SearchArchives for September 2008
30 September, 2008PS Commission plays whistleblower tune
The need for a separate Agency to investigate whistle blowing concerns has been dismissed as “inefficient and costly” by Australian Public Service Commissioner, Lynelle Briggs.
Commissioner Briggs said while it was vital for Public Servants to have a clear avenue for raising their “legitimate and necessary” concerns, creating a new Agency would not be practical.
She believed the Public Service Act of 1999 already included provisions to protect whistle blowers.
“I firmly believe that the Australian Public Service Commissioner is best placed to handle such reports and make these fine judgements,” she said.
Commissioner Briggs said she believed serious public interest matters should be sent directly to her.
“I would then determine the most appropriate way for these reports to be addressed, as I do now for whistle blowing matters that are sent to me direct,” she said,
Commissioner Briggs said enhancements could be made to the Public Service Act to deliver a more effective system.
She said only three quarters of Australian Government sector employees were covered under the Act but that the Commission supported covering non-APS Commonwealth employees, contractors and consultants, political staffers and Members of Parliament.
“A comprehensive whistle blowing scheme should encourage officials and others to identify legitimate concerns, and provide for their protection in doing so,” the Commissioner said.
“We need to protect against wrongdoing, fraud and corruption and encourage employees in a responsible way to identify and report serious misconduct, in order to maintain the integrity of the Public Sector.”
Commissioner Briggs said if another Agency took on the role, it would take a long time to figure out boundaries and whether certain complaints should be sent to the APSC or to the new Agency.
She said it could be difficult to discern which complaints were simply personal grievances and which ones fell under public interest disclosure and required whistle blowing protection.
“What is considered as whistle blowing in one Agency may be viewed differently in another,” Commissioner Briggs said.
She said formally investigating all allegations of wrongdoing would create an undesirable and inefficient outcome.
“It would not contribute to the quick and effective handling of such issues at the immediate workplace level,” the Commissioner said.
She said it was logical to develop the existing system rather than starting from scratch.
“We don’t need to go down this road when we already have a system with a strong foundation that can be built on,” she said. nned to report its findings to Parliament by 28 February 2009.
30 September, 2008
PS women’s policies get dressing down
The Community and Public Sector Union has told a Government Inquiry into pay equity that women had less chance of reaching the senior ranks of the Australian Public Service than men.
National Secretary of the CPSU, Stephen Jones, called for more work to be done to ensure that women were not overlooked for promotion.
According to the Union, fewer than one in five female employees on average would be promoted to senior management roles despite some Agencies employing up to 80 per cent women.
The Union said men remained the preferred candidates for PS promotions with more than one in three holding down executive or higher positions.
It pointed to Medicare which it said employed a workforce that was more than 80 per cent women but fewer than one in 12 filled executive positions.
Mr Jones called on the Commonwealth to show leadership.
"Australians expect hard work to be rewarded regardless of whether someone is a man or a woman," Mr Jones said.
"Unfortunately, the evidence suggests that the odds are stacked against women hoping to be promoted to executive levels.”
He said the Federal Government had the opportunity to take the first steps towards ensuring all Australian working women were not overlooked for promotion.
"The CPSU would encourage the Federal Government to lead by example by overhauling pay arrangements that disadvantage women working in the Public Service and introduce more practical measures in the sector for helping women develop their careers,” Mr Jones said.
"Australia would benefit hugely from better funding for equity programs, including mentoring and professional career development to help build our future women leaders.”
30 September, 2008
NT Containers to be ship shape
A report from consultants engaged to inspect the converted shipping containers used to house staff assigned to the Northern Territory Emergency Response has been received by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
The consultant was called in when formaldehyde and other chemicals were suspected in the containers and its report has warned that 89 per cent of the containers should not be used until their air quality has been improved.
The inspections also found there was a tendency for carbon dioxide and Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs) to build up rapidly in the containers due to inadequate ventilation.
Following confirmation of the consultant’s findings by the Department of Health and Ageing and the National Industrial Chemicals Notifications and Assessment Scheme, the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer has recommended the majority of containers not be occupied until remediation work was undertaken to improve their air quality to acceptable national standards.
The CMO, Professor John Horvath, said while exposure to the chemicals was unlikely to have caused harm, “it is clearly necessary that the containers meet accepted air-quality standards."
The Commonwealth’s occupational health and safety regulatory authority, Comcare, supported the CMO's approach.
Minister for FaHCSIA, Jenny Macklin announced the findings, saying it had been a difficult period for the staff affected by the health risks.
“I want to assure staff and community members that their wellbeing is my highest priority,” Ms Macklin said.
“Twenty-one accommodation containers have been tested and declared safe for use and Government Business Managers (GBM) in five of the 24 affected NTER communities are able to use the containers.”
She said the supplier had undertaken to remediate all containers to meet Australian air quality standards and independent testing would be carried out when that work was complete to ensure it was satisfactory.
“No-one will occupy the containers until the test results demonstrate acceptable air quality levels,” Ms Macklin said.
She said all the containers were expected to be ready for use as accommodation again by the end of November.
The Minister also said FaHCSIA was making progress adopting all 16 recommendations from an investigation into the Department's handling of the situation.
“FaHCSIA has appointed a full time NTER Occupational Health and Safety specialist and bolstered OH&S resources,” she said. “An independent review of GBM employment conditions is also complete.”
She said the Department had purchased 48 demountables for longer-term accommodation for GBMs and other staff and these would be in place and in use by the end of the year.
30 September, 2008
Youth Office to stop PS kidding around
A new “Office for Youth” is to be established in the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
Minister for Youth, Kate Ellis said the Office would provide support and advice to other Government Agencies on engaging with young people, identify key issues impacting on the lives of young Australians and play a strategic policy role in ensuring their voices were heard.
“This Government is acutely aware of the complex challenges facing young Australians,” Ms Ellis said.
“On issues such as housing affordability, the costs of getting an education, drug and alcohol issues, climate change, body image and mental health issues, there is a generational divide when comparing the experiences of today’s youth to those of previous generations.”
She said there were 2.7 million Australians aged between 15 and 24, representing 13.6 per cent of the population.
“It is a formative and crucial stage of life that poses unique challenges and opportunities,” Ms Ellis said.
“It is vital that we do all we can to ensure young Australians reach their full potential and that the most effective policies, programs and services are in place to respond to their specific life circumstances and needs.”
She said the new Office was one of a number of steps on the Australian Government’s youth affairs reform agenda with the 2008-09 Budget also providing $8 million over four years to establish the Australian Youth Forum.
Ms Ellis said the Forum would build on the involvement of young people in the Youth and Australian 2020 Summits and give young Australians the opportunity to engage with the Government about issues affecting their lives today and the big issues of the future.
“We are listening to young people to get their take on the issues as well as inviting their input on how best to respond,” she said.
“Combining a new framework for youth engagement with the expertise and capacity of the new Office, this Government is strongly committed to making a real difference in the lives of Australia’s youth,” Ms Ellis said.
30 September, 2008
Salary survey pays out on gender gap
A survey conducted for the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) has revealed that most Australians believe in equal pay.
Conducted by Auspoll for EOWA and Diversity Council Australia, the survey of 3,000 people targeted business professionals, including human resource practitioners from some of Australia’s biggest companies, as well as 1,200 ordinary Australians.
The poll showed that 82 per cent of the general community and 94 per cent of the business community were aware Australian women, on average, earned less than Australian men and 80 per cent of the general community and 96 cent of the business community believed that action should be taken to close the gap between men and women’s earnings.
It also highlighted the fact that 88 per cent of the general community and 61 per cent of the business community didn’t have a full understanding of pay equity.
EOWA Director Anna McPhee and DCA Chief Executive Officer Nareen Young welcomed the poll, saying the results were proof that Australians now recognised there was an unfair gap between wages for men and women.
“Pay equity is not just about equal pay for equal work,” Ms McPhee said.
“The 15.6 per cent gender wage gap reveals the systemic discrimination in the under-valuation of women’s work.”
Ms Young urged the Federal Government to fund an urgent education campaign across the Australian business community.
“Now that people recognise there is pay inequity, the time is right for Government to examine what it can reasonably do to help change the status quo,” she said.
“One initiative could be to educate business on how women’s contributions in the workplace are under-recognised, undervalued and underpaid and then find ways to address these issues.”
30 September, 2008
Scientists go sporty in race for gold
A collaboration between the Australian Institute of Sport and CSIRO was expected to improve the performances of Australia’s top elite athletes.
In a world first, the joint exercise would see a mobile radio transmitter attached to an athlete or equipment to track their every move with the information instantaneously relayed to a coach to enable the athlete’s location, speed and position relative to other athletes to be monitored.
For a cyclist training in a velodrome, a light, mobile phone-sized device could be attached to the bike and could monitor, in real time, the cyclist’s location, speed, split times and accelerations. As well, the device could marry this information with the athlete’s sensory data such as body temperature and various indicators of fatigue.
According to the head of the AIS Applied Research Centre, Professor Allan Hahn, CSIRO’s ground breaking technology would help the AIS monitor athlete movements with a level of accuracy it had never had before.
“The detailed information this tracking system can provide to the coach, for indoor and outdoor sports, will help adjust training regimes and strategies,” Professor Hahn said.
“When you consider that many world rankings are determined by just milliseconds, this AIS-CSIRO collaboration could help to produce Australia’s next sporting triumph.”
