The incident was set out in the 2019/20 annual report of the Merit Protection Commissioner tabled in federal parliament.

During a merit review of the matter, the bureaucrat argued his behaviour was "friendly banter" and questioned the findings of fact made during the investigation.

However, the commissioner said the Australian Public Service (APS) official should have been in "no doubt about the expected standards of behaviour".

"The employee, who was in a leadership role, made jokes of a sexual nature on two occasions to two colleagues, including suggesting to one colleague that they get a room in a hotel together at lunchtime," the commissioner reported.

"The employee was reduced in classification for this behaviour.

"We were satisfied that the sanction was appropriate in light of the employee's seniority and length of employment in the APS."

In a second case, a public servant had his salary reduced after comments he made on a messaging platform to a colleague indicating that he was romantically attached to her and wished to pursue a relationship.

The colleague asked him to stop but he repeated the behaviour some time later.

In a third case, a bureaucrat was sanctioned for drunkenly making unsolicited and unwanted physical sexual advances to a colleague at a work social function.

The commissioner reviewed 52 code of conduct cases over the year, with the largest group of cases encompassing bullying, harassment and discourteous behaviour.

Australian Associated Press