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Department of the Environment and Heritage Annual Report 2003-04

Department of the Environment and Heritage, 2004
ISSN 1441 9335

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Management and accountability (continued)

Management of human resources

Strategic people management remained an important issue for the Department. Through the Workforce Management Committee, the Department continued to ensure that its people management policies and programmes remain focused on achieving corporate goals.

The Department has a diverse workforce carrying out a wide range of responsibilities across Australia and the Australian Antarctic Territory. The Department has a common strategy and approach to people management. This is administered from the department in Canberra for areas other then the Australian Antarctic Division. That Division has a separate corporate administration in Hobart to support its specific business requirements.

Workforce planning, employee turnover and retention

The Department's non-Antarctic workforce remained fairly stable with a two per cent decrease in separations, from 24 per cent in 2002-03 to 22 per cent in 2003-04. Employees initiated eight per cent out of the 22 per cent. The remaining 14 per cent was separation of non-ongoing staff.

Tables 72 and 73 show the numbers of employees classified according to broadbanded employee classification, gender and location as at 30 June 2004. Tables 74 and 75 show the number of Australian Public Service employees, including (as at 30 June 2004) classifications according to gender and whether the employees are ongoing or non-ongoing.

Employing a higher proportion of women in the Department's Australian Antarctic Division remained a priority. Advertising for the 2004-05 season continued the Division's commitment to encourage applications from women across occupational categories. The success of this approach is yet to be fully evaluated. However the proportion of female applicants for Antarctic employment increased progressively from 4.5 per cent in 2001-02 to 13 per cent in 2003-04.

Table 72: Department (excluding Australian Antarctic Division) staff by classification, gender and location(a)
Location Gender Classification(b) Total
Secretary PEO SES Executive Levels 1&2 APS 1-6 Research Scientists Public Affairs
2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04
Australian Capital Territory Female        
11
8
170
159
391
405
    
16
17
588
589
Male
1
1
1
1
26
21
211
203
207
221
2
2
5
4
453
453
Northern Territory Female            
6
8
138
113
        
144
121
Male        
3
3
14
13
198
144
6
6
    
221
166
New South Wales(c) Female            
2
2
17
19
        
19
21
Male            
4
1
35
31
        
39
32
Western Australia(d) Female               1 3 3        
3
4
Male            
1
3
9
14
        
10
17
Victoria Female              
1
            
0
1
Male              
1
            
0
1
Queensland Female              
4
            
0
4
Male                            
0
0
South Australia Female                            
0
0
Male              
3
            
0
3
Tasmania Female              
2
            
0
2
Male                            
0
0
Total  
1
1
1
1
40
32
408
401
998(e)
950(f)
8
8
21
21
1477
1414

(a) Figures for 2002-03 are as at 30 June 2003 and figures for 2003-04 are as at 30 June 2004.
(b) 'SES' stands for Senior Executive Service; 'PEO' stands for Principle Executive Officer; 'APS' stands for Australian Public Service.
(c) Includes Norfolk Island, Booderee National Park and Beecroft Peninsula (the northern peninsula of Jervis Bay in New South Wales).
(d) Includes Indian Ocean Territories.
(e) Includes 144 casual and day labour employees.
(f) Includes 117 casual and day labour employees.

Table 73: Australian Antarctic Division staff by classification, gender and location(a)
Location Gender Classification(b) Total
Chief of Division SES AAD Band 1-8 AMP Level 1-2 Expeditioner Band 1-3
2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04
Tasmania Females    
1
1
94
95
    
1
  
96
96
Males
1
1
3
3
183
189
3
3
4
  
194
196
Antarctica Females              
1
5
5
5
6
Males            
4
4
50
54
54
58
Total
1
1
4
4
277
284
7
8
60
59
349
356

(a) Figures for 2002-03 are as at 30 June 2003 and figures for 2003-04 are as at 30 June 2004.
(b) 'SES' stands for Senior Executive Service; 'AAD' stands for Australian Antarctic Division; 'AMP' stands for Antarctic Medical Practitioner.

Table 74: Full-time staff employed under the Public Service Act 1999(a)
Division Full-time Total
Ongoing Non-ongoing
2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04
Male Female Male Female    
Parks Australia
143
133
70
63
37
39
24
28
274
263
Australian Heritage Commission
23
  
39
      
1
63
0
Australian Antarctic Division
146
149
47
59
91
93
38
25
322
326
Department - other divisions
347
364
384
425
26
40
35
49
792
878
Department total
659
646
540
547
154
172
98
102
1451
1467

(a) Figures for 2002-03 are as at 30 June 2003 and figures for 2003-04 are as at 30 June 2004.

