Past performance is evidence, not the decision
A strong CV doesn't answer the question that matters most.
The merit principle, as applied by the MPC in promotion reviews, focuses on capacity to achieve outcomes in the role being filled, not recognition of past service elsewhere. This is one of the most commonly missed distinctions in APS recruitment.
A candidate’s past performance is evidence of capacity. It is not itself the answer. The question is: can this person deliver the outcomes this role requires? A strong APS 6 in policy may or may not be a strong EL1 in operations. A high-performing private-sector manager may or may not transfer.
Panels that reward tenure, familiarity, or past reputation, rather than assessing forward capacity for this role’s outcomes, drift into patronage territory. That is a visible defect on review.