In the framework of the two-step model of Auger decay the orientation of the krypton ${3d}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ and xenon ${4d}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ primary hole states has been determined as a function of photon energy. This was achieved by carrying out spin-polarization measurements of the Kr ${M}_{4,5}{N}_{2,3}{N}_{2,3}$ and Xe ${N}_{4,5}{O}_{2,3}{O}_{2,3}$ Auger electrons after ionization of free atoms by circularly polarized synchrotron radiation of 130\char21{}530 eV photon energy. The orientation parameter is found to be strongly influenced by the Cooper minimum in the Xe $4d$ photoionization cross section as demonstrated by the comparison of the Kr and Xe data. Furthermore, the intrinsic parameters for all lines in the Kr ${M}_{4,5}{N}_{2,3}{N}_{2,3}$ and Xe ${N}_{4,5}{O}_{2,3}{O}_{2,3}$ Auger groups and for several lines in the Kr ${M}_{4,5}{N}_{1}{N}_{2,3}$ Auger group were determined with high accuracy and are compared with previous experiments and calculations. We were also able to measure the spin polarization of most of the low kinetic-energy Kr ${M}_{4,5}\mathrm{NN}$ and Xe ${N}_{4,5}\mathrm{OO}$ lines, showing that the assignment of one of the lines should be revisited.