Report of the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee
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The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia Recruitment and Retention of ADF Personnel REPORT OF THE SENATE FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND TRADE REFERENCES COMMITTEE October 2001 © Commonwealth of Australia 2001 ISBN 0 642 71138 0 This document is produced from camera-ready copy by the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee Secretariat, and printed by the Senate Printing Unit, Parliament House, Canberra. ii MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE Current Senator John Hogg, ALP, Qld (from 1.7.98) (Chair) Members Senator Sandy Macdonald, NPA, NSW (to 30.6.99 and from 9.5.00) (Deputy Chair) Senator Vicki Bourne, AD, NSW (from 12.5.99) Senator Steve Hutchins (from 17.8.00) Senator Ross Lightfoot, LP, WA (from 21.10.97) Senator Sue West, ALP, NSW (from 24.11.98) Current Senator the Hon Eric Abetz, LP, Tas (from 5.12.97) Participating Senator Lyn Allison, AD, Vic (from 19.10.99) Members Senator Andrew Bartlett, AD, Qld (from 19.10.99) Senator the Hon Nick Bolkus, ALP, SA (from 7.12.98) Senator the Hon Ron Boswell, NPA, Qld (from 26.11.98) Senator Bob Brown, TG, Tas (from 18.6.96) Senator Paul Calvert, LP, Tas (from 24.8.99) Senator Grant Chapman, LP, SA (from 24.8.99) Senator the Hon Peter Cook, ALP, WA (from 3.12.98) Senator Helen Coonan, LP, NSW (from 24.8.99) Senator Winston Crane, LP, WA (from 24.8.99) Senator Alan Eggleston, LP, WA (from 8.12.98) Senator the Hon John Faulkner, ALP, NSW (from 7.12.98) Senator Alan Ferguson, LP, SA (from 24.8.99) Senator Jeannie Ferris, LP, SA (from 24.8.99) Senator Michael Forshaw, ALP, NSW (from 7.4.98) Senator Brenda Gibbs, ALP, Qld (from 3.12.98) Senator the Hon Brian Gibson, LP, Tas (from 24.8.99) Senator Brian Greig, AD, WA (for this inquiry only) Senator Brian Harradine, Ind, Tas (from 24.11.98) Senator Susan Knowles, LP, WA (from 24.8.99) Senator Brett Mason, LP, Qld (from 24.8.99) Senator Julian McGauran, NPA, Vic (from 3.12.98) Senator Shayne Murphy, ALP, Tas (from 20.10.99) Senator Marise Payne, LP, NSW (from 24.8.99) Senator Tsebin Tchen, LP, Vic (from 24.8.99) Senator John Tierney, LP, NSW (from 24.8.99) Senator John Watson, LP, Tas (from 24.8.99) iii Former Senator the Hon David Brownhill, NPA, NSW (to 14.4.00) Members Senator the Hon Peter Cook, ALP, WA (to 3.12.98) Senator Alan Eggleston, LP, WA (to 3.12.98) Senator Brenda Gibbs, ALP, Qld (to 3.12.98) Senator Sandy Macdonald, NPA, NSW (to 30.6.99) Senator John Quirke, ALP, SA (to 15.8.00) Senator John Woodley, AD, Qld (to 12.5.99) Former Senator the Hon David Brownhill, NPA, NSW (to 30.6.99) Participating Senator Steve Hutchins, ALP, NSW (to 17.8.00) Members Secretariat Mr Paul Barsdell, Secretary Lt Col Stuart Smith, Chief of Army Visiting Fellow Ms Pamela Corrigan, Research Officer Ms Laurie Cassidy, Executive Assistant The Senate Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Phone: (02) 6277 3535; Fax: (02) 6277 5818 E–mail: [email protected]; website: www.aph.gov.au/senate_fadt iv TERMS OF REFERENCE (1) That the following matter be referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee for inquiry and report by 27 September 2001: Whether the current recruitment and retention strategies of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) are effective in meeting the organisation’s personnel requirements (including reserves). (2) That, in considering these terms of reference, the Committee examine and report on the following issues: (a) whether the current recruitment system is meeting, and will continue to meet, the needs of the ADF; (b) the impact of the Defence Reform Program on retention levels and recruiting; (c) the impact of changes to ADF conditions of service, pay and allowances on retention and recruitment of personnel; (d) current levels and categories of specialist personnel in the ADF compared to the organisation’s requirements; (e) the impact of current career management practices on retention of personnel; (f) any other issues, reasonably relevant to the terms of reference but not referred to above, which arise in the course of the inquiry. (Note: on 27 September 2001, the Senate extended the reporting date to the last day of this Parliament) v vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Membership of the Committee ..................................................................................................iii Secretariat................................................................................................................................. iv Terms of Reference .................................................................................................................... v Table of Contents .....................................................................................................................vii Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................ xi Recommendations ...................................................................................................................xiii CHAPTER 1 ........................................................................................................1 BACKGROUND..................................................................................................................1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................1 Previous reports.................................................................................................................1 The need for an inquiry into recruitment and retention ....................................................3 Conduct of the inquiry.......................................................................................................4 Committee’s approach to the inquiry................................................................................6 Acknowledgements ...........................................................................................................9 CHAPTER 2 ......................................................................................................11 REFORM ISSUES.............................................................................................................11 Introduction .....................................................................................................................11 A history of reform..........................................................................................................11 Effects of reform on recruitment and retention...............................................................12 Management of reform....................................................................................................18 Conclusion.......................................................................................................................18 CHAPTER 3 ......................................................................................................21 THE CURRENT RECRUITING SYSTEM ...................................................................21 Introduction .....................................................................................................................21 Background .....................................................................................................................21 Marketing and advertising...............................................................................................23 The recruiting process .....................................................................................................25 Issues associated with the recruiting process ..................................................................28 Outsourcing recruiting.....................................................................................................32 vii Recruiting input versus training capacity........................................................................36 Conclusion.......................................................................................................................38 CHAPTER 4 ......................................................................................................39 THE CURRENT CAREER PATH..................................................................................39 Introduction .....................................................................................................................39 Strategic personnel management.....................................................................................39 Technical and non-technical trade training and education..............................................41 Career management.........................................................................................................44 Promotion........................................................................................................................48 The ADF personnel model ..............................................................................................48 CHAPTER 5 ......................................................................................................53 CURRENT CONDITIONS OF SERVICE .....................................................................53 Introduction .....................................................................................................................53 Pay and allowances .........................................................................................................53 Equity ..............................................................................................................................58