Workplace diversity

Workplace diversity and inclusion

The Department of Home Affairs acknowledges that the diversity of our people is our greatest strength. We understand that a diverse workplace will have a greater understanding of its clients and the needs of the community.

As an organisation we endeavour to create an environment that values and utilises the contributions of people with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

Our Diversity, Disability, LGBTIQ+, CALD and First Nations Champions support and represent an ongoing diversity agenda whilst advocating for the full inclusion of all staff.

Learn more about the role of our Champions in the below video which outlines their commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace:

Diversity Champions video

Kingsley Woodford-Smith: As your Champions, it is our job to make sure everyone is supported to bring their authentic selves to work each day.

Bradley Armstrong: Our workplace actively welcomes and includes its people; and we continue to build an inclusive, accessible and disability-confident workplace.

Luke Mansfield: We encourage and develop our people who have many different cultural backgrounds, and speak many languages.

Sharon Huey: We provide a supportive and inclusive workplace for all LGBTI plus staff.

Andrew Kefford: We strive to promote acceptance, understanding and respect for all staff who identify outside of the binary.

Paul Grigson: We take great pride in celebrating the proud culture and history of our nation’s first people.

Sharon Huey: We remain committed to increasing the representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff,

Kingsley Woodford-Smith: and contributing to closing the gap initiatives.

Luke Mansfield: Gender equality is integrated into our policies and procedures,

Paul Grigson: and we provide equitable access to flexible working arrangements for all staff.

Sharon Huey: By removing employment-related disadvantage and barriers to participation,

Andrew Kefford: we drive innovation, performance and productivity by empowering our diverse workforce.

Kingsley Woodford-Smith: We utilise the unique skills, ideas, perspectives and qualities that our people contribute every day.

Bradley Armstrong: Diversity is being respected for our individual skills, experience and ambitions—it’s about all of us

Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Strategy and Action Plans

Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Strategy 2024-2029, and Placemat (one page overview of the strategy) outline our vision for enhancing the diversity of our workforce and embedding a culture of collaboration, inclusion, support, and respect through five key focus areas. The strategy also reaffirms our commitment to supporting the APS increase diverse representation aligned with the Commonwealth Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workforce Strategy, APS Disability Employment Strategy, and APS CALD Strategy and Action Plan.

Our action plans across our diverse groups include:

Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Strategy and Action Plan (in development)
Accessibility and Inclusion Action Plan (AIAP) 2021-2025
Gender Equality Action Plan 2021-2025
LGBTIQ+ Action Plan 2024-2026
Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2023-2026 (10MB PDF)
CALD Action Plan (in development)

Statement of Commitment: Workplace Culture, Diversity and Inclusion

We commit to building and valuing a diverse, professional and empowered workforce that authentically represents the community we serve - a workforce that fosters a culture of inclusiveness and embraces the diversity of its people, such as neurodiversity, differences in cultural backgrounds, race, ethnicity, disability, age, gender identity or sexual orientation.

We support our staff by realising their full potential through removing employment-related disadvantage and barriers to participation to contribute their best.

We will drive innovation, performance and productivity by empowering our diverse workforce to utilise the unique skills, ideas, perspectives and qualities that they contribute every day by creating an environment where staff feel valued and safe.

We will encourage applications from a broad range of suitably skilled people to deliver our diverse responsibilities and to perform our many complex roles by offering flexible work arrangements, through diversity networks, and by implementing relevant diversity action plans.

Our commitment

Our Executive, managers and staff will:

Create a supportive and enabling culture that recognises the contribution of all genders, and provides opportunities for leadership, career development, flexible work and equal participation.
Promote disability awareness and confidence, and create an environment that welcomes, supports and encourages an inclusive workplace for people with disability or those who are neurodivergent.
Ensure strong representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff by removing barriers to career progression and enhancing employment opportunities through diverse locations and development programmes.
Continue to build a workforce that respects and values the contributions of our culturally and linguistically diverse staff, who bring a vast range of individual experiences and capabilities valuable to the work we do.
Promote value-based behaviours by acting with integrity, respecting each other and appreciating the contribution each person makes to our organisation.
Provide a safe, open and accepting environment that supports people of all sexualities and gender identities, where staff can bring their authentic selves to work.
Engage in ways to retain the corporate knowledge and career experience of our mature workforce, while increasing representation and developing the skills of our younger workforce.

This Statement of Commitment operates in the context of the legislative framework for the Australian Public Service, key Australian Government initiatives for promoting diversity and equal employment opportunity, and the Department’s People and Workforce Plan 2025.

Workplace diversity