Accessible Government Services for All Annual Report
Page 7
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Reporting analysis: Accountability – Effective and transparent reporting and review mechanisms.
Community feedback has indicated that some agencies do not offer effective monitoring and accountability processes, and some still seem to offer 'one size fits all' service delivery models. It was suggested that there needs to be a stronger focus on accountability measures and effective monitoring of services. Improved data collection, in order to better understand client groups, was recognised as a key priority to ensure effective service delivery.
The following section of the report gives examples of a variety of service delivery agencies provide accessible accountability mechanisms to their clients.
Strategy (i) – Establishing mechanisms to encourage feedback from people of all cultural backgrounds and allow them to register complaints and raise concerns about the performance of policy developers, programme implementers and service providers (including outsourced services).
DOHA's Aged Care Complaints Resolution Scheme provides a free and accessible system to enable all Australians, including those from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, to lodge a complaint about breaches of the aged care legislation by service providers that affects a person who is, or was, eligible to receive Australian Government funded aged care services.
The TIS complaints feedback processes are in place to enable clients to make complaints about services, and for those complaints to be investigated in a timely manner. TIS also conducts an annual client satisfaction survey and makes regular reports on its performance.
DEWR provides information about the complaints process in 13 community languages. A job seeker or employer who contacts DEWR's Customer Service Line to lodge a complaint can be connected through to TIS. Providers of Australian Government Employment Services (PAGES) use the Job Seeker Account on behalf of their clients to purchase interpreter services to explain complaints lodgement and hearing processes. Trades Recognition Australia also use an interpreting and translation service and, where possible, use their own bilingual staff to deal with complaints from clients.
Record keeping systems for the DEWR Infoline include collection of information about people who may be disadvantaged in the bargaining process or at greater risk of exploitation. A client feedback service is being established to support the WorkChoices Infoline and Independent Contractor Hotline. This service will provide a speedy and user friendly avenue for escalation and management of any service delivery concerns within the department. The Unlawful Termination Assistance Scheme (UTAS) and Alternative Dispute Resolution Assistance Scheme (ADRAS) have established grievance mechanisms to address complaints or appeals against Scheme decision makers. TIS is utilised for these processes.
Centrelink customers can communicate feedback in their preferred language through its Multilingual Call Centre number, or through the Centrelink feedback line. They may also provide feedback in writing using comment cards, which will be translated at no cost to them if they use a language other than English. Comment cards have been translated into 30 community languages. Centrelink also provides the fact sheet Do you disagree with a Centrelink decision? on its website, which is translated into 30 community languages.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner has a complaints information page on its website, which is translated into 11 community languages. In 2006, the Federal Court's Appeals Brochure was translated into 13 languages.
The court's website has information in 38 languages on how to find interpreting and translation services.
FaCSIA's Raising Children Network parenting website has a feedback section which encourages users to take a poll on the usability of the website and a questionnaire obtaining basic demographic information and more detailed responses to the website. There is also the capacity to provide feedback on each of the page articles. These are used to inform the content development process.
During 2005-06, HREOC's Complaint Handling Section (CHS) revised and updated the Concise Complaint Guide, which can be downloaded from the CHS webpage in 14 community languages at the website www.humanrights.gov.au/languages. During this reporting year, the CHS also developed an information poster in 14 community languages and copies of this poster were distributed to 2500 migrant and community centres around Australia. Complaints are accepted in languages other than English and translation is arranged by HREOC. During 2005-06, the CHS also developed a brochure which provides an easy to read flow chart of the complaints process.
Strategy (ii) – Responding to concerns raised by clients to improve agencies' performance.
DEST consults with the National Liaison Committee for International Students (NLC) on issues affecting international students undertaking courses of study in Australia. Ongoing communications with the NLC, as well as informal meetings at national fora and participation in the NLC Annual Conference, ensure DEST is aware of the issues of greatest concern to international students.
The ATO holds regular consultative meetings with multicultural community leaders and representatives to obtain feedback on services and their views on current and future needs. The ATO held a multicultural community forum in 2005 and published a report on the emerging communities which consolidated internal research and will shape future strategies. As a result of this research, the ATO has expanded priority language groups to include languages such as Dinka, Dari and Thai.
