Checked 5 November 2026. Section 10 of the Public Service Act 1999 sets out the six APS Values; Stewardship was added from 11 December 2024. Agencies and graduate programs set their own application and assessment steps: follow your program's own instructions and candidate guide.
The APS Values are six standards of behaviour that Parliament sets for every Australian Public Service employee: Impartial, Committed to service, Accountable, Respectful, Ethical and Stewardship. They are written into section 10 of the Public Service Act 1999, and the APS Code of Conduct requires every APS employee to "at all times behave in a way that upholds" them. For a graduate applicant they are a useful lens twice over: for choosing the examples in your application, and for thinking through interview and judgement scenarios. This guide gives each value in the Act's words, what it means in practice, an example from the kind of experience graduates have, and the questions it tends to sit behind. ProSyllabus is an independent practice site. It is not affiliated with the Australian Public Service Commission, DFAT or any Australian Government agency. Every example on this page is our own.
Public Service Act 1999, Compilation No. 22; Public Service Amendment Act 2024.
Key facts
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Where they come from | Section 10 of the Public Service Act 1999. The APSC describes them as the standards of behaviour and performance expected of public servants by Parliament | Public Service Act 1999; APSC APS Values |
| The six values | Impartial, Committed to service, Accountable, Respectful, Ethical, Stewardship. The APSC lists them in that order; the Act lists Committed to service first and Impartial fifth. Neither source ranks them | APSC APS Values; Public Service Act 1999 s10 |
| Newest value | Stewardship, added as subsection 10(6) by the Public Service Amendment Act 2024, in force 11 December 2024 | Public Service Amendment Act 2024; compilation endnotes |
| Who must uphold them | Every APS employee, at all times (Code of Conduct, s13(11)). Agency Heads must also uphold and promote them (s12) | Public Service Act 1999 s12, s13 |
| Related rules | The APS Employment Principles (s10A) say engagement and promotion decisions are based on merit; the Code of Conduct (s13) sets duties such as honesty and integrity, care and diligence, respect and courtesy, and taking reasonable steps to avoid conflicts of interest and disclosing material personal interests | Public Service Act 1999 s10A, s13 |
| Where applicants can show them (our framing) | In the evidence behind selection criteria or a pitch, and in answers to the interview questions the APSC describes as behavioural ("Tell us about a time when...") or hypothetical (a made-up work problem). Follow your program's instructions, including any request to address the values directly | APSC Cracking the code, parts 3 and 7 |
The six APS Values at a glance
The middle column summarises section 10 of the Act (the full wording is in each card below). The right-hand column is our short version of what each value asks of a new graduate.
| Value | Section 10 in short | In one line, for a graduate |
|---|---|---|
| Impartial | Apolitical; advice that is frank, honest, timely and based on the best available evidence | Tell it straight, from the evidence, whoever is in government and whatever you think of it |
| Committed to service | Professional, objective, innovative and efficient; works collaboratively for the best results for the Australian community and the Government | Do good work with others, look for a better way, and keep the end user in mind |
| Accountable | Open and accountable to the Australian community under the law and within the framework of Ministerial responsibility | Own your decisions and mistakes, and keep a record someone else could follow |
| Respectful | Respects all people, including their rights and their heritage | Treat everyone with dignity, including people you disagree with or serve |
| Ethical | Demonstrates leadership, is trustworthy, and acts with integrity, in all that it does | Do the right thing when it costs you something, and speak up when you should |
| Stewardship | Builds capability and institutional knowledge; supports the public interest now and into the future by understanding the long-term impacts of what it does | Leave things better than you found them, and think past this year |
Each value, with examples
For each value: what the Act says, what the APSC's guidance adds, an example of the kind graduates actually have (study, part-time work, volunteering, an internship), how to show it in writing, and the kind of interview question it sits behind. You do not need an APS job to have evidence for every value.
APS Value · Impartial
"The APS is apolitical and provides the Government with advice that is frank, honest, timely and based on the best available evidence."
What it means: Public servants serve the government of the day, whichever party it is, and give the same quality of advice regardless of their own politics. The APSC's guidance in its Values and Code of Conduct in Practice adds that advice should not hold back important facts or bad news, and that once a minister has chosen an option, the APS implements it to best effect.
