The Australian public, through its elected representatives, is increasingly demanding a greater degree of accountability and transparency in the way in which the Australian Public Service (APS) operates. These expectations apply equally to Australian public servants working overseas, the majority of whom are members of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

The Code of Conduct for Overseas Service is a statement of the Department's collective commitment to maintaining the highest ethical standards of behaviour. Developed in consultation with DFAT staff and other agencies and Departments which operate overseas, it addresses itself to particular conduct issues which arise overseas additional or different from those covered in existing legislation and guidelines governing the conduct of the APS in Australia.

Before any DFAT officer travels overseas on official business, he or she signs an undertaking that they will comply with the code.

Full text of the code