For the general public, the benefits of ethical rules far outweigh their costs. Both the drafting and administration of codes of ethics require a balance between political, administrative, and legal considerations. A central and widespread concern should be to balance the desire for high ethical standards with the protection of the individual rights of public employees. One of the fundamental principles guiding the enforcement of a code in a Canadian government is that public employees "should enjoy the same rights as any other citizen in their private dealings, unless it can be shown that a restriction is essential to the 'public interest'. Similarly, the draft Australian code states that "where personal behavior does not interfere with the proper performance of official duties and where it does not reflect on the integrity or reputation of the service, it is of no interest or concern to the giving authority of work". . '" Although some governments have paid little attention to the impact of codes of ethics on the rights of their employees, most governments have proven sensitive to this issue. But the fact remains that a well-drafted and well-administered code tends to decrease the rights of public employees compared to the rights enjoyed by their fellow citizens outside of government Perhaps the greatest benefit of a code of