He said the information would help coaches and sport scientists adjust the training for their athletes to provide a winning edge over competitor nations. While other monitoring devices such as GPS were currently used, they did not offer the combined accuracy and ease of use of the new radio tracking system, and they had limited applicability to indoor sports.
Professor Hahn said the radio tracking system would be particularly useful in team-based sports such as hockey and soccer because it had the capacity to monitor the position of every player on the field simultaneously. This would help the players and coaches analyse attack and defence formations and in some cases to scrutinise competitor strategies.
According to the Director of Wireless Technologies Research at CSIRO’s ICT Centre, Dr Jay Guo, the application of wireless research, particularly in indoor or tightly confined areas, had resulted in a system that could be adapted for many different purposes from the development of elite athletes to miners and emergency service personnel.
The collaborative research was being conducted in Marsfield in Sydney and at various sporting venues.
30 September, 2008
Birthday party takes the cake
Centrelink has celebrated its 11th birthday by announcing the winners of its National Awards.
Minister for Human Services Senator Joe Ludwig congratulated the organisation for embracing its compassionate side and congratulated the winners.
“As Centrelink marks another year this week, I’m very pleased to see staff playing a more inclusive and collaborative role across the welfare sector,” Senator Ludwig said.
“With over 6.5 million Australians accessing Centrelink services, it is clear Centrelink will have a large role to play.”
He wished Centrelink’s 26,000 staff a very happy birthday and applauded their efforts in doing a difficult job extremely well.
“It’s not always an easy job, but these dedicated men and women continue to find innovative ways to expand their role to benefit their fellow Australians,” he said.
Among the national winners were:
The Ross Divett Memorial Award
Tim Webster from the Indigenous Response Team in the Northern Territory.
For delivering Income Management to remote Indigenous communities in the NT.
Customer Service Award:
Tanya Maloney, Acting Remote Area Service Centre Manager on Palm Island.
For identifying major service and program gaps impacting on living standards in the community, particularly for children.
Employee Profile Award:
Robert Luke, Special Benefit and Refugees Servicing, Melbourne.
For exceptional initiative and leadership in the development and implementation of the Special Benefit and Refugee Servicing Team.
Network and Relationships Award:
Jill Garratt, Senior Social Worker, Queensland
For her role in Centrelink’s response to the Mackay floods.
Responsiveness to Government Award:
Families and Child Care IT team:
For the team’s ability to implement major changes to IT systems in an extremely short time frame, to ensure systems were able to quickly reflect new policy.
Centrelink Gold Business Award:
Digitisation project:
For improving efficiency by ensuring information required for Business Integrity was captured once, could be instantly retrieved and shared simply, and led to improved response times for customers.
CEO Special Commendation:
Fraud Investigation Manual Development Team:
For the introduction of the online Centrelink Fraud Investigation Manual (FIM).
30 September, 2008
Pay deal ties down air traffic staff
A $6 million package aimed at keeping Australian Defence Force staff from joining the private sector has been announced by Defence Minister, Joel Fitzgibbon.
The financial incentive was designed to help retain around 150 Air Force air traffic control officers (ATCOs) who have been offered a $30,000 bonus to remain in the Air Force and provide an additional year of service.
Mr Fitzgibbon said the plan came at a time of global shortage of civil and military air traffic controllers.
He said members of the RAAF with airfield engineering trades would also be offered $20,000 to stay for an additional two years.
RAAF Group Captain Alan Holtfreter, said 15 ATCOs had resigned since June this year.
“There are a number of reasons for these resignations, including limited career development and lack of locational stability,” he said.
“The air traffic control workforce is one of the most mobile in the ADF. If this trend was permitted to continue, there is no doubt it would place significant pressure upon our airbase air traffic control services.”
Mr Fitzgibbon said the one-off bonus was the first step towards ensuring Air Force employment conditions were on par with civilian workplaces.
Air Commodore Warren Ludwig, said a number of longer-term initiatives to improve working conditions for ATCOs were being considered.
He said these included pay rises, providing further career opportunities and improving location stability.
Mr Fitzgibbon said the bonus would be paid to eligible supervisors or air traffic control instructor-qualified ATCOs of Squadron Leader rank and below provided they had been endorsed before September 2006 and had completed their Minimum Period of Service.
Eligible ATCOs would receive letters offering the bonus, which would be paid in October.
30 September, 2008
Report buys into ADF procurement
An independent review into the capability and procurement systems of the Australian Defence Force has recommended the purchasing arm of the ADF become an Executive Agency with more independence and more business-like strategies.
The review, Going to the Next Level, was conducted by businessman David Mortimer and made 46 recommendations in five key areas of concern.
It found there were inadequate project management resources in the Capability Development Group; inefficiencies in Government approval processes for new projects; staff shortages in the Defence Material Organisation (DMO); delays due to inadequate industry capabilities; and difficulties introducing equipment into full service.
The review recommended the DMO, which was responsible for purchasing and maintaining military equipment, become “more commercially focused” to promote improved Defence outcomes.
“DMO should continue to refine its approach to contracting so as to align with commercial practice,” the report said.
It recommended a charter be drawn up between Defence and DMO to allow DMO to become a separate Executive Agency.
The Minister for Defence, Joel Fitzgibbon, released the report, saying it was a far-reaching and in-depth examination of Defence’s procurement system.
“I want the Defence Material Organisation to run more like a business and less like a bureaucracy,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
The review followed the 2003 Kinnaird Review that investigated systemic failures which had caused delays and cost increases in a number of Defence acquisition projects.
Despite implementing the recommendations made under the Kinnaird Review, Mr Mortimer found there were still problems within the procurement process.
He said these were highlighted in the need to refresh the tender for Project Land 121 which involved acquiring a number of trucks for Army use.
The Government’s investment in defence capability is one of the largest discretionary items in the Commonwealth’s budget, with the DMO having over 7,000 staff and a budget of almost $10 billion.
30 September, 2008
Measurement scheme shows weigh ahead
Legislation to establish a single, national system of weights and measures across all the States and Territories has been introduced into the national Parliament.
“The National Measurement Amendment Bill 2008 will give confidence to buyers and sellers that measurements are accurate,” said the Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy, Dr Craig Emerson.
“The area of trade measurement is one of the 10 ‘hot spots’ identified by the Council of Australian Governments in need of urgent regulatory reform,” Dr Emerson said.
He said there were two key features of the legislation:
- A national trade measurement system to be administered by the Commonwealth from 1 July 2010; and
- Establishment of an Average Quantity System (AQS) – an internationally recognised system for confirming that pre-packaged items including food and beverages, contained the stated quantities.
Currently about 800 firms, employing more than 2,000 people, repaired and verified measuring instruments under trade measurement legislation.
Dr Emerson said if the companies operated across State borders they required different licences for each State, which were granted under different criteria, attracted different fees and had different reporting requirements.
“Under the new system, there will be one licence, one set of criteria and one fee for work nationwide,” he said.
“The new national system will slash red tape while maintaining the accuracy and reliability of trade measuring instruments such as scales, fuel dispensers and weighbridges.”
Commonwealth inspectors would monitor the system to make sure that it was fair to buyers and sellers.
The new legislation would allow producers and packers of pre-packaged goods to meet requirements at lower cost by using AQS.
AQS would introduce statistical sampling methods to show that the measured contents of pre-packed goods were accurate.
Dr Emerson said AQS had been welcomed by the wine industry and other major packers, with the wine industry alone estimating it would save wine producers up to $19 million a year.
He said AQS had already been adopted in New Zealand and by many of Australia’s major trading partners, including Japan, the European Union and the United States.
30 September, 2008
Centrelink card is doing the trick
Centrelink’s controversial BasicsCard has been introduced into the Northern Territory with the roll-out expected to pick up in the weeks ahead.
Designed to assist people on income management to buy their essential items, the EFTPOS-based, pin-protected card was issued to families in Katherine earlier this month and would now expand into Alice Springs.
Details of the rollout were released by the Minister for Families and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, and the Minister for Human Services, Senator Joe Ludwig.
Ms Macklin said the Government was committed to a child-centred approach to family policy.
“Income management is a crucial element in ensuring welfare payments are spent in the interests of children,” Ms Macklin said.
“The BasicsCard will make it easier for people on income management to buy essential items.”
Senator Ludwig said the launch of the new BasicsCard in Katherine had been very successful, with the card winning strong support from customers and shop owners.
“It’s easy to use and a much more flexible way of shopping and doing business,” he said.
“About 650 customers have been issued cards so far and transactions have been running smoothly at local shops.”
Local MP for Lingiari, Warren Snowdon welcomed the arrival of the BasicsCard in Alice Springs.
“The reports from Katherine about the BasicsCard are very positive,” Mr Snowdon said.
“It’s the practical solution smaller retailers and their customers have been crying out for and now it’s here and working well.”
He said there were about 125 shops throughout the Northern Territory approved to accept the card, including supermarkets, butchers, clothing stores and major national retailers.
He said the BasicsCard would be progressively introduced into the NT’s major urban centres, starting in Alice Springs, with Darwin, Tennant Creek and Nhulunbuy to follow.
Any shop selling or providing priority goods and services could accept the BasicsCard once they applied and were approved.
Shop owners must agree not to sell excluded goods such as alcohol, tobacco and pornography, or dispense cash, through the Card.
30 September, 2008
Centrelink card is doing the trick
Centrelink’s controversial BasicsCard has been introduced into the Northern Territory with the roll-out expected to pick up in the weeks ahead.
Designed to assist people on income management to buy their essential items, the EFTPOS-based, pin-protected card was issued to families in Katherine earlier this month and would now expand into Alice Springs.
Details of the rollout were released by the Minister for Families and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, and the Minister for Human Services, Senator Joe Ludwig.
Ms Macklin said the Government was committed to a child-centred approach to family policy.
“Income management is a crucial element in ensuring welfare payments are spent in the interests of children,” Ms Macklin said.
“The BasicsCard will make it easier for people on income management to buy essential items.”
Senator Ludwig said the launch of the new BasicsCard in Katherine had been very successful, with the card winning strong support from customers and shop owners.
“It’s easy to use and a much more flexible way of shopping and doing business,” he said.
“About 650 customers have been issued cards so far and transactions have been running smoothly at local shops.”
Local MP for Lingiari, Warren Snowdon welcomed the arrival of the BasicsCard in Alice Springs.
“The reports from Katherine about the BasicsCard are very positive,” Mr Snowdon said.
“It’s the practical solution smaller retailers and their customers have been crying out for and now it’s here and working well.”
He said there were about 125 shops throughout the Northern Territory approved to accept the card, including supermarkets, butchers, clothing stores and major national retailers.
He said the BasicsCard would be progressively introduced into the NT’s major urban centres, starting in Alice Springs, with Darwin, Tennant Creek and Nhulunbuy to follow.
Any shop selling or providing priority goods and services could accept the BasicsCard once they applied and were approved.
Shop owners must agree not to sell excluded goods such as alcohol, tobacco and pornography, or dispense cash, through the Card.
30 September, 2008
Trivial pursuit leads to treasure
A pirate-themed trivia night staged by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship raised $9000 to feed Canberra’s disadvantaged people.
The trivia night attracted 580 staff and DIAC Secretary Andrew Metcalfe donated the money raised to the charity OzHarvest Canberra.
OzHarvest Canberra collected excess food from restaurants and catering firms and delivered it to local charities, youth and women’s refuges and support agencies.
“I am delighted to make this donation to OzHarvest on behalf of my colleagues,” Mr Metcalfe said.
“The donation is equal to about 9,000 meals and will make a real difference to the lives of people in need and organisations that provide them with support.”
He said DIAC’s staff had a great history of giving generously. In August they raised almost $20,000 for the Australian Red Cross in the annual DIAC charity masquerade ball and in March they gave $17,000 for leukaemia research in the World’s Greatest Shave event.
“I would like to acknowledge and thank the people who participated in the trivia night, the volunteers who organised the evening, the Hellenic Club for providing the venue and the businesses and people who donated prizes,” Mr Metcalfe said
OzHarvest Canberra coordinator David Burnet said he was “blown away” by the donation.
“It’s such a fabulous recognition to a young service and another example of how Canberra has embraced us,” Mr Burnet said.
“There are a lot of people in need for our service. Without funding like this we would stop.”
30 September, 2008
Doping Agency high on results
The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority has announced that it conducted 6,637 urine and blood tests on 3,820 athletes across 73 sports last year.
Chairman of ASADA, Richard Ings said the Authority had strengthened its anti-doping program in the lead up to the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics.
He said as part of its Pure Performance program, the Authority also beefed up its testing, education, investigations and dealing with national sporting organisations.
Mr Ings said the cost of testing in the lead up to the Games exceeded $1milion.
“More than ever before, ASADA is bringing together every element at its disposal to protect the integrity of Australian sport,” Mr Ings said.
He said it was the most robust anti-doping program ever put in place for an Australian Olympic team, with 1,541 samples collected from 846 athletes in contention for Olympic selection.
He said all 433 Australian Olympic athletes in the final team were tested at least once, with 30 per cent tested twice and 22 per cent tested between two and five times.
Mr Ings said over 200 samples had been stored in ASADA’s deep freeze ‘Tank’ and samples could be tested in the next eight years using new technology should any allegation of doping emerge.
President of the Australian Olympic Committee, John Coates, said ASADA’s testing was world class.
“It was great to know that our entire Olympic team participated in ASADA’s work-leading anti-doping program prior to the Beijing Games,” Mr Coates said.
“It sent a clear message to the rest of the world that Australia is serious about keeping the Games clean.”
Mr Ings said also tested 164 Paralympians at least once.
He said over 8100 people had attended Pure Performance programs throughout the year, including seminars held for the first time in regional centres such as Bathurst, Alice Springs, Newcastle and Cairns.
He said of all urine and blood tests conducted last year, 52 per cent were out of competition with 99 per cent conducted with little or no notice.
He said ASADA’s intelligence and investigations staff also assessed information relating to 1,829 performance-enhancing substances seized by Customs in the last financial year.
“The message is clear to any athlete or their support personnel who might be thinking of trying to import prohibited substances in Australia: you not only risk a hefty fine or jail but you potentially face a lengthy bad from you sport,” Mr Ings said.
30 September, 2008
Police drop bombshell at nuclear conference
The Australian Federal Police were successful in getting a special session on nuclear forensics included in the recent annual conference of the Australasian Radiation Protection Society, the first time in the Society’s 33-year history.
Radiological expert at the AFP’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Data Centre (CBRNDC), Dr George Koperski said nuclear forensics had become increasingly important in the face of world concern about the proliferation of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction.
“As a scientific discipline, nuclear forensics can assist law enforcement agencies around the world in the fight against the illicit trafficking of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials which may be used by terrorists in ‘dirty bombs’ or for other criminal purposes,” Dr Koperski said.
He said nuclear forensics was able to identify a characteristic “signature” of radioactive material linking it to its source.
“A miniscule quantity of oxygen in any given material can be linked back to its place of origin and a tiny trace of yellowcake can be linked back to the mine from which the ore originally came providing the combination of chemicals in the material can be matched to a ‘signature’ in the database.”
He said nuclear forensic analysis aimed to provide law enforcement agencies with legally admissible evidence that could result in the prosecution of offenders involved with trafficking illicit radioactive materials.
“Fortunately there have been no reported cases of the malicious use of radioactive material in Australia, but there have been a number of investigations overseas,” he said.
“This is includes a case of a highly enriched uranium sample seized in Bulgaria in 1999, and the analysis of radioactive material found during a raid of a clandestine drug lab in the USA.”
Dr Koperski said the AFP sponsored two keynote conference speakers at the conference: David K Smith, a senior Nuclear Forensics Advisor from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the USA, and Dr Peter Gies, from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA).
The CBRNDC was established on 2 July 2007 as part of the AFP’s Forensic and Data Centres group. It is responsible for collating technical information and intelligence relating to the criminal use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear material.
Dr Koperski said CBRNDC’s mission was to enhance Australia’s capability to prevent, prepare and respond to malicious use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear agents. It did this by providing technical intelligence products and services to support law enforcement and national security objectives.
30 September, 2008
Comment injected into drug studies
A new scheme to allow members of the public to comment on drugs being considered for inclusion in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme has been announced by the Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon.
The new measure would increase the transparency of the PBS listing process by allowing input into the decision-making process by carers, health professionals and consumer groups.
“The Australian Government subsidises over 3,000 medicines through the PBS,” Ms Roxon said.
“The Government is committed to giving Australians affordable access to medicines they need. To do this, it is seeking direct public input for the PBS listing process, to inform the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) and pharmaceutical companies.”
She said the PBAC was an expert, advisory body comprising health professionals and a consumer representative that met in March, July and November annually, to review applications from companies for PBS listings. Companies cannot be compelled to apply for PBS listing.
Under the new measure, PBAC meeting agendas would be publicly available six weeks before each meeting. From that time, individuals or groups would be given two weeks to complete an online form to explain how they, their family and carers would benefit from the PBS listing of a medicine to be considered at the next meeting.
Comments would then be examined by the PBAC and the relevant pharmaceutical company which applied for inclusion on the list.
Ms Roxon said to be considered for PBS listing, a medicine must have received marketing approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration, to indicate that it was safe and effective for treating a particular condition.
She said a medicine might then be recommended for PBS listing if it also met the PBAC’s criteria of medical effectiveness and value for money.
The new initiative was developed in consultation with Medicines Australia, the Consumers’ Health Forum of Australia and the Generic Medicines Industry Association.
Ms Roxon said the next PBAC meeting would be held from 5 to 7 November and until 8 October, interested individuals or groups could access the meeting agenda and the comments form at the Department of Health and Ageing’s website at www.health.gov.au
30 September, 2008
IPAA to reveal tips
The Institute of Public Administration Australia’s Young Professionals Network is to host a presentation on interview tips and tricks.
The session would be chaired by Group Manager, Better Practice with the Australian Public Service Commission Susan Kurtjak and there would be a lucky door prize announced on the night for a free one-on-one resume help and mock interview session from the career transition and support centre of the IPAA.
The session is to be held on 16 October, from 5.30pm at the Canberra Club. Cost is $30.
Post kicks AFL goal
Australia Post is offering football fans around the country a Souvenir Stamp Sheet celebrating the Hawthorn’s Football Club’s 2008 AFL Premiership win.
As soon as the final siren sounded on Saturday, the Australia Post team kicked into action with design staff selecting the best available images from the match and inserted them into the Souvenir Stamp Sheet along with Hawthorn team colours, logo, final score, AFL logo and the title “AFL Premiers 2008”.
