RE: APS Hierarchy and Classification Review
I am a former APS employee within the Department of Defence. I worked as a public servant
at the Executive Level 2 rank in DSTG, Army (Science Advisor) and CASG. I am highly
educated with several PhDs; a Chartered Professional in Engineering, Management and
Leadership. I accepted a Voluntary Redundancy in late 2016 after 13 years of service in the
Department of Defence. I am still in my 40s. Currently, I am the founder of a private
consultancy company.
Having worked in DSTG, CASG, and Science Advisor Army, I had very good oversight of
APS activities at the different Ranks. I also know, very few APS staff have equivalent
qualifications and accreditations.

Over the past 3 years, I have repeatedly applied for Department of Defence APS positions
advertised to the public at Ranks below the Executive Level 2. Despite having been one of the
most educated and experienced public servants in the organization, I have not been granted a
single interview.

Reviewing the APS Gazette shows that all Executive Level 1 position outcomes in the
Department of Defence over the past 2 years, have been internal promotions from APS6 to the
Executive Level 1, on every occasion (100%). Not one eligible person from the community
has been offered the position. This would suggest there is absolutely ZERO chance for highly
qualified specialists or former Department of Defence APS staff to re-enter the organisation,
even at levels well below their previous Rank.

The APS Employment Principles section 10A, paragraph 2 states
(a) all eligible members of the community were given a reasonable opportunity to apply to
perform the relevant duties.
(b) an assessment is made of the relative suitability of the candidates to perform the relevant
duties using a competitive selection process.

The fact that the Department of Defence has not awarded a single Executive Level 1 external
appointment for at least 2 years shows a high level of cronyism across the entire organisation.
That is, the appointment of friends and associates to positions of authority, without proper
regard to their qualifications. This conduct is a clear breach of the APS Employment Principles
Section 10(A) (2) because the selection process is “not competitive” for members of the
community.

Clearly, discrimination and prejudices are currently in play.

I am familiar with similar experiences from former APS colleagues where they were regarded
as Subject Matter Experts in their field and have been unable to re-enter Defence to work on
programs and standards which they themselves had created, at a level below their previous
rank. They too have been not been offered a single interview.

I have no doubt, once the public are made aware they have ZERO chance to gain employment
in the Department of Defence at the Executive Level 1, as evidenced by the APS Gazette in the
past 2 years, the public will condemn these practices from continuing.
How many thousands of highly skilled, highly educated, highly experienced non-APS staff
have applied for APS positions advertised to the public on the APS website but are not given
a competitive opportunity because they are not current Defence public servants.

How much time have members of the community waisted in applying for APS positions when
the position advertised to the public has been predetermined as internal promotion?

Many people like myself, have been financially affected by COVID and have applied for public
service positions in hope to secure financial stability to support their families.

I understand the Merit Protection Commission provides services to non-APS organisations
related to the employment of “person” or a “body”. The APS Hierarchy Review highest priority
should eradicate the systemic cronyism at the Executive Level 1 rank.

Non-APS staff should be given a fair and equal opportunity to gain employment in Defence at
the Executive Level 1.

The Merit Protection Commission powers should extend to all APS including SES ranks.