Audit Report 31

The Auditor-General
Audit Report No.31 2007–08
Performance Audit
Management of Recruitment in the
Australian Public Service
Australian National Audit Office



© Commonwealth
of Australia 2008

ISSN 1036–7632

ISBN 0 642 81018 4




COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

This work is copyright. Apart from
any use as permitted under the
Copyright Act 1968, no part may be
reproduced by any process without
prior written permission from the
Commonwealth.


Requests and inquiries concerning
reproduction and rights should be
addressed to the Commonwealth
Copyright Administration,
Attorney-General’s Department,
Robert Garran Offices,
National Circuit
Barton ACT 2600


http://www.ag.gov.au/cca




ANAO Audit Report No.31 2007–08
Management of Recruitment in the Australian Public Service

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Canberra ACT
29 April 2008



Dear Mr President
Dear Mr Speaker

The Australian National Audit Office has undertaken a performance audit
across agencies in accordance with the authority contained in the
Auditor-General Act 1997. Pursuant to Senate Standing Order 166 relating to
the presentation of documents when the Senate is not sitting, I present the
report of this audit and the accompanying brochure. The report is titled
Management of Recruitment in the Australian Public Service.

Following its presentation and receipt, the report will be placed on the
Australian National Audit Office’s Homepage—http://www.anao.gov.au.

Yours sincerely




Ian McPhee
Auditor-General


The Honourable the President of the Senate
The Honourable the Speaker of the House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT


ANAO Audit Report No.31 2007–08
Management of Recruitment in the Australian Public Service

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AUDITING FOR AUSTRALIA

The Auditor-General is head of the
Australian National Audit Office. The
ANAO assists the Auditor-General to
carry out his duties under the
Auditor-General Act 1997 to undertake
performance audits and financial
statement audits of Commonwealth
public sector bodies and to provide
independent reports and advice for
the Parliament, the Government and
the community. The aim is to improve
Commonwealth public sector
administration and accountability.

For further information contact:
The Publications Manager
Australian National Audit Office
GPO Box 707
Canberra ACT 2601

Telephone: (02) 6203 7505
Fax: (02) 6203 7519
Email: webmaster@anao.gov.au

ANAO audit reports and information
about the ANAO are available at our
internet address:

http://www.anao.gov.au


Audit Team
Tracey Martin
Peta Martyn
Rowena Carne
Andrew Morris



ANAO Audit Report No.31 2007–08
Management of Recruitment in the Australian Public Service

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Contents
Abbreviations.................................................................................................................. 7
Glossary ......................................................................................................................... 8
Summary and Recommendations ............................................................................ 11
Summary...................................................................................................................... 13
Introduction ............................................................................................................. 13
Audit objective and scope ....................................................................................... 17
Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 18
Key findings by chapter........................................................................................... 20
Sound and better practices ..................................................................................... 28
Summary of agencies’ responses........................................................................... 29
Recommendations ....................................................................................................... 30
Audit Findings and Conclusions.............................................................................. 33
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 35
Overview of recruitment in the Australian Public Service ....................................... 35
Audit approach........................................................................................................ 44
Assistance to the audit............................................................................................ 47
Audit reporting and structure................................................................................... 47
2. Strategic Approaches to Recruitment ..................................................................... 48
Introduction 48
Identifying workforce capability gaps ...................................................................... 50
Progress of APS agencies in implementing workforce planning approaches ........ 56
Strategic recruitment initiatives ............................................................................... 57
3. Recruitment Management and Support.................................................................. 66
Introduction ............................................................................................................. 66
Structure of recruitment functions........................................................................... 68
Expert recruitment advice and support ................................................................... 70
Recruitment policy and procedural guidance.......................................................... 72
Recruitment training................................................................................................ 73
4. Recruitment Processes........................................................................................... 77
Introduction 77
Views of APS employees on recruitment processes .............................................. 78
Audit testing of recruitment processes.................................................................... 87
Recordkeeping........................................................................................................ 93

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Management of Recruitment in the Australian Public Service

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5. Monitoring and Evaluation of APS Recruitment Performance................................ 97
APS-wide monitoring and evaluation of recruitment............................................... 97
APSC better practice guidance for monitoring and evaluating
APS recruitment................................................................................................. 98
Agency recruitment performance measures......................................................... 100
Agency reviews and evaluations of recruitment ................................................... 103
6. APS-wide Recruitment Guidance and Initiatives .................................................. 106
Introduction ........................................................................................................... 106
APSC better practice guidance material and support for APS recruitment .......... 107
APS-wide recruitment initiatives ........................................................................... 107
Appendix................................................................................................................... 111
Appendix 1: Comments From the Audited Agencies............................................ 113
Series Titles................................................................................................................ 114
Current Better Practice Guides .................................................................................. 117


ANAO Audit Report No.31 2007–08
Management of Recruitment in the Australian Public Service

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Abbreviations
APS AustralianPublicService
APSC AustralianPublicServiceCommission
APSED AustralianPublicServiceEmploymentDatabase
ATO AustralianTaxationOffice
CACAct CommonwealthAuthoritie