The Labor member for Fenner wrote to public service commissioner Peter Woolcott on Wednesday saying employees in some Commonwealth agencies had been advised, both formally and informally, not to seek internal offices in the ALP such as policy committee coordinators.

Public servants had also been told not to participate in Labor party policy development, or to attend the annual ACT Labor branch conference, Dr Leigh said in the letter.

The advice contradicted guidance about the public service's code of conduct, which said Commonwealth bureaucrats may participate in political activities "as part of normal community affairs" and also join, or hold office in, political parties, he said.

Dr Leigh asked the commissioner to confirm the protections in place to let public servants who were members of political parties feel they could freely exercise their rights, and the remedies available to employees who felt their ability to do their jobs or seek promotion was being hindered.

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Mr Woolcott responded on Wednesday saying membership of a political party was not, in and of itself, inconsistent with public servants' obligations.

He also referred to guidance saying that there may be specific roles or agencies in which membership of a political party could give rise to a perception of conflict of interest or partiality.

In those circumstances, it would be a matter for the agency and the employee to carefully consider whether and how any such perception could be mitigated, Mr Woolcott said.

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