DIAC established the Global Feedback Unit (GFU) in August 2005 in recognition of the need for change in responding effectively to client feedback. The unit assisted in identifying areas for improvement in client liaison and training needs. The GFU collects, analyses and reports on all forms of feedback, including telephone calls, web based feedback and mail. Correspondence received in languages other than English is translated at no cost to the client.
HREOC's Complaint Handling Section asks for feedback on the complaint process from people lodging complaints (complainants) and people responding to complaints (respondents). This feedback is obtained by means of a customer satisfaction survey which is usually conducted by telephone interview. In 2005- 06, 56 per cent of those who could be contacted (139 complainants and 150 respondents) agreed to participate in the survey. Survey results for this reporting year are summarised below:
- 90 per cent of complainants and 96 per cent of respondents felt that staff explained things in a way that was easy for them to understand
- 91 per cent of complainants and 96 per cent of respondents felt that forms and correspondence from HREOC were easy to understand
- 88 per cent of complainants and 91 per cent of respondents did not consider staff to be biased.
These results are consistent with results achieved by HREOC in the previous reporting year.
The Office of the Employment Advocate (OEA) has a Client Service Charter which aims to encourage feedback. Clients can register feedback via email through the website, by calling the Workplace Agreements Information Service, or writing to the OEA. Since the introduction of WorkChoices in March 2006, the OEA has answered over 11 100 calls from people in disadvantaged bargaining positions. Over 90 per cent of these calls have been resolved at the first point of contact.
The OEA engages with community agencies and other stakeholders to ensure that people from non-English speaking backgrounds have an awareness of the OEA's responsibilities and services.
The OEA has worked with DIAC to ensure new migrants and refugees are aware of their entitlements and obligations in the context of agreement making under WorkChoices.
Strategy (iii) – Reporting to appropriate audiences of community concerns about agency programmes and agency responses to those concerns.
The Australia Council's Community Partnerships Scoping Study Report Creative Communities was presented to the Australia Council in June 2006. The report was the result of extensive consultation with communities, artists, partner organisations and included focus groups with emerging communities and artists from culturally and linguistically diverse groups. The report has reviewed, revitalised and extended the Australia Council's engagement with artists, communities, and partners.
The HREOC Complaint Handling Section (CHS) conducted information session attended by over 150 organisations throughout all states and territories. The sessions were information sessions on the law and the complaint process run by CHS staff. Attendees at the sessions included community legal centres, Aboriginal legal centres, multicultural organisations, universities, disability groups, professional associations and unions. As well, HREOC conciliation officers travel throughout Australia to conduct face-to-face conciliation conferences. Along with conferences in the greater Sydney area, CHS officers held 30 conferences in regional NSW, 56 in Melbourne, 54 in South Australia, 44 in Queensland, 22 in Western Australia, 15 in Canberra, two in Darwin and three in Hobart.
Since April 2006, HREOC has seen an increase in the number of employment related complaints - most notably under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Racial Discrimination Act 1975. The Commission is also receiving many more enquiries from employers and employees about their rights and obligations under federal discrimination laws. Employers are encouraged to create a discrimination and harassment free environment through HREOC's 'Good Practice, Good Business' guide. Employees can obtain information about their rights under discrimination law on the 'Work out your rights' section of the website. The complaints handling section is also holding information sessions for employers, employees and their representatives on what constitutes unlawful discrimination and the Commission's complaints process.
The National Capital Authority (NCA) accepts complaints about the use and
condition of National Land by email or via telephone.
The NCA accepts feedback and complaints in the client's preferred language,
and conducts consultations and review of regulations, including workshops, with
diverse clients. The NCA provides information about TIS on its website and on an
information sheet, and bilingual staff members explain regulations to clients. NCA
staff and volunteers assist visitors to fill out the feedback forms that are provided,
and can assist in languages such as Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish and French.
Email: natcap@natcap.gov.au
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) Community Water Grants programme has a call centre that assists a range of groups with their queries and applications. The call centre has an interpreting service to assist people across a range of cultural backgrounds. Its staff transcribe applications for callers with a range of disabilities, and the department's Envirofund programme circulates pamphlets widely and has a translation service available for people from a range of language groups.