Personnel Numbers—Staffing by Average Strength
This section provides information on average staffing levels for the year and compares numbers of personnel with our estimates for the financial year.
The DMO's workforce average strength in 2005–06 was 6,536 or 15 over the revised estimates. This was due primarily to the net effect of permanent military personnel shortfalls across the three Services, and growth in APS personnel numbers associated with the 23 per cent increase in funds under management for 2006–07 and the use of alternative labour to meet the shortfall in the ADF permanent workforce.
Table 5.2 provides details.
Notes:
- 2005–06 Actual compared to the 2005–06 Revised Estimate.
- The 2005–06 APS strength represents full-time equivalents, ongoing and non-ongoing.
- Professional Service Providers are individuals under contract filling line positions.
- Navy, Army and Air Force strength represents an agreed Average Funded Strength (AFS) estimate and includes Reservists undertaking full-time service. Reservists undertaking full-time service were 31 (comprising Navy 19, Army 7 and Air Force 5).
- Reserve strength represents Reservists who undertook paid service.
Australian Public Service (APS) Staffing
The APS full-time equivalent average strength for 2005–06 was 4,502 or 94 (2 per cent) more than the revised estimate of 4,408. This was due primarily to a growth in APS personnel numbers associated with the 23 per cent increase in funds under management programmed for 2006–07 and the use of alternative labour to meet the shortfall in the ADF permanent workforce. APS staff represented 69 per cent of the total DMO workforce.
Professional Service Providers
In addition to military and civilian employees, the DMO engages Professional Service Providers as part of its total workforce. Professional Service Providers are individuals with specialist skills contracted to fill an APS line position usually due to an inability to recruit or retain civilian staff with these skills. Professional Service Providers are not DMO employees but are employed under contractual arrangements.
The Professional Service Provider full-time equivalent average strength for 2005–06 was 393 or 55 (16 per cent) more than the revised estimate of 338. This was due primarily to a shortfall in specialist skilled staff. Professional Service Providers represented 6 per cent of the total DMO workforce.
Permanent Military Staffing—Military Workforce Agreements
The Chief Executive Officer DMO and the Service Chiefs recognise that the posting of military personnel into the DMO benefits both organisations, in that it supports the DMO's understanding of the operational environment, and provides specialist military skills.
Military positions in the DMO are staffed in accordance with government policy for military staffing in the DMO as reflected in Military Workforce Agreements between the DMO and each of the Services.
The Military Workforce Agreements address a range of matters including:
- command and control of military personnel;
- establishment and management of military positions;
- selection and employment of military personnel;
- performance of military personnel;
- tenure of military personnel;
- career management and professional development; and
- associated funding arrangements.
The permanent Defence Force average strength in 2005–06 was 1,450 or 213 (13 per cent) less than the revised estimate. This was due primarily to the impact of permanent military personnel shortfalls across the three Services. Permanent military staff represented 22 per cent of the total DMO workforce.
Reserve Military Staffing
The number of Reservists who rendered paid service during 2005–06 was 191. This was 49 (35 per cent) more than the revised estimates of 142. This was due primarily to the proactive action taken by the DMO to establish a process to ensure maximum flexibility in the utilisation of reserve training days. Reserve military staff represented 3 per cent of the total DMO workforce.
