In January 2025, PSA CPSU NSW Research Officer Andy Asquith attended the Australian Public Policy Network conference at the University of NSW. The conference featured public policy and administration academics presenting their research.

“One of the papers was by Dr Assel Mussagulova (pictured above), an early career researcher from the University of Sydney,” said Dr Asquith. “She presented a paper on public service empathy which was very interesting – it won the best paper award.”

After the conference Dr Asquith contacted Dr Mussagulova to see if she would do some work for the PSA.

“The question around empathy levels demonstrated by public servants, along with the wider issue of public service motivation are important issues which affect how our members work and how they are perceived by the wider population,” he said.

“No work currently exists examining these important issues in relation to the NSW public sector.”

The PSA membership will form a research sample for the work Dr Mussagulova is undertaking.