A graduate-level example: In a group research project, your survey results undercut the conclusion your team had already drafted. You raise it before the deadline, show the numbers, and suggest how the report could say what the data supports.
In your application: Show a time you gave honest advice or findings that were not what people wanted, and what you based them on. Our advice: keep examples focused on evidence and on your ability to serve the government of the day, not on party politics.
Questions it can sit behind:
- Tell us about a time you had to give someone information they did not want to hear.
- Your manager asks for a summary of research that mostly supports a policy the minister has announced, but one strong study does not. What do you include?
The trap: Answers that pick a political side, or that treat "impartial" as "never having a view". The value is about advice resting on evidence, not about having no opinion.
The quote is section 10 of the Public Service Act 1999. The example and questions are ours, not APSC or agency material.
APS Value · Committed to service
"The APS is professional, objective, innovative and efficient, and works collaboratively to achieve the best results for the Australian community and the Government."
What it means: Good, efficient work for the people the service exists for, done with others rather than alone. The APSC's guidance asks employees to be open to good ideas and to challenge the "business as usual" approach where a better one exists.
A graduate-level example: In a part-time customer service job, you notice the same three questions come up in most calls, write a one-page answer sheet with your supervisor's approval, and the team uses it to answer faster.
In your application: Pick an example where you improved something for a customer, client, student group or community, and where you worked with others to do it. Give a result: time saved, complaints down, more people helped.
Questions it can sit behind:
- Describe a time you found a better way to do a routine task.
- Two teams you depend on disagree about who should do a piece of work, and a deadline is close. What do you do?
The trap: Leaving out how you worked with others. Collaboration is an explicit part of this value, so include it where it is relevant to your example.
The quote is section 10 of the Public Service Act 1999. The example and questions are ours, not APSC or agency material.
APS Value · Accountable
"The APS is open and accountable to the Australian community under the law and within the framework of Ministerial responsibility."
What it means: APS employees answer to ministers for the exercise of delegated authority and, through them, to Parliament, and they have their own accountability obligations as employees. The APSC's guidance ties this to good recordkeeping: significant decisions documented well enough to withstand independent scrutiny and let others understand why they were made.
A graduate-level example: As treasurer of a student club, you keep receipts and a simple ledger for every payment, so when members question an expense you can show exactly what was spent and why.
In your application: Show ownership: a decision you made and could explain, or a mistake you reported early and fixed. Mention how you recorded it.
Questions it can sit behind:
- Tell us about a time you made a mistake. What did you do next?
- You realise a figure in a report you sent to your manager last week was wrong. The report has already gone up the line. What do you do?
The trap: Blaming others, or a "mistake" that is really a disguised strength. A stronger answer gives a real error, owned quickly, and what changed afterwards.
The quote is section 10 of the Public Service Act 1999. The example and questions are ours, not APSC or agency material.
APS Value · Respectful
"The APS respects all people, including their rights and their heritage."
What it means: Dignity for everyone: colleagues, clients, stakeholders and people affected by decisions. The APSC's guidance adds being open to ideas and, generally, engaging relevant stakeholders, including those affected by decisions, when developing new approaches, and the Code of Conduct requires respect and courtesy, without harassment (s13(3)).
A graduate-level example: Volunteering at a community legal centre, you take time to understand how a client prefers to communicate, check whether an interpreter is wanted, and make sure they understand the next steps before they leave.
In your application: Choose an example that shows you adjusting to someone else: their culture, language, disability, age or point of view.
Questions it can sit behind:
- Tell us about a time you worked with someone whose views or background were very different from yours.
- In a meeting, a colleague keeps talking over a quieter team member who has relevant experience. What do you do?
The trap: Saying you "treat everyone the same" with no example. Show respect through specific actions: how you listened, included someone or adjusted your approach.
The quote is section 10 of the Public Service Act 1999. The example and questions are ours, not APSC or agency material.
APS Value · Ethical
"The APS demonstrates leadership, is trustworthy, and acts with integrity, in all that it does."
What it means: Doing the right thing, not only the technically allowed thing. The APSC's guidance mentions having the courage to address difficult issues and following through on commitments. The Code of Conduct turns this into duties, including behaving honestly and with integrity (s13(1)), taking reasonable steps to avoid real or apparent conflicts of interest and disclosing material personal interests (s13(7)), and not improperly using inside information or your position to gain a benefit or cause detriment (s13(10)).
