on the MPC FOI disclosure log.
Whilst the MPC has obligations under section 72B of the Public Service Act 1999 which provides for the protection of information that was obtained in connection with the performance of the MPC’s functions, duties or powers, you may also view Access our information to read our Information Access Policy to learn how to request information outside of the FOI Act or to access to other information we hold which is not published through the IPS or elsewhere on our website.
Other information
Our priorities
Under s 8(4) of the FOI Act, the MPC publishes information about the MPC’s priorities in each Annual report.
Our submissions
Any MPC submissions to Parliamentary committees or other inquiries are found through our Annual reports page.
Our policies
Under s 8(4) of the FOI Act, the MPC publishes our corporate policies. A selection of MPC policies are available at the following pages:
Other Publications and reference materials
Under s 8(4) of the FOI Act, the MPC publishes other publications and reference materials used by the MPC. These are available at the following pages: