• • • • • advising the Secretary of whether it is intended to reappoint the incumbent or advertise the position advising the incumbent, in writing, at least six months before the expiry of their appointment whether it is intended to reappoint them, not reappoint them, or to advertise the position advising the Secretary of their views on the scope of advertising and any additional selection criteria considering the recommendations of the Secretary following the completion of a selection process meeting with one or more of the recommended candidates, or consulting more widely with colleagues, the assessment panel or others, prior to making a final decision, if they wish. Once the Attorney-General has made a decision, they may be required to follow standard appointment processes, for example those outlined in the Cabinet Handbook. 2.7 Civil Society engagement Engagement with representatives of civil society on the selection and appointment of the President and Commissioners will take place through: • • • consultation on the guidelines to ensure a range of views are considered in the selection and appointment process, consistent with the Paris Principles. consultation on the selection criteria and other aspects of the selection process, for example, through the Non-Government Organisations Forum (NGO Forum) organised by the AttorneyGeneral’s Department on a regular basis. consideration by the Secretary of civil society participation as additional members of the assessment panel for the selection of the President and Commissioners. 2.8 Merit-based selection For the purpose of these guidelines, merit-based selection means: • • • • an assessment is made of the relative suitability of the candidates for the duties, using a competitive selection process, and the assessment is based on the relationship between the candidates’ work-related qualities and the work-related qualities genuinely required for the duties, and the assessment focuses on the relative capacity of the candidates to achieve outcomes related to the duties, and the assessment is the primary consideration in making the decision. 10