AGLS Integrity, Ethics and Culture Committee Charter

The purpose of the AGLS Integrity, Ethics and Culture Committee is to promote understanding of the role and responsibilities of Australian Government lawyers in the context of integrity and ethics.

The committee’s objectives are to:

• support government lawyers to understand and reflect upon their role, in the context of integrity and ethics
• create training and resources to provide greater role clarity for government lawyers, and the particular ethical challenges they face
• drive initiatives responding to the Robodebt Royal Commission and Integrity Action Plan, including developing best practice guidance and legal practice standards and expanding education resources for non-lawyers
• connect the AGLS with state and territory legal service, commissions and ethics committees.

Committee responsibilities

The committee is responsible for:

• facilitating integrity, ethics and culture publications and activities that align with the priorities determined by the AGLS Board
• establishing, maintaining and regularly updating an annual work plan that describes how the committee will deliver on those priorities, for approval by the AGLS Board
• reporting regularly to the AGLS Board on the committee’s progress in delivering against the work plan.

Committee member responsibilities

Committee members are responsible for:

• attending committee meetings
• contributing to the committee to ensure that the committee meets its responsibilities.

AGLS Board responsibilities

The AGLS Board is responsible for:

• nominating a board sponsor/s for the committee
• considering and approving the committee’s work plan
• determining the priorities and strategic direction of the committee’s activities
• overseeing and supporting the committee’s activities.

Board sponsor responsibilities

Each board sponsor for the committee is responsible for:

• maintaining a line of communication between the AGLS Board and the committee, including by:
  • reporting to the board on the work of the committee
  • seeking board guidance and input on key issues affecting the committee, where necessary
  • sharing relevant information and feedback from the AGLS Board with the committee
• championing and promoting the work of the committee within the AGLS and among Australian Government lawyers.

Committee members will serve on a volunteer basis.

Committee members will be Australian Government lawyers at the SES level. Where possible, membership should reflect cultural, gender and regional diversity, and should draw from different types of Commonwealth agencies.

The committee will consist of no less than 5 members in any calendar year, with a maximum of 10 members.

If a member fails to attend committee meetings more than 4 times per calendar year, their membership will be revoked. This is irrespective of apologies.

The AGLS Board may alter the composition and membership of the committee at any time.

The AGLS Board must nominate at least one sponsor for the committee.

Board sponsors’ main committee contact will be the committee co-chairs.

Once a year (or at other times as necessary), the Office of Legal Services Coordination, Attorney-General’s Department, will seek expressions of interest from Australian Government lawyers to fill committee membership positions. The positions will be advertised widely.

Where there are more nominations than available positions, the committee chair will assess the nominations and make a recommendation to the board sponsor/s based on:

1. each applicant’s interest in integrity, ethics and culture
2. each applicant’s commitment to the vision and strategy of the AGLS and the development of a culture of ethics and integrity within the Australian Government lawyer cohort
3. preference being given to nominees from a Commonwealth agency who has not yet been represented on the committee, subject to committee diversity considerations.

AGD will maintain a register of Australian Government lawyers who express interest in joining the committee but are not selected to become members. Ad hoc committee vacancies may be filled from this list by the board sponsor/s, on recommendation from the co-chairs.

The committee will meet at least once every 6 weeks, or as often the committee co-chairs or a majority of committee members deem necessary or appropriate.

Meeting will be conducted in-person or electronically and at such times, places and manner as the co-chairs may determine.

All members (including the committee co-chairs) are appointed only for the calendar year in which they are appointed, except the inaugural committee which will be appointed until the end of the 2025 calendar year.

Before the end of each calendar year, the co-chairs must facilitate the appointment of a committee for the following calendar year in accordance with the ‘Appointment process’ above.

Members may resign from the committee at any time through written notice to either the committee co-chairs or through the AGLS directly.

Members are required to resign if they no longer qualify for membership of the AGLS.

The members of the committee (including the co-chairs) may be removed, with or without cause, by a majority vote of the AGLS Board.

Where possible, departing  members are expected to pass on corporate knowledge to their replacement or to the committee at large.

The committee will select a chair or co-chairs from amongst its members at the start of each calendar year by a majority vote.

1. leading the committee and co-ordinating its activities
2. reporting regularly on the activities of the committee to the board via the board sponsors
3. maintaining regular and effective communication with other AGLS committee chairs and the Office of Legal Services Coordination, Attorney-General’s Department, to ensure consistency and information sharing across the AGLS.

The committee’s annual deliverables will be as described in the approved committee work plan.

The co-chairs may establish sub-committees of the committee as necessary, with the approval of the board sponsor/s.

The co-chairs may establish (and remove) additional positions on the committee as necessary, including for example secretary, deputy chair or leadership roles for sub-committees.

Members must adhere to the Australian Public Service Values and Code of Conduct as set out in the Public Service Act 1999 (Cth) and the principles of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (Cth).

Members must declare any conflict(s) of interest (perceived or actual) as and when they arise.

Conflicts will be managed by the relevant member and the co-chairs, with the final treatment of the conflict to be determined by the co-chairs if necessary.

The committee, by a majority vote, may propose amendments to this charter at any time.

The board, or its delegate,  must approve any proposed amendments to this charter. 

26 September 2024