The 2008 AFL Premiership Souvenir Stamp Sheet was available for $15.95 at Australia Post outlets or via mail order on 1800 331 794.
ANSTO defends against media
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, ANSTO has clarified media reports that it was planning to build a nuclear materials store on its site in Lucas Heights, NSW.
The Organisation said that while it did intend to build a new store, the facility would only consolidate nuclear materials already held in various locations on the existing site which were mainly materials that had been there for many years.
“In addition, the freed-up space in its existing facilities will also provide ANSTO with the capacity to accommodate waste generated on-site.”
The Organisation made the point that it had safely managed its nuclear and other radioactive material for more than 50 years and would continue to do so.
Speed king flies in
The fastest man on water, Australia’s Ken Warby, is to make a special presentation to the Australian National Maritime Museum on 8 October to mark the 30th anniversary of his setting the world water speed record at a still unconquered 511.11 km/hr.
Mr Warby will travel to Sydney from his adopted home in the United to be with his hydroplane Spirit of Australia on the anniversary and to present the National Maritime Museum with a wind tunnel test model used in the development of the boat.
Spirit of Australia was 8.2 metres long, built of plywood on a timber frame and powered by an ex-RAAF Lockheed-Neptune jet engine and was now a permanent exhibit at the Australian National maritime Museum.
Boost to roads funding
Local Councils and shires are to receive greater resources to maintain and improve local roads.
The national Parliament has passed the AusLink (National Land Transport) Amendment Bill 2008 which provides extra road funding to Local Government Authorities as well as facilitates the delivery of a $70 million Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program.
Contract for emissions registry
The Department of Climate Change has awarded a $600,000 contract to the firm Perrin Quarles Associates to run the national emissions registry.
The contract is for the supply of a Kyoto-compliant registry and was the first phase of the exercise to establish the registry that was needed to underpin the Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.
ABC2 doubles audience
The ABC’s digital television service, ABC2, has doubled its audience over the past three months.
On 1 June audience surveys showed the network reached 700,000 viewers but by the close of the Paralympic Games on 17 September, the figures had doubled to 1.5 million.
On an average each week, ABC2 was reaching 860,000 viewers in the five main capital cities with a peak audience of 91,000.
The most popular weekly program was Scrapheap Challenge, where teams compete to build a working machine from scrap yard materials.
Sailing coin floated
A new 50 cent coin was released this month to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Australia II’s historic win in the America’s Cup yacht race in 1983.
The new uncirculated coin has been designed by Caitlin Goodall from the Royal Australian Mint and captures Australia II under full sail, illustrating the starboard side of the vessel with spinnaker and mainsail carrying the boat to victory.
A unique magnified underwater view captures the controversial winged keel as taken from technical drawings.
23 September, 2008
Whistleblowers to hit folding notes
Whistleblowers who unravel major Government fraud could receive financial rewards in proportion to the public funds recovered, a Parliamentary Inquiry into whistleblower protection has been told.
The scheme currently operated in the United States and according to Associate Professor Thomas Faunce from the Australian National University, the model of ‘Qui Tam’ legislation protected whistleblowers against the risk of losing their jobs.
The Australian newspaper reported Professor Faunce as saying such a scheme would send an important public signal that the actions of whistleblowers were of value to the community'.
“This legislation... provides them not just with an incentive (to report) but security if they've lost their jobs,'' Professor Faunce was reported as saying.
"What we're talking about is a mechanism in which whistleblowers receive recompense for their involvement and the whistleblowers generally receive 15 to 25 per cent of the total recovery.”
He said under the scheme, an independent tribunal would determine the reward and it would be based on a proportion of the public funds recovered as a result of the disclosure.
Professor Faunce said the disclosures should be made to regulators or an independent body such as the Commonwealth Ombudsman rather than the media and the Ombudsman could be given powers to recommend whistleblowers for Australia Day honours if their disclosure led to significant public benefit.
Chair of the Committee, Mark Dreyfus MP, said the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs was interested in exploring a range of options to encourage and better support public servants who spoke out about wrongdoing in the workplace.
Mr Dreyfus said evidence before the Committee indicated that the current protections available for whistleblowers were inadequate.
“The Committee has an important role to play in developing protections for employees who speak out about any illegal, immoral or illegitimate practices in the public sector” Mr Dreyfus said.
“The inquiry also presents a valuable opportunity to assist public Agencies to be more responsive to the concerns of their employees”.
He said better support for people who spoke out would help entrench a culture of trust in the Public Service and further build transparency, accountability and public confidence in Government administration.
He said the hearing was the sixth in a series of public hearings into developing a model for whistleblower protection legislation.
The Committee planned to report its findings to Parliament by 28 February 2009.
- Who were the potential successors for senior executive leadership roles?
- How many people were waiting, ready now to assume those roles?
- Who were the promising Executive Level staff who could step competently and soon into SES roles?
- Who were the ‘best and brightest’ with the capacity to assume leadership positions in the future?
“We no longer have the luxury of waiting for solutions to arrive,” Commissioner Briggs said.
“An active approach is required and the time to act is now.”
Copies of the booklet could be obtained from the APSC at www.apsc.gov.au
23 September, 2008
Disability website names and shames
The Australian Human Rights Commission has been true to its word and launched a website exposing other Government websites found posting material difficult to access by people with disabilities.
Departments and Agencies found wanting by the Commission are to be named and identified on the site which was publicly accessible.
Human Rights Commissioner and Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Graeme Innes said he had warned Departments and Agencies that they needed to improve their internet services to people with disabilities and the WebWatch list would help get the message across.
“Last month I said publicly that Government Departments and Agencies needed to lift their game in providing equal access to public information for people with disability,” Commissioner Innes said.
He said the Commission welcomed the passage of a motion in the Senate that drew attention to the need for ensuring non-discriminatory access to Parliamentary documents. The motion was put by Tasmania’s Senator Stephen Parry at the request of Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Families and Community Services, Senator Cory Bernardi.
The Senate noted the difficulties experienced by people with a disability, particularly people with vision impairment, in accessing some formats of Senate documents online; and called on the Government and the Department of the Senate to ensure all Hansard and Senate committee documents were made accessible via the Internet to people with a disability as soon as they became public.
“In a democracy it is particularly vital that information from the Parliament itself should be accessible to all,” Commissioner Innes said. “It is good to see the Senate taking a lead on this issue.”
He said the move by Senator Bernardi followed recent concerns expressed by a number of Australians who could not access important documents and sites, such as the Grocery Watch site and the recently released climate change papers.
WebWatch could be accessed at www.humanrights.gov.au
23 September, 2008
Minister sets new rules for regulation
The Department of Finance and Deregulation has identified a number of areas where regulation should be changed to make life simpler for all Australians, according to the Minister for Finance, Lindsay Tanner.
Mr Tanner said the Government’s deregulation agenda was about making Government regulation as efficient, adaptive and responsive as possible, to achieve policy goals.
He said Governments existed to regulate, but the current Government wanted to regulate better, which meant existing regulation could be streamlined.
“Seen in this way, it is clear that better regulation is not always less regulation,” Mr Tanner said.
“The best regulation is that which delivers on the policy priorities of the Government, at lowest cost, with lowest chance of unintended consequences.”
He said better regulation meant lower costs, higher productivity, and greater opportunity, and it would “remove dead weight” from economic activity.
He said the Department had been working with their counterparts in other Commonwealth and State Agencies to identify high priority reform areas.
“An initial stocktake of regulation across the Commonwealth has many items of potentially redundant regulation,” Mr Tanner said.
“Better regulation comes from streamlining the administrative and compliance burdens of regulations, making it easier, simpler and cheaper for people to comply.”
Mr Tanner said more than 30 areas of reform had been identified so far, and the Department would report to the Council of Australian Governments on them in October.
He said the one example of better regulation could be the documentation relating to the new First Home Saver Account.
“Customers will be given not a 50 or 80 page Product Disclosure Statement, but a maximum of four A4 pages,” he said.
“These four pages will contain information potential investors need, in a format that has been road-tested by the Government to ensure people can read and understand it.”
He said the latest advances in technology would enable the Government to enter into dialogue with the end users of regulations and evaluate the needs for change.
Mr Tanner said business, interest groups, and ordinary citizens had a wealth of knowledge about how regulation worked in practice, which regulations were redundant, and how the existing stock of regulation could be applied better.
“Blogs, wikis, or even a simple suggestion box at the bottom of an online form, all enable Government to enter into a dialogue with citizens about their experience of regulation,” he said.
He said the Government would test all regulatory changes to make sure they fulfil their purpose.
“A so-called light-handed regime can impose a greater burden on business if insufficient attention is paid to implementation and compliance arrangements,” he said.
“When this occurs, both business and consumers are worse off.”
23 September, 2008
Criticism brings CASA back to earth
A Senate Standing Committee has criticised the Civil Aviation Safety Authority for its close relationship with some members of the aviation industry and has accused it of adopting a blasé approach to recent aircraft maintenance issues.
The Standing Committee on Rural, Regional Affairs and Transport received submissions from across the aviation industry, including pilots and aircraft owners’ associations, as well as from major corporations like Qantas and Virgin Blue.
In its report, Administration of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and related matters, the Committee said it was particularly concerned about CASA’s North Queensland office.
“The Committee was concerned to hear evidence from a number of operators expressing concern about CASA staff forging unduly close relationships with some members of the industry and pursuing personal agendas against others,” the report said.
