Review process in detail
1. Publication of appointments
Each police service appointment and the closing date for reviews are published in the Queensland Police Gazette.
2. Application for review
If you want to have an appointment decision reviewed, you must:
- fax a completed and signed 'Notice of Application to Review' form (QP310) to the Secretary, Office of the Commissioner for Police Service Reviews (CPSR Secretary) on (07) 3360 6065 by midnight on the closing date; or
- provide your application in person or by mail by 5 pm on the closing date.
You can check that your application has been received by telephoning (07) 3360 6387.
Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted (see Queensland Police Service Human Resources Management Manual (HRM Manual), s. 16.6.6).
You must specify on your application whether you are requesting a review on the grounds of merit and/or a flawed selection process. If you cite superior merit, you must detail how or where the panel erred in their assessment (see HRM Manual, s. 16.6.5.1). If you claim that the selection process was flawed, you must demonstrate why you believe this is so.
3. Notification of application
The CSPR Secretary will:
- notify the appointee and the QPS Reviews Inspector (in writing) of your application for review
- formally notify you that your application has been received, and explain the review process to you.
4. Handover of documentation
The panel convenor, via the Reviews Inspector, will give the Secretary the relevant selection process documentation within three weeks of the closing date of the review period. The Secretary will give copies of this documentation to you and the appointee. A copy is kept for the Reviews Inspector.
5. Reasons for requesting a review
Within two weeks of receiving this documentation, you must:
- provide a written submission outlining in detail your reasons for requesting a review
- send it to the CPSR Secretary by fax or email, and send copies to the appointee and the Reviews Inspector at the same time.
Extensions for submissions are given only in extraordinary circumstances, which do not include work commitments or periods of leave. If you fail to submit documentation in the required timeframe, the matter may lapse or the Review Commissioner may consider it ‘on the papers’ (i.e. on the basis of documentation already supplied.)
6. Panel's response to submission
The panel convenor will give a written response to your submission, and will forward this to all parties to the review within one week of receiving your submission.
7. Appointee's response to submission
The CPSR Secretary will invite the appointee to submit a response to your submission.
If the appointee elects to respond, they must fax or email their response to the Secretary within one week of receiving your submission, and send a copy to you and the Reviews Inspector at the same time.
If they do not want to respond, they must notify the CPSR Secretary and the Reviews Inspector.
8. Date of review hearing
The CPSR Secretary will notify you, the appointee and the Reviews Inspector of the date and time of the hearing at least seven days in advance. If you or the appointee fail to attend the hearing without first notifying the Secretary of any likely absences or unavailability (e.g. for court attendances, courses), the matter may be considered ‘on the papers’, at the discretion of the Review Commissioner (see HRM Manual, s. 16.6.9).
9. Review hearing
The review hearing will be conducted in accordance with s. 9.4 of the Police Service Administration Act 1990. It may be held either in person or by teleconference, depending on the location of the parties to the review. The panel convenor will be present at the hearing to answer any questions.
Both the applicant and the appointee should take to the review hearing all the documentation that they have supplied and received during the review process, as well as copies of their original applications for the position (in case reference needs to be made to this material).
10. Review Commissioner's recommendation
The Review Commissioner will make a recommendation to the Commissioner of Police within 10 working days of the hearing. Copies of this report will be given to you, the appointee, the panel convenor and the Reviews Inspector.
11. Final decision
The Commissioner of Police is responsible for making the final decision about the appointment, and is not obliged to accept the Review Commissioner’s recommendation. However, if the Review Commissioner's recommendation is not accepted, the reasons for doing so must be given to him/her in writing.
12. Publication of decision
The decision will be published in the Queensland Police Gazette.
