Workforce planning is essential to the development of a capable workforce and is a key tool in ensuring efficient and effective service delivery for the Queensland public sector (QPS) in both the short and long term. The ageing workforce is a key workforce challenge affecting current and future public sector service delivery.

The objectives of the audit were to determine:

• the current status of implementation of recommendations made to DETA and Health in the Auditor-General’s Report No. 6 for 2006 on workforce planning
• whether these departments have appropriate systems and processes in place to identify and respond to the challenges of an ageing workforce
• whether the Public Service Commission and Department of Employment and Industrial Relations in their central or lead agency roles, have systems and processes to effectively support other public sector agencies in addressing the ageing workforce issue.