“Witnesses before the Committee told the Committee of the North Queensland office’s reputation for ’turning a blind eye to... the cowboys who operate up there and also some pretty ordinary behaviour of the officers themselves’”.
The report said the Committee was concerned that there appeared to be a widely held perception that staff in CASA’s North Queensland office did not deal with all members of the industry fairly and did not apply regulations consistently.
It said a recurring theme of the hearing was that CASA was aware of the recent problems raised in relation to aircraft maintenance and had initiated steps to address them.
“Without wanting to appear unduly cynical, this is a response that this Committee is all too familiar with, particularly through its Senate Estimates hearings,” the report said.
“The Committee considers that recent statements by CASA executives are indicative of a somewhat blasé approach to this spate of maintenance issues.”
The report said the Committee considered that many of the complaints levelled at CASA suggested it was timely for the Government to consider avenues for improving CASA’s governance structures.
It said Committee made particular note of calls for the reintroduction of a Board structure within CASA and concurred with suggestions that a Board would enhance the Authority’s governance and accountability.
“The Board should reflect a diverse range of experience and knowledge relevant to the management of Australia’s aviation safety regulator,” it said.
Other recommendations of the report were that CASA's Regulatory Reform Program be brought to a conclusion as quickly as possible to provide certainty to industry and to ensure CASA and industry were ready to address future safety challenges and that the Australian National Audit Office audit the implementation and administration of CASA’s Safety Management Systems approach.
23 September, 2008
Legal services plan sets new benchmark
A common tender package for the supply of legal services across the Australian Public Service has been introduced as a way of cutting bureaucratic red tape and saving money.
Attorney-General, Robert McClelland announced the new package which would allow smaller Agencies to “piggy-back” on tender panels established by larger Agencies in the same portfolio; and would remove “mini tenders” for legal work valued at less than $80,000.
“Introducing a common form tender package for all Commonwealth agencies will cut red tape,” Mr McClelland said. “It streamlines the process for purchasing legal services to help reduce costs for both the private legal sector and the taxpayer.”
He said the reforms would also require Agencies to assess a firm’s pro bono commitment when evaluating legal services tenders.
“I recognise that many in the Australian legal profession already make a significant contribution to the community through their pro bono work,” Mr McClelland said.
“It is appropriate that such work is a relevant consideration when Agencies purchase legal services.”
The new tender package built on reforms introduced earlier this year which provide for greater transparency in Commonwealth legal expenditure and deliver taxpayers better value for money.
The earlier reforms included amendments to the Legal Services Directions that promoted equal opportunity briefing practices, ensured providers who undertook pro bono legal work were not discriminated against, and promoted the use of alternative dispute resolution in disputes involving Commonwealth agencies.
23 September, 2008
DIAC sticks neck out for giraffe campaign
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship has adopted a colorful new children’s character to be used in new-look schools resource kit to educate youngsters about citizenship and civic values.
Gina Giraffe is preparing to become a citizen, learning about Australia, taking the pledge, enrolling to vote and applying for a passport, along with her friends Tilly Bilby, Pledge Platypus and Benjiro Bear.
The updated citizenship school resource kit has been distributed to more than 8,000 primary schools and an accompanying secondary school teachers’ resource brochure has been sent to almost 3,000 secondary schools.
DIAC Secretary Andrew Metcalfe said the kit would teach children about Australian values, the process of becoming a citizen and the privileges and responsibilities of being a citizen.
“The resource is also great fun,” Mr Metcalfe said.
“It contains puzzles, games, quizzes and online learning tasks. Gina Giraffe’s journey will engage children. She is keen to learn about Australia and share her ideas, interests and skills with her new friends.”
Mr Metcalfe urged teachers and children to use the kit to celebrate Australian Citizenship Day and also to hold a citizenship affirmation ceremony in their schools to mark the occasion.
“Everybody is welcome to participate in an affirmation ceremony and celebrate Australian citizenship – it is not just for Australian citizens,” Mr Metcalfe said.
He said Australian Citizenship Day was an opportunity for all Australians to think about what it means to be Australian and celebrate our democratic values, equality and respect for each other.
23 September, 2008
Harmonised laws in tune with future
Australia was entering a new era of Federalism and part of that process was to harmonise its laws and processes across the nation.
This was the view the Attorney-General, Robert McClelland put to a conference on legal harmonisation held in Sydney recently.
The conference, hosted by the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General, engaged business, industry, academics and the legal profession in the process of harmonising laws across Australia’s Federal, State and Territory jurisdictions.
“To be truly competitive on the international stage, Australian Governments need to ensure we have national solutions for national issues.” Mr McClelland said.
“It makes sense that we consult as broadly as possible in developing national solutions to issues that cut across State and Territory borders.”
Mr McClelland said overcoming hurdles that had stifled many previous attempts at national reform required a new way of doing business with the States and Territories.
“In 2008 and beyond, our objective is to bring about a new era of cooperation and national reform,” he said.
“As Charles Darwin’s Theory of the Evolution of Man outlines - those who adapt survive. I think this theory applies equally to any institution or body politic.
“As the current custodians of political power, we owe it to future generations of Australians to achieve constructive outcomes.”
He noted that countries which had been at war for centuries had in many areas achieved greater harmonisation of laws than Australia had been able to achieve within its national boundary.
“Parochialism must be set aside in the national interest,” he said.
“What used to be local has expanded to become national and in that sense the Federation has shrunk. The impetus for a national approach to dealing with a whole array of subject areas of Government is not likely to diminish.”
Mr McClelland referred to the Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Lindsay Tanner, who recently said that better regulation came from better harmonisation between jurisdictions, to deliver seamless national markets.
“Harmonising complex and inefficient laws within Australia’s unique Federal system, however, is never going to be easy,” he said.
“Legal realities and Constitutional limits cannot be ignored.
“Sometimes such issues can be circumvented by States and Territories referring legislative powers to the Commonwealth or by considering co-operative schemes between jurisdictions.”
Mr McClelland said what Australia had to offer was compelling – a stable political system, a competitive economy, and a legal culture that was regarded as one of the best in the world.
“But to be truly competitive on the international stage, we need to ensure we have national solutions for national issues.”
The SCAG conference was attended by 40 delegates from a range of fields including the legal profession, law reform bodies, industry, business and academia. It considered issues currently before SCAG, and also brainstormed what issues SCAG could focus on in the future.
23 September, 2008
Fraud crackdown right on the money
Centrelink’s crackdown on social security fraud netted $107 million a fortnight in 2007-08 according to Human Services Minister, Senator Joe Ludwig.
During the 2007-08 financial year, Centrelink completed 4.4 million reviews of eligibility and entitlement, resulting in 702,624 payment corrections and savings to future outlays totalling $107.2 million a fortnight.
Senator Ludwig said the Government was committed to giving a helping hand to those people in the community who need it but would always be vigilant to stop people “ripping off” the system.
He said it was clear the vast majority of Centrelink customers were honest and entitled to their payments but people who undermined Australia’s welfare system would not be tolerated.
“It’s there for those in genuine need and not for those who just want to help themselves,” he said.
Centrelink conducted 9,816 individual cash economy investigations during 2007-08 that included 190 cash economy operations. This activity resulted in $26.8 million in savings and debts.
It also undertook 43,098 data-match program reviews resulting in $105.9 million in savings and debts.
From public tip-offs in 2007-08, Centrelink conducted 60,257 reviews of customer entitlement which led to 12,311 reduced payments and $148.7 million in savings and debts.
In the same year, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions prosecuted 2,658 Centrelink cases for fraud with a success rate of 98.7 per cent.
“Prosecutions send a clear message to the community that the system is fair and it will pursue those people who try to take advantage of it,” Senator Ludwig said.
“These figures clearly demonstrate to potential welfare cheats that they will be caught and will face serious consequences for their actions.”
He said an additional $138 million was provided to Centrelink from the 2008 Budget to detect and investigate suspicious claims.
“These efforts are expected to produce savings of $728 million over the next four years. That’s a net dividend of almost $600 million in four years.”
Senator Ludwig said the Budget announcement meant that Centrelink could carry out extra reviews when it detected discrepancies through data-matching with the Australian Taxation Office.
“This will also mean that the Government can build on a data-exchange pilot between Centrelink and the Commonwealth Bank,” he said.
“These initiatives demonstrate that the Government is serious about making sure the system operates fairly.”
23 September, 2008
Expert in archives records award win
A senior lecturer in Design and Creative Practice in Canberra has won the 2008 Ian Maclean award, presented by the National Archives.
Dr Mitchell Whitelaw from the University of Canberra won the award with a proposal to use creative visualisation processes to interpret large sets of archival data. Dr Whitelaw is an internationally recognised researcher in new media and digital cultures.
Director-General of the National Archives, Ross Gibbs said the practical outcomes of the project would be prototype interactive, browsable maps of the National Archives collection that applied creative visualisation techniques at different structural levels.
He said a map of the whole collection would show the “big picture” - the size, scope and historical distribution of different series of records, the relationships between them, and their corresponding Agencies and functions.
A more detailed map would focus, as a test case, on a single series, accumulating data from individual records to reveal the distinctive “shape” of that series.
“This represents a highly unusual approach to the study and use of the National Archives collection and has the potential to lead to new discoveries and fresh audiences,” Mr Gibbs said.
