The authors of this report were commissioned by the National Health Leadership Forum to investigate approaches to workforce planning based on the healthcare needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The aim of this study was to assess the strength of leadership statements in Australian state and territory policy documents supporting increased representation of Indigenous people in the health workforce.

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 fifty in-depth interviews with current or former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander APS employees, reflecting on their careers in the APS.

Five academics and visitors at the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research made submissions as part of the Closing the Gap Refresh ‘Have Your Say’ process. The views of these individuals have been consolidated into this document to ensure their longer-term availability.

The research presented seeks to understand the reasons Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees opt to leave the Australian Public Service (APS). The paper also raises important implications for strategies that aim to increase rates of Indigenous employment in the APS.