Navigating to senior leadership in the Australian public service: identifying employment barriers and enablers for aboriginal and Torres Strait islander peoples

Abstract

This commissioned report examines enablers and barriers which act to support or impede career progression of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to senior levels in the Australian Public Service (APS). It draws on 50 in-depth interviews with current or former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander APS employees, predominantly at the Executive Level (EL) and Senior Executive Service (SES) level, reflecting on their careers in the APS. Key findings suggest that informal relationships with mentors and managers form the key enabler of career advancement, and generally play a more important role than other institutionalised measures (which were nonetheless seen as useful), such as formal mentoring, study and development programs, affirmative measures and family-friendly provisions. A number of barriers to advancement were identified including operational constraints, limited regional opportunities, poor management practices, and a lack of institutional valuing of Indigenous skills and leadership styles.