A graduate-level example: During an internship, you are asked to help shortlist applicants for a casual role and see a close friend's name on the list. You tell your supervisor and step back from that decision.
In your application: Show a time you chose honesty or fairness over convenience, or spoke up about something wrong. Keep it factual and calm.
Questions it can sit behind:
- Tell us about a time you had to make a decision where the right thing was not the easy thing.
- A supplier you deal with offers you two free tickets to a concert. What do you do?
The trap: Dramatic whistle-blowing stories that name people, or examples that break someone's confidence. The value includes being trustworthy with information.
The quote is section 10 of the Public Service Act 1999. The example and questions are ours, not APSC or agency material.
APS Value · Stewardship
"The APS builds its capability and institutional knowledge, and supports the public interest now and into the future, by understanding the longterm impacts of what it does."
What it means: Thinking beyond your own tenure: building skills, keeping knowledge in the organisation when people move on, and weighing long-term effects, not just this year's result. It is the newest value, in force from 11 December 2024, and the APSC publishes separate guidance on it.
A graduate-level example: Before handing over your role as a tutor coordinator, you write a short guide to the booking system and the common problems, so next semester's coordinator does not start from scratch.
In your application: Show a handover, a guide, a training session you ran, or a decision where you weighed long-term effects over a quick win.
Questions it can sit behind:
- Tell us about a time you made sure others could carry on your work after you left.
- Your team can meet a deadline faster by skipping the documentation for a new process. What would you recommend?
The trap: Forgetting it exists. Check that your preparation material includes Stewardship: the APSC's own 2023 Values and Code of Conduct in Practice guide predates it.
The quote is section 10 of the Public Service Act 1999. The example and questions are ours, not APSC or agency material.
How the values show up in graduate applications
The APSC's Cracking the code guide says APS applications are assessed on merit, that some agencies still use selection criteria, and that many now want only a CV plus a short "pitch" or statement setting out how your skills, abilities and experience fit the job. In both, it asks for evidence: specific examples of what you did, how well you did it and what you achieved. It offers the STAR model (Situation, Task, Action, Result) as one way to set out evidence, and for selection criteria suggests using only one or two of your strongest examples.
Unless your program asks you to address the values directly, our approach is to let them sit underneath: choose examples that answer the job requirements and also show honest advice, working well with others, owning decisions, treating people well, integrity and long-term thinking. Showing a value through what you did is stronger than claiming it.
| Weak pitch line | Why it falls short | Stronger version (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| I have a strong commitment to the APS Values, especially integrity and respect. | A claim with no example behind it | When I saw a friend's name on a shortlist I was helping prepare, I told my supervisor and stepped back from that decision. |
| I am an excellent team player who always goes above and beyond. | Generic, and says nothing about results | I wrote a one-page answer sheet for our three most common customer questions; the team used it to answer them faster. |
| I want to serve the government and make a difference. | Motivation can belong in a pitch, but this line gives no detail about the role and no evidence of what you bring | As club treasurer I kept a ledger and receipts for every payment, so I could account for any expense members asked about. |
Check your program's instructions for the application requirements, assessment stages and word limits before you write. The stream-by-stream stages are in the APS graduate aptitude test guide.
How the values show up in interviews and judgement tests
The APSC describes interview questions that may include two kinds. Behavioural questions usually begin with "Tell us about a time when..." or "Describe a situation where...", on the principle that past behaviour is a good indicator of future behaviour. Hypothetical scenario questions set up a made-up work problem and ask how you would handle it. It also lists work sample tests, psychometric tests and assessment centres with group exercises as possible parts of selection.
The values show up differently in each:
Where the values can show (our suggestions)
- Behavioural questions: a question about a mistake gives you a chance to show Accountable; one about working with someone very different can show Respectful. The panel assesses against the job requirements.
- Hypothetical questions: the best answer usually serves several values at once, for example being honest with your manager (Impartial, Accountable) while staying courteous to the colleague involved (Respectful).
- Our judgement practice (not an APSC format): compare possible responses to a workplace scenario and check whether each one deals with the problem honestly, stays within your authority and takes account of the people affected.
- Group exercises at an assessment centre: assessors see how you treat others in real time, which is Respectful and Committed to service in action.
Our suggestions, not APSC guidance. Follow your program's own assessment instructions.
Format details are covered elsewhere: one-way video questions and timing in the DFAT video interview guide, DFAT's behavioural and psychometric test in the DFAT online assessment guide, and each AGGP stream's tests in the APS graduate aptitude test guide.
When the values pull in different directions
Some scenarios involve two values that seem to pull apart. In our practice scenarios, look for a response that takes each relevant value into account rather than dropping one. The scenarios and suggested responses below are ours.
| Tension | Example | A response that serves both |
|---|---|---|
| Impartial vs Committed to service | The minister has chosen an option you advised against | Your advice is on the record; now implement the chosen option to best effect and flag risks as they arise (the APSC guidance says the chosen option should be implemented to best effect) |
| Respectful vs Accountable | A well-liked colleague's work has an error that will reach a client | Raise it with the colleague promptly and courteously, and involve your manager if that is what it takes to stop the error reaching the client |
| Committed to service vs Stewardship | A shortcut meets this week's deadline but leaves no record of how a decision was made | Agree priorities with your manager, and keep a record that is enough to explain the decision and why it was made |
| Ethical vs Respectful | A friend at work asks you to look up a neighbour's details in a system you can access | Decline kindly and explain that you can only access records for work purposes |
Two worked examples
One hypothetical question and one behavioural question, each with the thinking and a model answer.
Worked example 1 · Hypothetical scenario: a conflict of interest
Question (invented): "You are on a graduate rotation helping assess applications for a community grants program. One of the applications is from a youth group your sister runs. Your manager has asked for your scores by Friday. What would you do?"
- Name the values at stake: Ethical (integrity, trustworthiness) and Accountable (decisions that can withstand scrutiny). The Code of Conduct also requires you to take reasonable steps to avoid a conflict of interest, real or apparent, and to disclose a material personal interest (s13(7)).
- Decide the first action: tell your manager straight away, before scoring anything, and say exactly what the connection is.
- Offer a practical way forward, but let your manager decide: suggest another assessor takes that application, and confirm which of the other work you can carry on with so the Friday deadline can still be met.
- Close the loop: record the disclosure through your agency's process, and do not discuss the application with your sister.
- Model answer, spoken: "I'd tell my manager first thing, before scoring anything, that my sister runs one of the applicant groups, ask how they want the conflict managed, and suggest someone else assesses that application. I'd check which of the other applications I can keep working on so we still make Friday, record the disclosure the way the agency requires, and I wouldn't talk to my sister about the grant round."
What it shows: A good hypothetical answer acts early, involves the right person, keeps the work moving and leaves a record. Simply promising to score the application fairly does not deal with the conflict: the Code requires reasonable steps to avoid conflicts of interest, real or apparent, and disclosure of material personal interests.
An original ProSyllabus example. The people and facts are invented; it is not an APSC or agency question.
Worked example 2 · Behavioural question: a mistake you made
Question (invented): "Tell us about a time you made a mistake. What did you do about it?" The value behind it is mainly Accountable, with some Stewardship.
- Choose a real mistake that fits the question and that you can discuss without revealing confidential information. Explain your part in it, how you fixed it and what you learned.
- Situation and task, briefly: "In my casual job at a library, I was responsible for the weekly email of upcoming events."
- Action, in detail: "I sent one with the wrong date for a school-holiday workshop. I noticed an hour later, told my supervisor straight away, sent a short correction, and rang the three families who had already booked for the wrong day."
- Result and learning: "Everyone came on the right day. I then made a two-line checklist for the email and shared it with the other casual staff, and we have used it since."
- Check the time: a spoken answer like this runs about a minute; expand the action, not the background.
What it shows: It owns the error quickly, fixes the effect on real people, and leaves something for whoever does the job next (Stewardship). That is the shape we suggest for any question built on Accountable.
An original ProSyllabus example. The people and facts are invented; it is not an APSC or agency question.
Try a free sample
The box below starts the free sample of our APS and DFAT graduate program practice test in our test player, with a result page at the end. Its questions are original ProSyllabus practice items, not APSC or agency material.
Free sample: a few timed questions in our test player, with your score, time per question and the reason behind every answer. Start the free sample.
Build your APS Values example bank
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Why it matters | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Listing only five values | Stewardship has been a value since 11 December 2024; the APSC's 2023 Values and Code of Conduct in Practice guide predates it | Learn all six, and have an example for Stewardship |
| Naming the values instead of showing them | The APSC asks for evidence of what you did and achieved | Use a STAR example; let the panel see the value |
| Treating Impartial as "no opinions" | The value is about frank advice based on evidence, given whoever is in government | Show a time you gave honest, evidence-based advice |
| One example for everything | One story is unlikely to fit every question well | Build a bank of six to twelve examples (use the tracker above) |
| Picking one value and dropping another in a scenario | The strongest responses usually satisfy several values at once | Ask: who needs to know, what does the evidence say, and who is affected? |
| Making an example about party politics | The Impartial value describes an apolitical APS; an example built on your politics distracts from the evidence | Keep examples on what you did and the evidence you used |
Applying to DFAT as well? Its timeline, stages and eligibility are in the DFAT Graduate Program guide.
Frequently asked questions
What are the APS Values?
Six standards of behaviour set by section 10 of the Public Service Act 1999: Impartial, Committed to service, Accountable, Respectful, Ethical and Stewardship. Every APS employee must uphold them at all times under the Code of Conduct (s13(11)).
How many APS Values are there?
Six. Stewardship became the sixth value on 11 December 2024, added by the Public Service Amendment Act 2024. Before that there were five.
What is the APS Stewardship value?
Section 10(6): "The APS builds its capability and institutional knowledge, and supports the public interest now and into the future, by understanding the longterm impacts of what it does." In practice: share knowledge, leave good handovers, and weigh long-term effects.
What is the difference between the APS Values and the Code of Conduct?
The values (s10) describe the standard the APS as a whole is held to. The Code of Conduct (s13) sets duties for each employee, such as acting honestly, treating people with respect and courtesy, taking reasonable steps to avoid conflicts of interest and disclosing material personal interests, and requires employees to uphold the values.
Do I need to mention the APS Values in my application?
Follow your application instructions, including any request to address the values. Otherwise, the APSC asks for specific evidence of what you did and achieved, and offers the STAR model as one way to set it out. Examples that show the behaviour the values describe are stronger than claiming them.
What interview questions test the APS Values?
The APSC describes behavioural questions ("Tell us about a time when...") and hypothetical scenario questions (a made-up work problem). In our reading, a question about a mistake gives you a chance to show Accountable, one about working with very different people Respectful, and a conflict of interest scenario Ethical. An answer can show several values; panels assess against the job requirements.
What is the order of the APS Values?
The APSC lists them as Impartial, Committed to service, Accountable, Respectful, Ethical, Stewardship. Section 10 of the Act lists Committed to service first, then Ethical, Respectful, Accountable, Impartial and Stewardship.
What are the APS Employment Principles?
Section 10A of the Act. Among other things, the APS makes engagement and promotion decisions based on merit, makes fair employment decisions with a fair system of review, and provides workplaces free from discrimination, patronage and favouritism.
More in this series
Sources
- official — Public Service Act 1999 (Cth): section 10 (APS Values), section 10A (APS Employment Principles) and section 13 (APS Code of Conduct), Compilation No. 22, compilation date 11 December 2024 (C2024C00795), Federal Register of Legislation, read 5 November 2026
- official — Public Service Amendment Act 2024 (No. 44, 2024), Schedule 1 item 2: adds Stewardship as subsection 10(6); in force 11 December 2024 (compilation endnotes of the Public Service Act 1999), read 5 November 2026
- official — APSC: APS Values (published 18 September 2025, last updated 2 September 2026), read from the Internet Archive copy of 2026-09-09
- official — APSC: Cracking the code, 3. Applying for an APS job (selection criteria, the STAR model, the pitch), read from the Internet Archive copy of 2026-08-26
- official — APSC: Cracking the code, 7. The interview and other assessment (behavioural and hypothetical questions, merit lists, psychometric tests), read from the Internet Archive copy of 2026-04-16
- official — APSC: APS Values and Code of Conduct in Practice (2023 edition, written before Stewardship was added), publication page read from the Internet Archive copy of 2026-10-09
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