Table 75: Part-time staff employed under the Public Service Act 1999(a)
Division Part-time Total
Ongoing Non-ongoing
2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04
Male Female Male Female    
Parks Australia
4
4
21
15
110
60
90
60
225
139
Australian Heritage Commission
3
  
8
          
11
0
Australian Antarctic Division
4
4
9
7
7
8
7
11
27
30
Department - other divisions
15
20
71
14
14
10
11
16
111
132
Department total
26
28
109
131
131
78
108
87
374
301

(a) Figures for 2002-03 are as at 30 June 2003 and figures for 2003-04 are as at 30 June 2004.

The Department undertook two significant personnel studies in 2003-04.

A study of staff turnover involved contacting 132 former employees to find out their reasons for separation. One major finding was the perception that there are few opportunities for promotion to Executive Level 2 positions. The findings of this study led to the development of a Succession Planning Framework, which takes into account issues related to a mature-aged workforce. The Department is also developing a pilot 12-month work rotation programme for promising APS 6 level employees, which may be extended to Executive Level 1 employees in the second half of 2004-05.

A comprehensive staff survey - the first survey of this type since 1995 - was also conducted. The survey had an encouraging response rate of 76 per cent. The findings are due to become available in the second half of 2004. Along with the outcomes of the Australian Public Service Commission's State of the Service Report, the survey findings will provide a rich source of data on which to base future people management and information technology policies.

Employment agreements

The Department's Certified Agreement 2002-04 for staff, other than the Australian Antarctic Division, covered 1153 employees. During 2003-04, the agreement continued to support a high performance culture with improved communication, a fair and equitable basis for identifying and improving performance, and improved individual, team and managerial skills. Under the agreement staff received a three per cent pay increase in August 2003, in recognition of improved productivity.

Following extensive negotiations with staff and unions, the Department prepared a new certified agreement, which commenced on 1 July 2004 with a nominal expiry date of 30 June 2006. The new agreement reinforces the Department's commitment to staff achieving an appropriate balance between work and private life. It includes a competitive remuneration framework of pay and conditions, which will help the Department remain an employer of choice. The certified agreement is principles-based and supported by guidelines.

The Department offers Australian Workplace Agreements to all ongoing substantive Executive Level 1 and 2 employees. In 2003-04, these agreements covered 257 executive level employees - an increase of 163 from 2002-03. The agreements include:

The Department's Australian Antarctic Division has separate employment agreements.

The Division's 'New Directions' Certified Agreement 2002-04 covered the majority of the Division's 305 head office employees. Negotiations on a replacement certified agreement commenced in May 2004 and were well advanced as at 30 June 2004. It is expected that a new two-year agreement for the Division will be certified in October 2004.

The Division's Australian Workplace Agreements gained greater acceptance among executive level employees. In 2003-04, 61 executive level employees (56 non-senior executive and five senior executive employees) were covered by Australian Workplace Agreements - an increase of 22 from 2002-03. These agreements include:

Table 76 shows the amount of performance pay the Department paid to executive level employees in 2003-04. Table 77 shows the base salary ranges for employees at each level of employment during 2003-04.

