Unacceptable behaviour

Highlights of the ATO's 2024 employee census results on unacceptable behaviour.

Published 24 November 2024

Discrimination

Employees who had perceived discrimination in the last 12 months in the course of their employment were asked what the basis was for the discrimination. Employees could select one or more responses from a list of items.

Only the 3 types of discrimination with the highest proportion of responses are presented here. These may vary between agencies, work units and with results for the APS overall.

Experience of discrimination

During the last 12 months and in the course of your employment, have you experienced discrimination on the basis of your background or a personal characteristic:

Yes 9%
No 91%.

Experience of discrimination variance 1
During the last 12 months and in the course of your employment, have you experienced discrimination on the basis of your background or a personal characteristic?	Variance from 2023	Variance from APS Overall
Yes	0	-1
No	0	+1

Experience of discrimination variance 2
During the last 12 months and in the course of your employment, have you experienced discrimination on the basis of your background or a personal characteristic?	Variance from larger operational agencies	Variance from extra-large sized agencies
Yes	-2	-2
No	+2	+2

Occurrence of discrimination

Did this discrimination occur in your current agency:

Yes 94%
No 6%.

Occurrence of discrimination variance 1
Did this discrimination occur in your current agency?	Variance from 2023	Variance from APS Overall
Yes	0	+2
No	0	-2

Occurrence of discrimination variance 2
Did this discrimination occur in your current agency?	Variance from larger operational agencies	Variance from extra-large sized agencies
Yes	+1	+1
No	-	-1

Basis of discrimination

Basis for the discrimination that you experienced (3 highest responses):

Age 30%
Gender 28%
Race 25%.

There is no variance data available on this question

Harassment and bullying

Experience of harassment or bullying

During the last 12 months, have you been subjected to harassment or bullying in your current workplace:

Yes 8%
No 87%
Not sure 5%.

Experience of harassment or bullying variance 1
During the last 12 months, have you been subjected to harassment or bullying in your current workplace?	Variance from 2023	Variance from APS Overall
Yes	0	-2
No	0	+2
Not sure	0	0

Experience of harassment or bullying variance 2
During the last 12 months, have you been subjected to harassment or bullying in your current workplace?	Variance from larger operational agencies	Variance from extra-large sized agencies
Yes	-3	-3
No	+3	+3
Not sure	-1	-1

Types of harassment or bullying

Employees who perceived harassment or bullying in the last 12 months were asked what type of harassment or bullying they experienced. Employees could select one or more responses from a list of items.

Only the 3 options with the highest proportion of responses are presented here. These may vary between agencies, work units and with results for the APS overall.

Types of harassment or bullying experienced (3 highest responses):

Interference with work tasks (for example, withholding needed information, undermining or sabotage) 45%
Verbal abuse (for example, offensive language, derogatory remarks, shouting or screaming) 40%
Inappropriate and unfair application of work policies or rules (for example, performance management, access to leave, access to learning and development) 31%.

There is no variance data available on this question.

Reporting harassment or bullying

Did you report the harassment or bullying:

I reported the behaviour in accordance with my agency's policies and procedures 32%.
It was reported by someone else 5%.
I did not report the behaviour 63%.

Reporting harassment or bullying variance 1
Did you report the harassment or bullying?	Variance from 2023	Variance from APS Overall
I reported the behaviour in accordance with my agency's policies and procedures	+2	-4
It was reported by someone else	-2	-2
I did not report the behaviour	0	+7

Reporting harassment or bullying variance 2
Did you report the harassment or bullying?	Variance from larger operational agencies	Variance from extra-large sized agencies
I reported the behaviour in accordance with my agency's policies and procedures	-5	-4
It was reported by someone else	-2	-3
I did not report the behaviour	+7	+7

Corruption

Corruption witnessed

Excluding behaviour reported to you as part of your duties, in the last 12 months have you witnessed another APS employee in your agency engaging in behaviour that you consider may be serious enough to be viewed as corruption:

Yes 3%
No 92%
Not sure 3%
Would prefer not to answer 2%.

Corruption witnessed variance 1
Excluding behaviour reported to you as part of your duties, in the last 12 months have you witnessed another APS employee in your agency engaging in behaviour that you consider may be serious enough to be viewed as corruption?	Variance from 2023	Variance from APS Overall
Yes	0	0
No	0	+1
Not sure	0	-1
Would prefer not to answer	0	0

Corruption witnessed variance 2
Excluding behaviour reported to you as part of your duties, in the last 12 months have you witnessed another APS employee in your agency engaging in behaviour that you consider may be serious enough to be viewed as corruption?	Variance from larger operational agencies	Variance from extra-large sized agencies
Yes	-1	-1
No	+2	+2
Not sure	-1	-1
Would prefer not to answer	-1	0

Types of behaviour

Employees who indicated that they had witnessed potential corrupt behaviour were asked to describe the behaviour. Employees could select one or more responses from a list of items.

Only the 3 types of corrupt behaviours with the highest proportion of responses are presented here. These may vary between agencies and with results for the APS overall.

Types of corrupt behaviours witnessed (3 highest responses):

Cronyism or preferential treatment of friends, such as appointing them to positions without proper regard to merit 70%
Nepotism or preferential treatment of family members, such as appointing them to positions without proper regard to merit 21%
Acting (or failing to act) in the presence of an undisclosed conflict of interest 14%.