“Creative visualisation will be seen as increasingly important in years to come. As more archives are digitised, collections become available as large, rich datasets. While individual records are readily accessible, it is more difficult to gain a view of the whole and for users to orient themselves. The problem is not one of access but of presentation.”
Mr Gibbs said the National Archives of Australia’s annual Ian Maclean Award provided a paid opportunity for research that would benefit the archival profession. It was named in memory of Ian Maclean (1919-2003) who worked passionately for the archives profession both nationally and internationally for 50 years.
The award was established to encourage and facilitate use of the National Archives’ extensive collection of files, photographs, films and other items.
23 September, 2008
Drought Buses make big splash in bush
Centrelink’s innovative Drought Buses program has been congratulated by the Minister for Human Services, Senator Joe Ludwig for passing a number of milestones.
Senator Ludwig said the Buses, which provided financial and emotional support to drought stricken communities, had impacted on the lives of more than 20,000 Australians in less than two years.
“The drought has gone on far longer than anyone could have predicted,” Senator Ludwig said, “and many farming communities are still suffering a great deal.
“Since they began rolling out in November 2006, the Drought Buses have travelled over 100,000 kilometres.”
He said 70 per cent of people who made their way to the Buses had never before approached Centrelink for assistance.
Senator Ludwig said Medicare Officers also travelled with the Buses, and he paid tribute to the hard work of all staff involved with the program.
“I’ve seen first-hand the tremendous efforts of Centrelink’s Social Workers and Rural Service Officers who travel with the buses,” he said.
“These dedicated Officers live and work in these rural communities – they understand what their neighbours are experiencing and consistently go ‘above and beyond’ to help out.”
He said the Drought Buses continued to be well received by the communities they served, with a new record of 165 customers in one day speaking to Officers during a recent trip to the AgQuip agricultural field days near Gunnedah, NSW.
He said there had also been an increase in customer numbers at Drought Bus servicing stops throughout the Riverina in the wake of the recent Exceptional Circumstances extension announcements.
“Staff regularly receive positive feedback about this mobile service, with many customers saying it’s only because of the drought buses they’ve been able to get assistance,” Senator Ludwig said.
“The program demonstrates the Australian Government’s commitment to serving the people of Australia, no matter where they live.”
23 September, 2008
Immigration plans set new boundaries
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship has published its management strategy for the next three years.
Department Secretary Andrew Metcalfe said the document was a blueprint for how DIAC intended to manage its policies, programs and service delivery until 2011.
“In essence, our work is nation-building,” Mr Metcalfe said, “where our pivotal role shapes the fabric of our society - now and into the future.
“The move to a three-year strategic plan is an exciting time for DIAC to focus on its long-term vision.”
He said over the coming years, DIAC would play a leading role in shaping and delivering world-class migration and humanitarian services.
“Our purpose is to enrich Australia through the well-managed entry and settlement of people – and the DIAC plan is a valuable tool to help staff fulfill this purpose,” he said.
“The plan also provides the framework for the integration of budgets, priorities and plans for all levels of our business. To ensure the plan continues to reflect Government priorities over the next three years, an annual review process has been built in.”
Mr Metcalfe said strategic themes had been enhanced to reflect increased attention to humanity in DIAC’s dealings with clients, evidence-based policy and decision-making and high performance in its service delivery.
“We are committed to being a recognised leader in client service delivery, and understanding and achieving service excellence in a global environment. All of this must be delivered within a culture of high performance, supported by strong leadership and better engagement with the community and with our stakeholders.”
He said individual segments of the plan, such as “Our operating environment,” “Our work” and “Ourstakeholders,” were designed to increase the whole-of-business focus and to reinforce the importance and breadth of the work DIAC undertook on a daily basis.
He said the first DIAC plan was implemented in 2006-07.
The plan was available on the department’s website at www.immi.gov.au
23 September, 2008
Questacon review is formula for success
A review of the National Science and Technology Centre, Questacon, has recommended that it be made into a Statutory Authority or merged with CSIRO.
The review, conducted by a panel led by a senior manager with National Australia Bank, John Simpson, examined Questacon’s role and resources and made 11 recommendations.
It found that the institution had been “exceptionally effective” in encouraging people to engage with science from an early age but that the Government needed to think about expanding it and improving its level of resources.
The review suggested that if the recommendation to reform the Centre as a Statutory Authority was not adopted, consideration should be given to integrating it into the CSIRO by merging the science education and communications activities of the two organisations.
The review recommended that to maximise its reach and impact in the community, Questacon should focus on the following key strategies:
- Effective operation of the Questacon facility in Canberra and national outreach activities;
- Development of effective partnerships with organisations having complementary skills and facilities;
- Contributions to enhance school science education and national curriculum outcomes;
- Implementation of best practice in interactive science communication, including online and digital technologies; and
- International engagement.
“I am particularly conscious of the need for Questacon to maintain its identity and its unique branding regardless of which governance option the Government decides to pursue,” Senator Carr said.
He said as Questacon entered its third decade, it was timely to review just how it should best operate to inspire Australians of all ages and increase their understanding of science and innovation.
He said Questacon was just as relevant today as it was when it was established and it would continue to inspire budding scientists and raise community awareness of the central role science plays in the life of the nation.
He said more than seven million visitors had come through the Centre’s doors in its 20 years and a further 15 million had experienced its touring exhibits and outreach programs.
The review also recommended that Questacon, CSIRO and the ABC cooperate in identifying new structures for improving national coordination, including cooperation with State and regional science centres, to ensure more effective science communication, awareness and education, efficient use of science awareness and education resources and more equitable access to these activities and resources across Australia.
The report of the review could be viewed on the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research website: www.innovation.gov.au
23 September, 2008
Local Government on road to Canberra
The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has announced the establishment of an Australian Council of Local Government.
Mr Rudd said every Local Government Council in the nation would be entitled to send a representative to the ACLG and the first meeting would be in Canberra in late November.
“This unprecedented gathering of the nation’s 565 local councils will be held on November 28,” Mr Rudd said. He said it was the Government’s next step in forging a new, nation-building partnership with local communities.”
“Local government represents the third arm of the Australian Federation,” he said.
Invitations to the inaugural meeting would also be extended to Local Government peak bodies and the Local Government and Planning Ministers in State Governments.
“This initiative will give local communities a real voice in the future of Australia’s national infrastructure,” Mr Rudd said.
The one-day meeting would address issues of national and local significance including:
- Building national and local infrastructure to boost Australia’s economic capacity and improve the quality of life in communities;
- Tackling immediate challenges facing major cities and growth corridors, including urban congestion, urban planning and design; and
- Steps towards Constitutional recognition for Local Government.
He said a 2006 consultants’ report estimated a $1.1 billion annual under-spend in community infrastructure renewals by Local Government.
A 2008 Productivity Commission report found that 20 per cent of Local Councils relied on Commonwealth and State grants for half of their revenue.
Mr Rudd said the Government was re-igniting the spirit of cooperative federalism and reaching directly to the level of Government closest to the community.
“This new partnership is the most significant step forward for local government since the 1970s when the then Labor Government introduced Financial Assistance Grants to support services at the Local Government level,” he said.
The 28 November meeting will also see the announcement of the ongoing membership and charter of the Australian Council for Local Government.
President of the Australian Local Government Association, Paul Bell, welcomed the establishment of ACLG, saying it marked a new chapter in Federal-Local Government relations.
“The Council heralds the beginning of the Federal Government building a stronger relationship with Local Government and local communities across Australia,” he said.
“Local Government’s aim is to make sure that this is a substantial engagement on important issues that affect the lives of all Australians.”
23 September, 2008
Defence has shot at heritage awards
The Department of Defence has awarded its Environment and Heritage Awards for 2008 recognising the achievements of staff who have done outstanding work to promote good environmental practice and protect Australia’s natural and cultural heritage.
Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston said Defence managed about three million hectares of land based-training areas and 120 Commonwealth heritage listed sites.
“All these sites are managed sustainably using best practice strategies,” he said.
Secretary of the Department of Defence, Nick Warner said environmentally friendly Defence infrastructure projects made a significant contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and ensuring that water and energy were used efficiently.
“Some of the work being done in Defence in terms of environmental and heritage management is inspiring,” he said.
“Defence’s contribution to the environment will be in good hands if we can maintain or exceed the standards of our winners for 2008.”
This year’s winners of the Defence Environment and Heritage Awards were:
- The Russell Offices Energy Efficiency Pilot Project Management Group for excellent leadership and contributions to energy conservation
- Dr Doug Cato, Maritime Operations Division in Defence Science and Technology Organisation, for exceptional leadership and research into the impacts of underwater sound on marine animals which has informed the development of best practice procedures for the Royal Australian Navy
- Major Colin Bassett, Officer Commanding 176 Air Dispatch Squadron, for outstanding contributions to environmental management during conduct of Talisman Saber 07
- Infrastructure Asset Development Branch for excellent contributions to sustainable development of the Defence estate
- Max Harker, Defence Support Southern Victoria, for excellent commitment and contributions to environmental stewardship at Simpson Barracks
- Commander Steve Cole, Navy Headquarters, for excellent commitment and contributions to Defence environmental management
23 September, 2008
Emergency managers fire up agreement
Exchanges of emergency personnel and sharing of information with the European Union are on the cards following the signing of a closer cooperation agreement between Australia and the EU.
The Memorandum of Understanding, signed by the Director General of Emergency Management Australia, Tony Pearce and the Acting Director-General of the European Commission, Jos Delbeke, would allow for the regular exchange of personnel and information on emergency management issues.
