There is a new name for the body in charge of the Queensland public service. 

The Queensland Public Service Commission is now called the Queensland Public Sector Commission (QPSC), following the introduction of new legislation governing the commission. The name change is meant to recognise the increased scope of work and reach across additional public sector entities not previously captured in the Public Service Act 2008. 

The Public Sector Act 2022 has added 62 entities to the commission's scope, providing a modern, employee-focused legislative framework to rejuvenate the public sector and build confidence and trust in the public sector. 

The QPSC will focus on five areas for rejuvenation, including leadership, capability, performance and integrity, collaboration, and inclusive cultures.

The changes to the QPSC were prompted by the Coaldrake report, which highlighted a “serious issue” with the current visibility of paid lobbying in government. 

One of the report's recommendations was for QPSC to take a key role in the “rejuvenation of the capability and capacity of the Queensland public sector”. 

The legislation also includes a review mechanism that can be initiated by the Queensland premier, the responsible minister, or the Public Sector Governance Council (PSGC). 

Reviews can be about public administration or public sector management, including the effectiveness, efficiency, or activities of a public sector entity.

The legislation is intended to strengthen the role of the QPSC as a system leader, steward, and enabler. 

The changes also mark a broader shift away from the use of the term “public service” and towards “public sector”. 

The QPSC is the fourth jurisdiction in Australia to have its commission named after a “public sector” rather than a “public service”. 

The Victorian and Western Australian commissions are also named likewise, and South Australia has an Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment. 

The ACT has a public sector standards commissioner, and the Northern Territory has its Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment. 

Gordon de Brouwer was also named “secretary for public sector reform” last year as part of a two-year appointment at the federal level.