‘Recruit in, not screen out’ – Defence defends recruitment strategy, outcomes

Australia’s long and storied history of geopolitical and strategic insecurity as a result of our comparatively small population has been exacerbated by our proximity to some of the world’s most populated nations and their rising economic and political power and ambitions for the Indo-Pacific.

Equally influential is the shift Australia, like many Western nations in the aftermath of the Cold War, took advantage of the phenomenon known as the “peace dividend”, shifting from an emphasis on “warfighting” towards what is inescapably a highly bureaucratic structure, where a great deal of operational capability is locked behind in the “tail” of the organisation.

The Albanese government’s Defence Strategic Review is responding to the centre of gravity shifts from an Atlantic focus to the Indo-Pacific, with a distinct and history-defining recognition that the impact of this new reality will play out far closer to home than much of the major geostrategic, economic, and political competition of the 20th century.

Both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles have sought to repeatedly remind the Australian public, Australia’s defence industry and national security ecosystem and policymakers:

“As we face the most challenging geopolitical circumstances since the Second World War, the Albanese government is committed to properly managing every dollar of defence spending, and ensuring Defence can deliver the capabilities ADF personnel need, when they need them.”

This reality was reinforced by the previous government, which recognised the growing personnel requirements that the ADF would face in coming decades, announcing in March 2022 an intent to expand the “whole-of-Defence” workforce to approximately 100,000 personnel, with then Defence minister Peter Dutton stating: “Defence operates with a highly integrated workforce spanning the Australian Defence Force, civilians, and industry providers, with each bringing specialised skills and expertise.

“This growth in workforce and expertise will enable us to deliver our nuclear-powered submarines, ships, aircraft, and advanced weapons. It will mean we can build warfighting capabilities in the domains of space, and information, and cyber.”

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Yet we are repeatedly told that the nation faces severe constraints to meet the growth requirements identified by the government as necessary for the Australian Defence Force to remain relevant and lethal in this era of great power competition.

Part of the common feedback from potential recruits is the lengthy and incredibly tedious application process that prospective ADF members are put through, which feels more like an attempt to weed out those not fully committed to joining the ADF.

When asked, a Defence spokesperson told Defence Connect: “Defence takes a ‘recruit in, not screen out’ approach to recruiting, and pursues a variety of different methods to increase the likelihood of candidate success without compromising entry standards.”

Equally, one of the most commonly cited points of frustration for potential recruits is the time it takes to complete the application process. One only has to trawl through Reddit feedback to see the various complaints from current and former applicants and service personnel.

Yet, the Defence spokesperson explained to Defence Connect: “Between 1 January 2018 and 1 January 2023, an average of 259 suitable and eligible candidates each year withdrew their application to join the ADF for various reasons based on their individual circumstances. On average, since 1 January 2018, 19.2 per cent of applicants per year failed to complete their online Job Opportunities Assessment and 17.8 per cent of candidates per year were withdrawn as a result of Defence Force Recruiting (DFR) being unable to contact them over an extended period.”

So, with these figures in mind, it is important to ask, just how many applicants successfully commenced employment with the ADF? Put simply, what is our conversion rate?

The Defence spokesperson told Defence Connect: “As at November 2023, the ‘conversion rate’ from the pool of applicants to a candidate who commences ADF employment is 8.6 to 1.”

If that leaves you with more questions about the recruitment and attraction of our most precious resources, don’t worry; you’re not alone.

This is important to consider in light of polling conducted last year by the Institute of Public Affairs, which revealed some startling details about the public’s sentiments towards defending the nation, with Daniel Wild, director of research at the Institute of Public Affairs, revealing that of the 1,000 Australians from 25 to 27 March 2022 asked “If Australia was in the same position as Ukraine is now, would you stay and fight, or leave the country?” The results were:

• Stay and fight: 46 per cent
• Leave the country: 28 per cent
• Unsure: 26 per cent

Looking at this data, coupled with the recognition that the Australian Defence Force will need to grow in order to meet the operational requirements of new platforms being fielded over the coming years, presents a rather stark and confronting reality.

Equally, it raises questions about the way in which our existing uniformed workforce is utilised within the Australian Defence Force, particularly when compared to regional and global partners who seem to better utilise their uniformed workforce.