People

Workforce Overview

Staffing By Average Strength

The information presented within this section represents average staffing levels and provides a comparison of personnel achievement against budgeted personnel estimates for the financial year. The following tables assess performance against budget and revised staffing level estimates for 2002-03.

The permanent force average strength was 52,080 including 1,127 Reservists undertaking full-time service. These reservists were employed primarily within the other ranks.

The ADF achieved an average strength figure of 3,142 towards the additional 3,555 average funded strength provided under the Government's commitment to an Army with six full-time battalions and an enhanced combat support group in the Air Force. Improvements in recruiting and separation rates will provide the Services with an opportunity, over the next few years, to grow more quickly towards the White Paper force end states than had previously been anticipated.

Table 5.11: ADF Permanent Force Average Funded Strength⁽¹⁾
Permanent Forces	2001-02 Actual	2002-03 Budget Estimate	2002-03 Revised Estimate	2002-03 Actual	Variation (2002-03 Actual less Revised Estimate)
Personnel Numbers - Average Strength						%
Navy	12,598	12,838	12,838	12,847	9	0.1
Army	25,012	25,289	25,785	25,587	-198	-0.8
Air Force	13,322	13,196	13,446	13,646	200	1.5
Total Permanent Forces	50,932	51,323	52,069	52,080	11	0.0

Note

Staffing numbers for Permanent Forces are based on average funded strengths and includes Reservists undertaking full-time service. The average number of Reservists undertaking full-time service included Navy 359, Army 619 and Air Force 149.

The reserve strength figures represent Reservists who rendered paid service during the financial year. The 2002-03 Reserves actual numbers were 19,620, a decrease of 738 from the revised estimate of 20,358, but an increase of 752 over the 2001-02 figure. This figure excludes the average number of Reserves on full-time service in the Permanent Force during 2002-03.

Table 5.12: ADF Reserve Funded Strength⁽¹⁾ | ⁽²⁾
Reserve Forces	2001-02 Actual	2002-03 Budget Estimate	2002-03 Revised Estimate	2002-03 Actual	Variation (2002-03 Actual less Revised Estimate)
Personnel Numbers - Paid Strength						%
Navy	1,544	2,142	2,142	1,404	-738	-34.5
Army	15,669	16,300	16,500	16,211	-289	-1.8
Air Force	1,655	1,576	1,716	2,005	289	16.8
Total Reserve Forces	18,868	20,018	20,358	19,620	-738	-3.6

Notes

Reserve figures represent numbers of General Reserves who rendered paid service during the financial year. |
During the financial year, an average of 1,127 Reservists undertook full time service in the Permanent Force, and are included in the Permanent Force staff table.

The APS average strength for 2002-03 was 18,385, an increase of 441 from the revised estimate of 17,944. The forecast increase during the year was related to an expected increase in the use of APS in non-operational functions, combined with delays in market testing within the Corporate Services and Infrastructure Group. The outcome also reflected delayed reductions through the rationalisation of the Defence Integrated Distribution System and the implementation of new ADF recruiting arrangements. The APS workforce continued to grow in the first half of the year in response to heightened security and operational commitments and through changing business requirements.

Recognising that continued growth, within the APS element of the Defence workforce, would exert significant budgetary pressure on the portfolio, a suspension on recruitment activities was applied between late January and April 2003. The recruitment suspension had the desired effect of arresting growing numbers. Following this action, it was agreed that a measured APS reduction program be undertaken over the next three years as a contribution towards the Defence's program of administrative savings.

Table 5.13: APS Average Funded Strength⁽¹⁾
APS	2001-02 Actual	2002-03 Budget Estimate	2002-03 Revised Estimate	2002-03 Actual	Variation (2002-03 Actual less Revised Estimate)
Personnel Numbers - Average Strength						%
Total APS	16,819	17,328	17,944	18,385	441	2.5

Note

Staffing numbers for civilians are based on average funded strengths.

Table 5.14: Breakdown of Average Funded Strengths by Service and Rank
	2001-02	2002-03	2002-03	2002-03
	Actual	Budget Estimate	Revised Estimate	Actual
NAVY
1 Star Officers and above	34	35	35	35
Senior Officers	403	404	404	432
Junior Officers	2,349	2,394	2,394	2,380
Other Ranks	9,812	10,005	10,005	10,000
Sub-total Permanent Navy	12,598	12,838	12,838	12,847
Reserves⁽¹⁾	1,544	2,142	2,142	1,404
Sub-total Navy	14,142	14,980	14,980	14,251
ARMY
1 Star Officers and above	49	50	50	50
Senior Officers	561	545	558	558
Junior Officers	4,431	3,756	4,546	4,458
Other Ranks	19,971	20,938	20,631	20,521
Sub-total Permanent Army	25,012	25,289	25,785	25,587
Reserves⁽¹⁾	15,669	16,300	16,500	16,211
Sub-total Army	40,681	41,589	42,285	41,798
AIR FORCE
1 Star Officers and above	36	33	37	35
Senior Officers	503	417	510	517
Junior Officers	3,364	3,364	3,439	3,489
Other Ranks	9,419	9,382	9,460	9,605
Sub-total Permanent Air Force	13,322	13,196	13,446	13,646
Reserves⁽¹⁾	1,655	1,576	1,716	2,005
Sub-total Air Force	14,977	14,772	15,162	15,651
APS
Senior Executives⁽²⁾	102	117	117	110
Senior Executive Relief Staff⁽³⁾	15			20
Senior Officers⁽⁴⁾	3,264	3,278	3,563	3,539
Senior Officer Relief Staff⁽³⁾	290			295
Others	13,148	13,933	14,264	14,421
Sub-total APS	16,819	17,328	17,944	18,385
Total Workforce	86,619	88,669	90,371	90,085

Notes

The 2002-03 Reserve strength represents Reservists who undertook paid service. |
There is one Secretary position and 116 SES positions in Defence. The figure of 110 average substantive SES includes the Secretary of Defence. |
Relief Staff represent personnel acting within a higher classification for short durations pending permanent filling action or while the incumbents are taking leave, acting in higher positions or on secondment to other agencies. |
Senior Officers include substantive Executive Levels 1 and 2.