Directions, MPC Powers and Bulk Recruitment 1 min read

The APS Commissioner’s Directions 2022 in plain language

Legally binding. Not guidelines. Not best practice.

The APS Commissioner’s Directions 2022 give legal content to what merit-based recruitment requires in practice. They sit beneath section 10A of the Public Service Act 1999 and are legally binding on all APS Agencies. Departure from their requirements can result in an MPC finding of non-compliance.

Applied to interviews, the Directions require equivalent opportunity across all shortlisted candidates, a genuinely competitive comparative assessment, work-related question design, merit as the primary factor in the decision, and non-discrimination throughout.

These are not procedural niceties. They are the legal standard the MPC applies when reviewing a selection process under the new framework operative from 1 April 2025.

Map each of your interview design elements to the Directions. Every element should trace back to a specific requirement.
This article is part of a short-read series collaboration by Nguma Pty Ltd and Onpoint 365 on Australian Government hiring.
#APS #AustralianGovernment #CommissionersDirections #GovernmentRecruitment #MeritPrinciple
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