Australian Attorney-General, Robert McClelland said the two regions knew all too well the ravages of natural disasters.
“This historic agreement will help achieve greater cooperation in the area of emergency management, ensuring better communication and sharing of knowledge, training and research to improve public safety,” Mr McClelland said.
Head of the European Commission Delegation to Australia, Ambassador Bruno Julien said both the European Commission and Australia had a wealth of experience in disaster management.
“Timeliness of response is of supreme importance in reducing disaster risks to both Australian and European communities,” Mr Julien said.
“If we can share information speedily and facilitate coordination when required, this will go a long way to minimising the effects on both our populations and our infrastructure.”
Mr Pearce said the new agreement would enhance cooperation in a number of areas, including the exchange of information; emergency management best practice; emergency service personnel involvement in communication exercises; industry conferences and workshops; and research in the field of emergency management.
23 September, 2008
More time for luck in a big city
A proposal to extend the “core time” of cities from 9-to-5 to a 14 hour spread is among the issues to be explored at the 9th World Congress of Metropolis being hosted by the NSW Government in Sydney in October.
Connecting Cities: City Regions, is the work of six leading global academics and urban professionals examining the impact of urban development and the new structures of mega-cities.
The 14 hour Working City by James Calder, Director of the Global Workplace Sector at Woods Bagot Architects is one of the contributions in the report which suggested new ways of sustaining and improving city functionality with the redistribution of jobs and greater use of public transport.
Mr Calder said planners and Governments were starting to realise the climate change crisis was forcing Australians to look at ways to do more with less.
“The internet and virtual connectivity that allows us to work most efficiently in the 24 hour global marketplace presents one solution – the 14 hour working city,” Mr Calder said.
“The 14 hour working city would enable early and late shifts - work times would overlap to spread movement across a far greater number of hours during the day. This may increase productivity for workers and organisations, increase utilisation of public transport, roads and office buildings and end the peak hour rush.”
As a contributor to the report, the Director of Metropolis Congress 2008, Chris Johnson, examined the greater metropolitan centre of Sydney as an example of a “polycentric” structure with independent cities such as Newcastle, Wollongong, Parramatta, Penrith, Gosford and Liverpool now inter-connected with Sydney as part of one city system.
Connecting Cities: City Regions was the second in a series of five research publications being produced in the lead up to Metropolis Congress 2008.
Former NSW Planning Minister, Frank Sartor said the 2008 Metropolis Congress presented a great opportunity to look at Sydney in a global context and help the city’s future by examining issues and challenges universal to all cities.
“Half the world’s population lives in city regions and this is predicted to increase to 75 per cent in less than 50 years, so better management of city regions is critical to long term sustainability,” he said.
A key goal of the NSW State plan was to encourage jobs in our regional cities, closer to where our workers live.
For more information on the Congress and the plans visit www.metropoliscongress2008.com
23 September, 2008
1600 become Aussies
More than 1600 people around the nation became Australian citizens on the recent Australian Citizenship Day.
Citizenship Day events included a ceremony on the Spirit of Tasmania passenger ship in Devonport, Tasmania as well as ceremonies at Perth’s Bayswater City Council, Brisbane City Hall, the grand ballroom at Sky City Casino in Darwin, the 1st Victorian Sea Scout Hall in Melbourne’s Albert Park, Ayers House in Adelaide and at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship’s Parramatta office in Sydney.
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, conferred 17 people with Australian citizenship at a special ceremony at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra.
Antarctic scientist cools off
Australia’s Chief Scientist in the Antarctic, Professor Michael Stoddart, has resigned after 10 years with the Australian Antarctic Division.
Professor Stoddart was a driving force behind Australia's coordinating role in the Census of Antarctic Marine Life, an International Polar Year project.
The Census was an ambitious survey of the Southern Ocean by many nations, focusing on the diversity of marine organisms and the environmental conditions in which they live.
Professor Stoddart said he would continue his work with the Census of Antarctic Marine Life until 2010 and his connection with the Antarctic programs of Malaysia and France.
OECD stats man to speak
The Director of Statistics and Chief Statistician of the OECD, Enrico Giovannini, is to be one of the keynote speakers at the inaugural NatStats08 Conference in Melbourne in November.
The objective of the conference session on Measuring Progress in Societies was to foster the development of sets of key economic, social and environmental indicators to provide a comprehensive picture of how the well-being of a society is evolving.
The outcomes from the session would provide an important regional perspective for the next OECD World Forum which will be held in Korea in late 2009.
Mint bats for gnome run
The Royal Australian Mint has taken part in Canberra’s 2008 Floriade exhibition by joining the corporate gnome competition with an entry called ‘Priscilla, Coin of the Desert’.
In spirit with the Floriade theme ‘Films that Shaped our Nation’, the Mint entered three gnome characters from the 1994 movie Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
A special Floriade 21 exhibition was set up at the mint’s Canberra headquarters where visitors could test their knowledge of Australian films and coins.
Famed director for War Memorial
Renowned film director Peter Jackson is to work with Wingnut Films to produce an audiovisual display for the upcoming exhibition Over the Front: the Great War in the air for the Australian War Memorial in Canberra
Mr Jackson has won three Academy Awards for his work on the Lord of the Rings trilogy and is passionate about First World War aviation. He is Chairman of the 14-18 Aviation Heritage Trust that has a collection of original and replica aircraft from the period. The multimedia display was being prepared for the War Memorial’s new permanent exhibition Over the front: the Great War in the air, which was due to open on 28 November.
Act amendment saves children
Children of separated same-sex parents will have access to child support in the same way as children of opposite-sex couples after amendments to law have been passed in Parliament.
The amendments to section 60H of the Family Law Act, implemented a bipartisan recommendation by the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee in August and also formed part of the 58 areas of discrimination recommended for removal by HREOC in its landmark Same-sex: Same Entitlements report.
Law manual revised
the Australian Defence Force’s Discipline Law Manual has been revised following significant reforms to the military discipline system.
The DLM was the fundamental military discipline manual, relied on by commanders, members and legal officers to provide policy, practical and procedural guidance to the military discipline system.
The reforms to the military discipline system would strengthen the protections afforded to individuals while enhancing the impartiality, rigour, transparency and timeliness of military discipline.
Energy comment called
Comment has been called on a discussion paper exploring measures to increase the fuel efficiency of the nation’s car fleet.
The paper was released on behalf of the Australian Transport Council and the Environmental Protection and Heritage Council in response to a request from the Council of Australian Governments to investigate vehicle fuel efficiency measures aligned with international best practice.
Instead of advocating the adoption of any particular measure, the discussion paper evaluates eight potential measures to improve fuel efficiency and urges interested parties to provide their views.
The paper was available at www.environment.gov.au
16 September, 2008
Planning ahead gets heads up from APSC
The Australian Public Service Commission has published a new booklet urging Departments and Agencies to embrace succession planning as a way of ensuring they have leadership capabilities into the future.
According to Public Service Commissioner, Lynelle Briggs high numbers of retirements in the coming years and relatively inexperienced staff at lower levels, combined with difficulties already being experienced recruiting and retaining quality people meant that succession planning was a must.
“It is my view that to ensure the ongoing professionalism and quality of APS leaders, urgent steps are required,” Commissioner Briggs said.
“Succession planning is a key part of the response.”
She admitted that identifying and nurturing potential future leaders “sat uneasily” with many APS managers and staff who saw dangers in nepotism, the creation of a ‘chosen’ group for advancement and the apparent non-alignment with the APS values.
“It is time that these attitudes moved on and people accepted that succession planning is about ensuring the ongoing success of Agencies and the APS,” Commissioner Briggs said.
She said it was important that the change be driven by Agency heads as it was only through support at the highest level that the necessary reforms could be effective.
“Succession management is not impossible to do,” Commissioner Briggs said, “the difficult part is getting commitment across the organisation.”
She said more than 40 per cent of the APS workforce would be eligible for retirement in the next 10 years with 48 per cent of Executive Level positions likely to go and over 70 per cent of the Senior Executive Service. The median length of service at SES level was less than five years.
She described this as the APS’s ‘new reality.’
“Gone are the days when managers could refine their leadership skills with time and experience,” she said.
“People with potential move up quickly and our Agencies must have the systems in place to ensure they develop the capabilities (if not the experience) required to be leaders in the APS.”
The new booklet raises questions Agency senior management needed to answer to ensure it would have leadership beyond their tenure.
It says Agencies should ask:
- Who were the potential successors for senior executive leadership roles?
- How many people were waiting, ready now to assume those roles?
- Who were the promising Executive Level staff who could step competently and soon into SES roles?
- Who were the ‘best and brightest’ with the capacity to assume leadership positions in the future?
“We no longer have the luxury of waiting for solutions to arrive,” Commissioner Briggs said.
“An active approach is required and the time to act is now.”
Copies of the booklet could be obtained from the APSC at www.apsc.gov.au
16 September, 2008
Push comes to shove in Centrelink survey
A survey of Centrelink workers by the Community and Public Sector Union has revealed that over 81 per cent have reported being threatened at work, one in three had received death threats and more than half had witnessed violence or aggression at work.
The union has called for an inquiry.
Deputy President of CPSU, Lisa Newman said the 330 member survey showed the need for collaboration between Centrelink management, the Government, the workplace safety regulator Comcare and welfare groups to address factors that caused the aggressive behaviour, such as long waiting lines.