Table 76: Performance pay for executive level employees
Performance pay statistic Classification
Executive Level 2 Executive Level 1
2002
-03		 2003
-04		 2002
-03		 2003
-04
Number of performance payments
66
86
97
148
Average performance pay
$6 934
$6 201
$3 743
$4 621
Range of performance pay
$544-$9 786
$1 176-$10 586
$1 303-$8 046
$210-$8 404
Total performance pay
$457 652
$533 327
$363 063
$683 987
Table 77: Base salary ranges for employees at each level of employment( a)
Classification - Department (excluding the Australian Antarctic Division)( b) Certified Agreement rates Australian Workplace Agreement rates
APS Level 1/2 $29 276 - $37 905  
APS Level 3 $38 718 - $42 640  
APS Level 4 $43 397 - $46 831  
APS Level 5 $47 494 - $50 908  
APS Level 6 $51 801 - $59 949  
Executive Level 1 $64 954 - $72 172 $64 954 - $72 172
Executive Level 2 $74 916 - $87 774 $74 916 - $90 774
PAO 1 (APS Level 4/5) $43 397 - $50 909  
PAO 2 (APS Level 6) $55 293 - $61 114  
PAO 3 (APS Exec Level 1) $68 327 - $84 934  
SPAO 1/2 (APS Exec Level 2) $87 774 - $92 178 $87 774 - $95 178
Legal Officer (APS Level 3/6) $39 702 - $59 949  
Senior Legal Officer (APS Exec Level 1) $64 954 - $79 033 $64 954 - $79 033
Principal Legal Officer (APS Level 2) $84 934 - $90 016 $84 934 - $93 016
Research Scientist (APS Level 6/Exec 1) $55 293 - $72 172 $55 293 - $72 172
Senior Research Scientist (APS Exec Level 2) $74 916 - $89 268 $74 916 - $92 268
Principal Research Scientist (APS Exec Level 2) $90 764 - $101 640 $90 764 - $104 640
Senior Principal Research Scientist (APS Exec Level 2) $107 423 - $117 132 $107 423 - $120 132
AAD Band 1 (APS Level 1) $30 219 - $33 022  
AAD Band 2 (APS Level 2) $34 012 - $38 279  
AAD Band 3 (APS Level 3) $39 427 - $41 827  
AAD Band 4 (APS Level 4) $43 084 - $47 079  
AAD Band 5 (APS Level 5) $48 492 - $51 443  
AAD Band 6 (APS Level 6) $52 987 - $59 636  
Executive 1 (APS Exec Level 1) $61 426 - $71 211 $59 633 - $69 132
Executive 2 (APS Exec Level 2) $73 346 - $121,235 $71 205 - $117 696
Antarctic Medical Practitioner Band 2 $101 531 - $110 947 $102 511 - $112 016
Expeditioner Band 1 $41 673 - $55 802  
Expeditioner Band 2 $51 289 - $69 219  
Expeditioner Band 3 $71 236 - $81 685  
Antarctic Medical Practitioner Band 1 $87 583 - $98 573 $88 427 - $95 696

(a) Figures are as at as at 30 June 2004.
(b) 'APS' stands for Australian Public Service; 'AAD' stands for Australian Antarctic Division; 'PAO' stands for Public Affairs Officer; 'SPAO' stands for 'Senior Public Affairs Officer'.

Key learning and development strategies

The Department's commitment to its People Development Policy and Investors in People programme continued during 2003-04.

The international Investors in People standard provides a framework for improving the Department's performance through its people. In late 2003, the Department was awarded the inaugural Australian Government Investors in People Gold Award in recognition of how the standard has helped the Department achieve better management of human resources in a geographically and functionally diverse organisation. The Department will seek Investors in People accreditation for another three years.

Department-wide business planning, communications, and learning and development activities support the Investors in People programme. During 2003-04, almost 98 per cent of eligible employees participated in the Performance and Development Scheme, which ensures employees have, and are assessed against, individual performance agreements aligned to the work programme of their branch. The scheme provides an avenue for employees to align their work and development goals to those of the Department's 2003-04 Strategic Plan, which helps ensure a focus on results.

The Department developed its Learning and Development Strategy 2004-06, which provides a framework for management and supervision, and a leadership model.

In 2003-04, the Department continued its diverse programme of learning activities, including:

The Department also participated in cross-departmental learning and development activities, including:

In addition, the Department maintained its staff development yearly allocation for each employee of $1000 and five days for learning and development activities.

The Department maintained its commitment to graduate recruitment with ten graduates and two internal staff participating in its graduate recruitment programme. The programme provides the Department with a pool of skilled graduates who develop a wide knowledge of the Department's activities.

The Department's Australian Antarctic Division placed greater emphasis on learning and development under its performance management system. In 2003-04, 90 per cent of head office employees had performance agreements. The Division's certified agreement and Australian Workplace Agreements promote access to training and development for all employees, and provides scope for managers to approve reimbursement of course fees under a Study Support Scheme.

In 2003-04, the Division directed significant training and development effort towards:

The Division continued to ensure that expeditionary employees are adequately prepared for working and living in the harsh Antarctic environment, and are equipped to deal with working and living as a member of an isolated Antarctic community.

During 2003-04, the Department also:

Occupational health and safety

The Department continued its commitment to preserving the health, safety and welfare of its staff and any other persons at or near work sites. The Department's Canberra-based Occupational Health and Safety Committee continued to meet regularly to address a wide range of issues. Each of the mainland National Parks and workplaces maintained other Occupational Health and Safety Committees to address site-specific issues. For more information, see Appendix 1.

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