It's current!

Called this morning and just as I thought, they've received my paperwork but haven't updated the system.

@ Danby - yep, silly me. I glanced up at the "joined" date of the previous post rather than the posted date. Sometimes I'm a bit bloody slow...

The new security policy which came into effect on 01/10/2010 requires that all defence force recruits obtain secret/negative vetting 1 level clearance. A NV1 clearance requires 10 years worth of history.

Where'd ya hear that Fax? Just curious as it seems a lot of work for all recruits to have a SECRET level clearance...

He's correct. Anyone who deploys pretty much needs a Secret clearance. I believe there is a push to get everyone cleared at recruit level.

Yep, fax is correct. There was a signal and DRN email out about it. New AGSVA policy states all personnel will apply for a Secret/TSNV clearance when they are at their Recruit Schools.

Not sure on the logic behind it, considering a percentage of every recruit intake will have to be downgraded when they get to their IET course or unit.

I rang up Australian Government Security Vetting Agency and asked why do I need to do a secret/negative vetting 1 level clearance. They explained that the cost is almost the same up to secret and it is cheaper to do it once than doing multiple clearances.

Yeah righto, I knew that to deploy to be cleared to at least SECRET. Odd move, but I have the English skills of a small child, I was trying to write "kind of" makes sense.

Does that mean that current members will have to upgrade? I'm guessing it will remain on an as needs basis

Eventually you will have to, although, as you say, it is likely to be on a needs basis, otherwise the whole system becomes swamped.
Part of the reason they are doing this and why the vetting agency was set up, was to avoid the huge and continuous number of people requiring S/TS(NV)/TS(PV) upgrades for deployment purposes.