“Staff tell us that while local managers are doing their best to protect and support frontline workers and customers, senior management need to do more to make offices safe,” Ms Newman said.
She said in one example, a Centrelink employee was held up against a wall by the throat and threatened with death.
She said the Government needed to give more consideration to the impact its welfare policies have on frontline workers.
“Centrelink workers have to carry out the Government’s welfare policies,” she said.
“That also means they are forced to cop the anger and frustration their customers might express and the Federal Government needs to think very carefully about the impact its welfare policies have on frontline workers.”
Ms Newman said some members felt that the customer aggression experienced at Centrelink offices meant it was “a numbers game” and “only a matter of time before something serious occurs”.
The survey found that 32 per cent of Centrelink staff had received a death threat at work; 29 per cent had been physically assaulted; 18 per cent had been threatened by a customer away from the workplace; 81 per cent had reported being threatened by a customer at work; and 52 per cent of Centrelink employees had recently witnessed violence or aggression at work.
Copies of the report could be found at www.cpsu.org.au
16 September, 2008
Minister buys into procurement reform
A series of far-reaching reforms to Government procurement processes has been outlined by the Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Lindsay Tanner.
Speaking at a breakfast meeting of the Institute of Public Administration Australia in Canberra, Mr Tanner said the planned reforms would ensure the Commonwealth achieved better prices for the goods and services it purchased as well as reducing duplication of effort and inefficiencies between Agencies.
“In many areas the Commonwealth is not receiving the best prices,” Mr Tanner said.
“The Australian Government is one of the largest consumers of goods and services in this country.”
He said it could improve value for the taxpayers’ dollar by consolidating its collective bargaining power.
He said the Government would harness the combined buying power of the Commonwealth to achieve better prices and consequently savings and efficiencies for Government and industry.
“Individual agencies are making major IT purchases without consideration of the needs of other areas of the Government.
“This leads to duplication of equipment and systems, with different management and reporting practices.”
Mr Tanner said the recent Gershon review of ICT was part of the ongoing reform agenda.
He said his Department had developed the Coordinated Procurement Contracting initiative as part of these reforms.
“Common sense tells us that we should be able to get a better deal using whole of Government contract,” he said.
Mr Tanner said he wanted to put an end to some Agencies paying more than others for the same goods and reduce administrative costs associated with the tender process.
He said he had already begun looking at travel, telecommunications, office machines, accounting services, desktop computers and Microsoft products as part of the review.
He assured Agencies the Government did not intend to enforce a ‘one-size-fits-all’ strategy but was committed to fostering competition and achieving savings.
“Air travel is one of the central areas being examined as part of coordinated procurement,” he said.
“This is a big job and it will take some time to properly assess what is possible.”
16 September, 2008
No complaint for Ombudsman plan
The Commonwealth Ombudsman has thrown his weight behind calls for an Ombudsman for the Australian Public Service, saying his Office would be better-equipped to handle the task than a new Agency set up for the purpose.
The Ombudsman, Professor John McMillan, made the comment during an appearance before the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs which was enquiring into the protection of whistleblowers in the Australian Public Service.
The idea was first put to the committee by the National Secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, Stephen Jones.
Professor McMillan said his Office, which handled about 40,000 approaches from the public each year, would need an extra 10 staff and an additional $1.5million a year to do the job properly.
"We're well-skilled in dealing with a huge volume of inquiries and complaints and deciding how to handle them," Professor McMillan said.
"Importantly too, we don't have a conflicting agenda."
Professor McMillan told the Australian newspaper that his Office could begin work immediately, and it could cope with peaks and troughs in workloads because it already had 150 Officers around the country.
He said the Australian Public Service Commission would also be well-placed to take on the role but the Australian National Audit Office and the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity should continue in their current oversight roles.
He said the Ombudsman was ideally placed to play a "supervisory, clearing-house function" for whistleblower protection, which would include producing an annual report and training manuals, monitoring the performance of Government Agencies and rolling out a public education program.
Professor McMillan’s plan received the backing of the author of the new book, Whistling While they Work, AJ Brown from Griffith University.
Dr Brown told the Australian that both the Ombudsman and the Australian Public Service Commission should be involved in implementing new protection for public-interest disclosures, but "it would make sense" for the Ombudsman to perform a clearing-house function.
Dr Brown said any changes to the law should be aimed at changing Public Service culture to "if in doubt, report".
16 September, 2008
Communication key to getting message across
Strong internal and external communications played an important role during periods of organisational change according to the Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Andrew Metcalfe.
Speaking at a recent Public Sector Change Communications Conference, Mr Metcalfe said that alongside ‘leadership’ and ‘culture’ in achieving major, lasting reforms, his Department also benefited from a strong communications policy that involved all staff at every level.
“The Department has 7,000 staff in around 100 locations throughout the world, often working in difficult and sensitive circumstances,” Mr Metcalfe said.
“There is no use in trying to engineer major cultural transformation if the message goes no further than the senior leadership team,” Mr Metcalfe said.
He said his Department had undergone much change since the Palmer and Comrie reports of 2005, as well as a number of Ombudsman’s investigations.
He said DIAC’s was one of the largest business and cultural transformations undertaken by a Government Department in recent decades, combining new people and new ideas with the considerable experience of staff who worked in the pre-Palmer environment.
He said it was internal and external communications that contributed to the success of the change taking place.
“We had to communicate effectively with all staff and stakeholders so that we had a buy-in at all levels,” he said.
“Change and reform can only occur if everyone is involved – staff need to hear the message, understand it, own it – otherwise nothing can change.”
Mr Metcalfe said the changes at DIAC were guided by three themes - to be open and accountable; to be fair and reasonable when dealing with clients; and to ensure well trained and supported staff.
He said he now spoke to all Departmental staff twice per week via email and all Senior Executives once a week, also by email.
“But communication has to be more than frequent, it has to be meaningful – and it has to be two way, to involve listening as well as talking,” he said.
“And let me tell you, I know for certain through the emails I receive from staff, there are many frank and fearless public servants in my Department!”
Mr Metcalfe said he also used surveys to communicate with staff.
He said the Department’s yearly survey was invaluable in helping the Executive shape a Department into a place where people were happy to work.
“But in addition to all these ‘serious’ messages, we have also introduced some plain old-fashioned morale-boosters, to improve communications between staff,” he said.
Mr Metcalfe said the Departmental Social Club played an important role in bringing staff together, while also raising money for charities.
16 September, 2008
Dividend probe odds-on in Sydney
The Parliamentary inquiry into the Public Service efficiency dividend has continued, with its latest round of hearings held in Sydney.
The Sydney hearing addressed cuts to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency, Australian Communications and Media Authority, Australian Law Reform Commission, National Maritime Museum and a roundtable with the Federal Magistrates Court, the Federal Court and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
The Inquiry heard some Agencies would have to cut services in order to meet the Government’s efficiency benchmarks, including the Magistrate’s Court, Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.
Executive Director of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Susan Roberts told the Inquiry her Agency was still dealing with a large number of complaints relating to WorkChoices, even though the Government had wound back the policy.
Ms Roberts said HREOC had lost $1.8 million in annual funding it had been given to to help deal with the WorkChoices increase.
"Regrettably with the winding back of WorkChoices at additional estimates, we've had that $1.8m withdrawn, even though we still have the increase in complaints," Ms Roberts said.
Principal Registrar of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Douglas Humphreys, estimated his Agency's current deficit of about $500,000 a year would triple next year.
Mr Humphreys said the Tribunal was on the verge of making savage cuts.
"The only way that we can continue to operate will be to ... reduce the number of hearings that we hold," Mr Humphreys said.
Chief Executive of the Federal Magistrates Court, John Mathieson, told the inquiry that the Court also expected to run a deficit of about $2 million for the coming year.
The Inquiry would be back in Canberra on Wednesday and Friday 17 and 19 September for more hearings with the Australian Federation of Friends of Museums, Department Finance and Regulation, National Capital Authority and a science and research roundtable.
16 September, 2008
Privacy cases open for inspection
The Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis has published three new case notes to assist Departments and Agencies interpret the Privacy Act.
The three new notes covered complaints against a betting agency, a health service provider and a private community centre.
The notes were published to illustrate systemic issues or the application of the law to a particular industry or subject area.
In one case, the Commissioner ruled that a betting agency that accessed information about a customer’s credit history breached the Act as it was not a credit provider according to the definition.
The Commissioner ruled the betting agency had unintentionally offended under the Act, but warned other betting agencies against doing the same thing.
“The Commissioner noted however, that any future access by the Betting Agency to consumer credit information files may be viewed as an intentional contravention of section 18S and a credit reporting offence,” the note said.
In the second case, a health service provider was ruled to have breached the Act by mailing a patient’s x-rays by regular post.
The Commissioner said the complainant’s medical records and x-rays were sensitive information as defined in the Act, and thus afforded a higher level of protection than other forms of personal information.
“The potential harm the complainant would suffer, should the original x-rays be lost in the mail, is significant, given the loss of this record of the complainant’s condition would be permanent,” the note said.
The third case considered a child care operator who took video surveillance footage of two children being transferred from one parent to another through the use of two private rooms.
The complainant thought the centre had breached the Act because he or she was unaware the surveillance footage was being taken.
The Commissioner said the Centre had adequate signage advertising the surveillance camera and it provided the complainant with the footage when requested, and thus ruled there was no offence committed.