Providing employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, organisations and communities is important to PM&C. Mutually beneficial outcomes can be realised when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples forge their achievements and reaffirm identity through the development of their careers and businesses. PM&C has a responsibility to lead by example.
Advertisement of roles as Affirmative Measure – Indigenous enables targeted recruitment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees into our department, addressing under-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in the APS. The Affirmative Measure also ensures the right to equality and non-discrimination in employment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Focus areas:
- building understanding of current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staffing to inform future employment and professional development opportunities
- providing employment and procurement opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to advance their careers and businesses
- creating opportunities to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation across all PM&C roles and levels
- Support and advance Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff leadership skills and career pathways
- increasing representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff at all levels through improved employee experience
- increasing business opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suppliers.
| Action | Deliverable | Responsibility | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 Increased attraction and recruitment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff. | 3.1.1 Seek to reach and exceed Commonwealth representation targets of:16
| Lead: Executive Board | June 2027 |
| 3.1.2 Design and trial a bulk Affirmative Measure Indigenous recruitment round in consultation with Mara Network, leveraging best practice knowledge. | Lead: Chief People Officer Support: SES leaders Consult: Mara Network | March 2025 | |
| 3.1.3 Seek to access available APS agency affirmative measures merit pools, for similar vacancies, before undertaking internal affirmative measures recruitment. Reflect this commitment in PM&C’s Recruitment Policy. | Lead: All SES leaders Support: recruitment panel chairs, People Branch | July 2025, ongoing | |
| 3.1.4 First Nations policy areas seek to advertise roles as Affirmative Measures Indigenous before moving to an open identified round, where practical. | Lead: assistant secretaries of relevant policy branches Support: People Branch | March 2025, ongoing | |
| 3.1.5 Participate in APS-wide First Nations entry level recruitment programs.17 | Lead: Chief People Officer | December 2024, annually | |
| 3.1.6 Use affirmative measures Indigenous Recruitment for PM&C graduate recruitment, and seek to offer positions to all suitable candidates, where practical. | Lead: Chief People Officer | July 2025, annually | |
| 3.1.7 Consider applicants in the First Nations SES100 APS affirmative measures merit pools (and any future SES APS- wide similar merit pools) before filling ongoing SES vacancies. | Lead: deputy secretaries Support: People Branch | November 2024, ongoing | |
3.1.8 Maintain PM&C’s Recruitment Policy position when recruiting for affirmative measures Indigenous:
| Lead: all SES leaders Support: recruitment panel chairs, People Branch | July 2025, ongoing | |
| 3.1.9 Maintain the online First Nations Staff Hub to provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff with easy access to information and resources to support wellbeing, career development and progression. | Lead: Chief People Officer Consult: Mara Network | November 2024, ongoing | |
| 3.2 Increased retention and professional development opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff. | 3.2.1 Engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff on the development of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recruitment, retention (including APS mobility) and professional development plan. | Lead: Chief People Officer Consult: Mara Network | December 2026 |
| 3.2.2 Pilot and evaluate a mentoring program to provide culturally suitable and safe career support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff. | Lead: Chief People Officer Consult: Mara Network | August 2025 | |
| 3.2.3 Provide financial studies assistance and additional study leave for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff seeking to obtain professional qualifications, as well as fees covered for study to obtain pre-requisite qualifications for entry into a tertiary institution (as per the PM&C Enterprise Agreement). | Lead: Chief People Officer Support: All SES leaders | November 2024, ongoing | |
| 3.2.4 Maintain dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander coaches as part of the PM&C coaching panel, available to all staff. | Lead: Chief People Officer | July 2025, ongoing | |
| 3.2.5 Host an annual internal face-to-face meeting of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, focused on topics of their preference.18 | Lead: First Nations Champion Support: People Branch Consult: Mara Network | May 2025, annually | |
| 3.2.6 Explore structured mobility options between APS agencies, portfolio bodies (e.g. Northern Land Council) and partner organisations (e.g. Coalition of Peaks) to provide opportunities for the department’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to advance their career pathways and development, while also enhancing the retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff within PM&C. | Lead: Chief People Officer Support: SES leaders, First Nations Policy Branch Consult: Mara Network | December 2025, ongoing | |
| 3.2.7 Call for nominations for the Sir Roland Wilson Pat Turner Scholarship19 and fund scholarships for recipients selected by the Sir Roland Wilson Foundation. | Lead: Chief People Officer | June, annually | |
| 3.2.8 Support up to 3 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to attend the Indigenous Leadership Summit in person. | Lead: Chief People Officer Consult: Mara Network | March 2025, annually | |
| 3.2.9 Select at least one Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander staff member, through a central nominations process, to undertake a high value Indigenous leadership program.20 | Lead: Chief People Officer Support: First Nations Champion | August 2025, annually | |
| 3.3 Increased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander supplier diversity to support improved economic and social outcomes. | 3.3.1 Meet and report on portfolio targets under the APS Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP). | Lead: Assistant Secretary, Shared Services | July 2025, annually |
3.3.2 Continue to develop commercial relationships with Indigenous businesses by reviewing, updating and implementing the PM&C Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Procurement Strategy. This includes:
| Lead: Assistant Secretary, Shared Services | June 2025 | |
| 3.3.3 Encourage and promote procurement approaches to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses for procurements valued between $10,000–$80,000, to broaden the scope of the Indigenous Procurement Policy mandatory set-aside procurement threshold ($80,000–$200,000). | Lead: Assistant Secretary, Shared Services | June 2025 | |
| 3.3.4 Maintain and promote an Indigenous procurement intranet page as a one-stop-shop for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander procurement matters. | Lead: Assistant Secretary, Shared Services | June 2025 |